The Yates Community Endowment of Rochester Area Community Foundation has awarded $5,000 to The Homestead at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital to purchase much-needed Alternating Pressure Mattresses. These specialty units are used for patients and residents with mobility deficiencies and who are temporarily or permanently bedridden or spend long hours in bed. The mattresses have pockets of air located lengthwise, that inflate and deflate, one at a time to alternate the pressure points on the body and to shift the position of the individual.
The mattresses will have a positive, lasting impact on the quality of life for those residents who need them. They will reduce the risk of bed sores and help treat those who already have pressure ulcers, therefore providing more comfort, while in bed. The mattresses will also enhance the individuals’ circulation, through pressure redistribution, which will help heal and nourish their skin and increase the overall health of those who spend long hours in bed. In addition, the mattresses reduce the need for tossing and turning, allowing residents to wake up more refreshed and get the rest they deserve.
“The Homestead is exceptionally grateful to the Yates Community Endowment Fund for the award of this grant allowing us the opportunity to purchase pressure-relieving mattresses for our residents,” says Bob Burlingham, Administrator of The Homestead. “These specialty mattresses provide not only additional comfort but also prevent and assist in the healing of skin impairments. Resident care is always our first priority.”
The Yates Community Endowment is under the guidance of an all-volunteer, all-local advisory board and a geographic affiliate of Rochester Area Community Foundation. Since its beginning in 2011, the Endowment has distributed more than $700,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations serving Yates County.
