Pressure injuries are common, costly, and largely preventable.
A 2021 AUT study citing New Zealand Ministry of Health audits found that, at the time, 57% of residential aged care providers had residents with active pressure injuries, with 821 injuries recorded across those providers.[1] The same study estimated the annual direct cost of pressure injury care in New Zealand at $67 million.[2]
The residents most at risk are those who spend long periods in bed or in a chair, have limited ability to reposition themselves, or have skin and tissue vulnerability linked to age, nutrition, or underlying health conditions. Roughly 80% of aged care residents carry some level of pressure injury risk, with around 20% classified as high risk.[2]
Where the mattress fits in
A mattress is one of the most practical tools a care team has for managing pressure injury risk, but only when it's matched to the resident's individual risk profile. A mattress that has compressed beyond its effective lifespan, or was never suited to the resident's clinical needs, provides inadequate pressure redistribution regardless of how well the rest of care is delivered.[3]
The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel joint guidelines are clear that support surface selection should be based on individual risk level, mobility, repositioning ability, and skin microclimate needs, not on product category alone.[4] Two residents with identical risk scores may legitimately need different surfaces depending on their weight, comfort, and care goals.
Reassessment is part of the process too. Risk changes with illness, mobility, and care setting, so mattress selection should adapt accordingly. Updating a support surface reflects responsive clinical care, not a failure of the original approach.[3]
Foam mattresses
For residents at elevated or moderate risk, a high-specification foam mattress is the practical first step. Pressure redistribution without the complexity of a powered system. The heel is consistently identified in clinical literature as one of the highest-risk pressure injury sites, requiring specific offloading rather than general redistribution alone.[5]
A zoned layered foam mattress designed to distribute load away from vulnerable bony prominences through immersion and envelopment. A reliable clinical upgrade from standard foam for residents at elevated risk.
Alova multi-support mattress with heel relief
A visco-elastic foam mattress with dedicated heel relief slope alongside full-body zoned pressure relief.
Alternating air mattresses
For residents at high or very high risk, particularly those who are immobile or spend long periods in bed, an alternating air system provides active, powered pressure redistribution. These are appropriate when reactive surfaces aren't sufficient, when a pressure injury is present or not healing, or when manual repositioning alone isn't delivering adequate protection.
DynaLine alternating air mattress
A straightforward, reliable alternating air system and a good choice for facilities moving into dynamic pressure management for the first time. The DynaLine delivers consistent alternating pressure redistribution that's easy to set up, use, and maintain.
Automorpho Plus alternating air mattress
A high-specification alternating air mattress for residents with complex or elevated pressure injury risk. The Automorpho Plus is suited to cases where a standard alternating system has proven insufficient, or where a resident has existing injuries requiring more intensive pressure offloading as part of a broader wound care plan.
If you'd like to work through the right match for specific residents or care settings, reach out to your Cubro team.
References
[1] Lowe, T. (2021). Management of Pressure Injury Prevention in Two New Zealand Aged Care Facilities. AUT Open Repository. openrepository.aut.ac.nz. Cites a New Zealand Ministry of Health audit of 528 residential aged care facilities.
[2] Lowe, T. (2021). Management of Pressure Injury Prevention in Two New Zealand Aged Care Facilities. AUT Open Repository. openrepository.aut.ac.nz
[3] Agency for Clinical Innovation, NSW. (2023). Mattress upgrade and selection. Pressure Injury Toolkit. aci.health.nsw.gov.au
[4] European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. (2019). Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline. Third edition. gneaupp.info
[5] Wounds UK. (2024). Effectiveness of pressure-relieving mattresses on pressure ulcers. Wounds UK, 20(4), 12–18. wounds-uk.com