31/07/2026
Volunteers are an essential part of Hospis Melaka.
Recently, a patient who had purchased a bed online assembled it independently but inadvertently arranged the multi-piece mattress incorrectly.
During my initial home visit, I noticed the patient was resting in a highly unusual position. Upon closer examination, I discovered that because the mattress consists of several pieces of varying sizes, the improper setup had caused one segment to slip completely off the bed frame.
As a result, the patient's body was dangerously unsupported. While his lower ribs down to his feet rested on a mattress segment, and his head was elevated on another, his mid-back and upper torso curved downward into the empty gap where the missing piece had slipped away. For a patient suffering from spinal metastasis, this posture caused severe discomfort and pain.
Because the patient is completely paralysed from the waist down, moving him safely required coordinated effort. I mobilized two Hospis Melaka volunteers, and together we carefully transferred him onto a deck chair as a single unit to protect his spine.
Once the patient was safely transferred, we correctly rearranged the primary mattress segments and properly reinstalled his ripple mattress to ensure optimal pressure relief. We then carefully transferred him back into bed. The patient experienced immediate, profound relief once his spine was properly supported.
Please read the explanation in the photos
