Tidewave – important development in pressure care

Tidewave – new approach to pressure care

Pressure ulcers, commonly known as bedsores, present a significant challenge in healthcare settings, leading to patient discomfort, extended hospital stays, and increased medical costs. Traditional preventive measures often involve manual repositioning by healthcare staff, which can be labour-intensive and disruptive to patients’ rest.

In response to these challenges, UK distributor Ambre-Stone is introducing the innovative Tidewave: a self-moving mattress designed to both prevent and treat pressure ulcers, including severe grade IV cases.
 

What Sets Tidewave Apart

At the core of the Tidewave mattress is its unique “Tidewave Hug” design — a patented, curved shape that gently envelops the patient. This design ensures synchronised movement between the user and the support surface, effectively eliminating sliding, shear, friction, and body torsion. The mattress’s continuous, slow lateral movements — adjustable between 20 to 60-minute cycles — are so subtle that they are imperceptible to the user, ensuring uninterrupted sleep. Additionally, the mattress operates silently, further enhancing patient comfort.
 

Clinical Validation and Benefits

Clinical trials have demonstrated the Tidewave mattress’s efficacy in both preventing and healing pressure ulcers. Notably, a study conducted by Sunnaas Hospital HF highlighted the mattress’s ability to distribute pressure effectively, reducing the incidence of pressure ulcers and minimising the need for manual repositioning by nursing staff.

Patients have reported significant improvements in sleep quality, reductions in pain, decreased muscle tightness, and less joint stiffness. Moreover, the gentle movements facilitate easier airway clearance after sleep, contributing to overall respiratory health.
 

A Norwegian nursing home resident who is trialling the Tidewave:

“My experience is that the mattress is very comfortable and that the turning is gentle and pleasant. The pain in my legs is completely gone after just a couple of days. It has given me a better everyday life.”

Tidewave has many unique features

Superficially, Tidewave may look like other pressure care mattresses, but in reality it is very different. These features set it apart:

• The Tidewave “hug”
• Continuous movement
• Person held in the “hug” all movement between the user and support surface is synchronised
• No sliding due to elevated side
• No shear
• No friction
• No body twisting or torsion
• Sensors along the full length of the support surface which control the “hug” and the synchronised turning
• Movement so slow as to be imperceptible
• So quiet in operation it cannot be heard
• Available in numerous sizes suiting adults and children as well as differing bed sizes.
 

Applications Across Healthcare Settings

The versatility of the Tidewave mattress makes it suitable for a broad spectrum of healthcare environments, including:

• NHS and private hospitals
• Hospices
• Care homes
• Home care settings
• Both adult and paediatric care

It is particularly beneficial for patients with conditions that limit mobility, such as stroke, fractures, joint damage, spinal cord injuries, and for the elderly who may be bedridden or unable to reposition themselves independently.
 

Economic and Operational Advantages

Beyond clinical benefits, the Tidewave mattress offers significant economic advantages. By reducing the necessity for manual repositioning, healthcare staff experience less physical strain, potentially decreasing work-related injuries and associated sick leave. This efficiency allows caregivers to allocate more time to direct patient care, improving overall service delivery. Furthermore, by effectively preventing pressure ulcers, the mattress can lead to substantial cost savings for healthcare institutions by reducing the need for additional treatments and extended hospital stays.

Contact Ambre-Stone directly for more information – phone 01522 420091 or send an email