10/24/2019
Elmhurst Extended Care Center:
In healthcare we are constantly approached by vendors with “the latest and greatest technology that will transform the way things are done”. Many of these claims are misleading and result in purchases of equipment that fall short of expectations. This equipment sits in a storage room unused until the storage space is needed for something else. The AIM Hybrid Mattress is not that product.
The AIM Hybrid Mattress is a transformational product that will exceed all your expectations. I was introduced to this product and was skeptical regarding the claims of effectiveness that were presented to me. I thought to myself, “how much of a difference can a mattress really make?” At my facility, we use many different types of mattresses: foam, gel, low air loss, ROHO, and many more. When the AIM Hybrid Mattress was presented to me, I thought that the technology there with mattresses could not be improved. For months I heard about the things it had done for other residents in other communities. I still found myself resistive to trying it because it’s a mattress. What difference could it really make?
I then admitted a resident to my facility who hadn’t gotten out of bed in over 5 years and hadn’t had a shower in just as long. Shortly after admission, the complaints started coming in from staff and the resident. Staff stated that the resident was constantly calling them to be repositioned because she was experiencing pain. They were spending all their time with her, which was taking away from the other residents on the unit. The resident stated that the staff would reposition her, but she still wasn’t comfortable so kept calling them back. We tried every mattress we had in house. Nothing made a difference. Day after day it was the same thing over and over. It got to a point where the resident was calling 911 to have paramedics do something, but there was nothing to be done.
My team and I sat down to brainstorm what we could do to improve the situation. We contacted physicians and specialists who adjusted pain medications, completed x-rays, suggested treatments and interventions, but nothing seemed to make a dent. I finally called the vendor who had presented the AIM Hybrid Mattress to me. I told him that I have a difficult case that I don’t think anyone can fix. I told him that this was my last resort because I had tried everything else. In less than 24 hours the mattress was brought to the resident, who also was skeptical about it making a difference. She was placed on the mattress and her first response was that it felt good, but she still was still skeptical of its long-term effectiveness. We checked in with her in the morning and she for the first time in over 5 years requested to get up to have a shower and if she could get up in a wheel chair to participate in activities. Her demeanor was different. She was kind and expressed sorrow for the strain she put on our staff. She felt like the mattress empowered her to try because she saw that there were solutions for her. It was amazing.
I can truly and honestly say that this mattress made a difference in this resident’s life and effected the efficiency of my staff. I am not here to tell you that this mattress will solve all your problems, because for this resident there are still days that she is constantly calling for help. But she isn’t calling for help because of her pain.
Like many people, I thought the claims being made about this mattress were too good to be true. I thought to myself that I would believe it when I see it. But I gave it a shot and am glad that I did. I encourage anyone reading this to challenge your disbelief. Look at the people you serve. Find the one person you think can’t be helped and that you’ve exhausted all resources. Give them the AIM Hybrid Mattress to try for a night. You may be surprised with what you find. Any questions regarding this testimonial can be directed to the undersigned.
