What this article is not: medical advice. If you have a pressure sore, or you are at high risk of one, see our full triage guide and honest South African pricing for pressure-care equipment first, and talk to an occupational therapist before you talk to us.
Over 14 years and roughly 750 beds built for wheelchair users, mainstream mattress retail has never once asked our customers the three questions that actually matter to them: how high does the bed need to be, how firm does the edge need to be, and will the cover survive daily use. Here is what we have learned, and why we now build differently for this group of customers.
Height comes from the wheelchair, not the bed
A standard bed base plus a standard mattress lands wherever it lands. For a wheelchair user, that height is not a detail, it decides whether a transfer is easy or genuinely risky. We build to the finished height a customer tells us, measured against their own wheelchair seat, not against a showroom average.
A soft edge is not a kind edge
Deep, plush foam feels good to sit on for thirty seconds in a shop. It behaves very differently when you are putting your full weight through one hand on the edge of the mattress during a transfer. A soft edge that compresses under that load makes the transfer feel unstable, and an unstable transfer is a fall risk. We reinforce the perimeter on request, specifically for customers who transfer themselves.
Covers are the part nobody designs for
We are asked for genuinely waterproof, breathable covers by this group of customers more than by any other. A standard quilted cover does not survive a leaking catheter bag or ongoing incontinence care, and a "water-resistant" cover is not the same thing as a waterproof one. It is a small spec line that matters enormously in daily use.
Custom sizing is just a measurement, not a favour
We build to order, so a non-standard length, a split configuration to get a hoist or a carer alongside the bed, or a size to fit a hospital or adjustable frame, is a normal request for us. See our custom size foam mattress page for how that works.
What we will not tell you
We will not tell you that a foam mattress, castellated or not, prevents or treats pressure sores. It does not, and no honest mattress company will tell you otherwise. If that is what you need, our full guide sets out the real South African pressure-care market, tier by tier, with honest prices, including the tiers we do not sell.
Read the full triage guide and pricing →
Written by Andries Taljaard, Founder of Mr Mattress. This article is general information, not medical advice.