Embodiments include a person support apparatus including a plurality of air fluidizable material, a tub, a foam bolster disposed along at least one wall of the tub and extending over the at least one wall, and an inflatable air bladder disposed above the foam bolster along the at least one wall of the tub. A method of assisting a person with ingress or egress of a person support apparatus by deflating the inflatable air bladder and adjusting a level of fluidization of the air fluidizable material such that the surface supporting the portion of the person is substantially level with a top of the foam bolster is also described.

A support apparatus configured to support a person is provided. The support apparatus includes a top surface including one or more predetermined areas, one or more conduits located inside the support apparatus which are located proximate to the one or more predetermined areas, and an air supply configured to provide air to the one or more conduits for delivering to the one or more predetermined areas. The air supply includes a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the air provided by the air supply, a cooling element, and a controller communicatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the cooling element. The controller determines whether the measured temperature of the air is higher than a predetermined temperature, and controls the cooling element to cool the air to the predetermined temperature if it is determined that the temperature of the air is higher than the predetermined temperature.

A patient support apparatus is provided with selective stiffening features. The patient support apparatus may include a support substrate defining a patient support surface. The support substrate may include a magnetorheological material providing selective reinforcement support of at least a portion of the patient support surface to redistribute pressure about a surface of a patient. The magnetorheological material may include a distribution of ferromagnetic particles disposed within a polymeric material and exhibits a shape conforming, variable stiffness in response to exposure to a magnetic field. A controller may be provided and configured to create a correlation of patient specific data with an optimal stiffness or inflection force deflection (IFD) of the patient support surface, and generate a strength of the magnetic field based on the correlation.

A portable patient turning device is provided comprising an inflatable mattress cover having a planar surface configured to substantially cover the surface of a bed, and a control unit connected to the inflatable mattress cover by one or more air hoses. The inflatable mattress cover further comprises a first inflatable chamber proximate to and extending along a left edge of the planar surface, a second inflatable chamber proximate to and extending along a right edge of the planar surface, and a spine cushion positioned between the first inflatable chamber and the second inflatable chamber and extending along a middle portion of the planar surface for at least a portion of the length of the first inflatable chamber and second inflatable chamber.

Introduced here are pressure-mitigation systems able to mitigate the pressure applied to a human body by the surface of an object. A system can include a pressure-mitigation device with chambers whose pressure can be varied by a controller that regulates the flow of fluid produced by a pump. The controller may be deployed as part of a closed loop system that autonomously infers information related to the health of a patient based on data related to the pressure of these chambers. For example, the data may be examined to determine whether the values indicate the patient is properly situated. A notification may be presented responsive to determining that the patient is not situated on the pressure-mitigation device, the patient has been improperly situated on the pressure-mitigation device for a certain amount of time, etc. Thus, real-time feedback may be provided to those responsible for monitoring the patient.

A patient support system includes a patient support apparatus and a support surface mounted on the patient support apparatus. The patient support apparatus is reconfigurable among a plurality of different configurations for supporting a patient on the support surface in a plurality of positions. The support surface is mounted on the patient support apparatus to move in response to reconfiguration of the patient support apparatus.

Embodiments include a person support apparatus including a plurality of air fluidizable material, a tub, a foam bolster disposed along at least one wall of the tub and extending over the at least one wall, and an inflatable air bladder disposed above the foam bolster along the at least one wall of the tub. A method of assisting a person with ingress or egress of a person support apparatus by deflating the inflatable air bladder and adjusting a level of fluidization of the air fluidizable material such that the surface supporting the portion of the person is substantially level with a top of the foam bolster is also described.

A tilt-tip moldable bed system for the care of immobile patients is provided. The bed system may include a moldable mattress having a casing with a bladder defining an inner volume and a top compliant surface over a top surface of the bladder, the compliant surface configured to conform to a shape of a displacing structure. The bladder may be configured to hold a plurality of beads suspended in a fluid medium. The moldable mattress may be molded while inflated and maintain a resilient shape when evacuated. The system may further include a supporting frame for the moldable support structure having a laterally rigid outer rim with at least one attachment point for the moldable mattress, at least one attachment point for a netted sling, and one or more mounting tracks configured to support at least one peripheral attachment.

A patient support system includes a scale system, an air system, and a lift system. The patient support system also includes a control system configured to graphically communicate information about the scale system, the air system, and the lift system to a user.

Embodiments include a person support apparatus including a plurality of air fluidizable material, a tub, a foam bolster disposed along at least one wall of the tub and extending over the at least one wall, and an inflatable air bladder disposed above the foam bolster along the at least one wall of the tub. A method of assisting a person with ingress or egress of a person support apparatus by deflating the inflatable air bladder and adjusting a level of fluidization of the air fluidizable material such that the surface supporting the portion of the person is substantially level with a top of the foam bolster is also described.