Buying guide · Pressure care

Jay Basic or Jay 2 cushion?

Name: Connect Mobility
Address: T27/9 Margaret Street, Picton, NSW, 2571, AU
Telephone: 1300 216 888
Price range: $$

Written by Nadim Assaf, registered pharmacist, Connect Mobility in Picton

All three Jay cushions make a wheelchair more comfortable. Let's look at each one more closely and find the main differences.

If you can shift your own weight and you've never had a pressure sore, the Jay Basic ($269.95) is enough.

If you sit most of the day, can't shift your weight on your own, or have had a sore before, look at the Jay 2 (from $1,699.95).

If that's you and you also slide or lean in the chair, look at the Jay 2 Deep Contour ($1,699.95).

Start with the skin

A pressure sore is damage to the skin, and the tissue under it, where a bone presses for too long. In a wheelchair it's usually the sit bones and the tailbone. Sores can develop quickly.

The best protection is moving. NSW Health's spinal injury team say to take the weight off at least every 15 to 30 minutes. Hold it for 2 minutes or more. Leaning forward or to each side works. You don't need a full push-up.

A cushion doesn't replace moving. Sunrise, who make Jay, say so in their own manuals. What a good cushion does is spread the load, so the skin copes better between shifts.

You're at higher risk if you sit most of the day, can't shift your weight without help, have lost feeling in your bottom, or have had a sore before. After a spinal cord injury the risk is high. NSW Health put it at 85% over a lifetime for people with a spinal cord injury or spina bifida.

What's inside each one

The Jay Basic is moulded foam, 50 mm high. It has a shallow dip that keeps you centred. The base is bevelled, so it sits level on the sagging seat of a folding chair. Sunrise make it for people at low risk who can move their own weight.

The Jay 2 has a firm, shaped foam base. Under the sit bones there's a pad filled with fluid, which Sunrise call the Jay Flow pad. When you sit down, the fluid moves around the bones. That spreads your weight over a wider area.

The Jay 2 Deep Contour has a deeper well for your hips, with a soft foam layer over the fluid pad. The sides are raised to stop you sliding or leaning. Sunrise make it for people at the highest risk who can't shift or reposition themselves.

A note on names

Sunrise now sell the Jay 2 as the J2, and the Deep Contour as the J2 DC. Our supplier still lists them as the Jay 2. It's the same fluid pad design.

Which one fits

Find the line that sounds most like you.

You move your own weight and have never had a soreJay Basic$269.95

You sit most of the day, can't shift easily, or have had a soreJay 2from $1,699.95

You're at high risk and you also slide or lean in the chairJay 2 Deep Contour$1,699.95

You're not sure how at risk you areCall 1300 216 888talk it through

How much looking after

The three types need very different amounts of checking. Think about who will do it before you choose.

Foam needs the least. Look it over about once a year for flat spots or dents.

The Jay 2 needs a hand check once a month. Sunrise's manual explains how to do it.

The monthly fluid check

Take the cover off and sit on the cushion for at least 2 minutes.
Move off carefully, so you don't disturb the fluid.
Push your fingers into the dips left by the sit bones and tailbone. You should feel fluid before you feel the foam base.
If the fluid has firmed up in one spot, knead it back into place.

Some therapists like the fluid checked more often than monthly. Ask yours what they'd prefer. If you're checking the cushion for someone else, put a reminder in your phone.

An air cushion like the ROHO Mosaic ($469.95) needs a hand check every day. It has to hold the right pressure, and it can be punctured. For someone who won't check it daily, we'd choose the Jay 2.

Cleaning, from Sunrise's manuals

Machine wash the cover warm and let it drip dry, or tumble dry on low. No bleach.

Wipe the foam with a damp cloth, with no soap, and never soak it. Wipe the fluid pad with warm soapy water, then rinse and dry it. Never put the fluid pad under water.

Keep the cushion away from sharp objects and heat. Don't leave it outside overnight in frost or hot sun.

What the NDIS needs

The NDIS treats anything under $1,500 as low-cost assistive technology. The Jay Basic sits in that group. You usually don't need a quote or an assessment to buy it.

Both Jay 2 cushions cost more than $1,500. That makes them mid-cost. You'll need written evidence from an allied health professional, such as your OT. A full assessment report isn't needed at this level.

Tell us the chair and the seat size, and we'll send a quote the same day. We're NDIS registered (#4050144759). Our pressure care cushion guide covers funding in more detail.

Getting the size right

Size the cushion to the person, then check it fits the chair.

The width should match your hips. A cushion that's too narrow presses on the sides of the hips.

For the depth, measure from the back of your bottom to the back of your knee, then take off about 5 cm. That gap stops the front edge digging into the back of your legs. A cushion that's too deep tips your hips back, and you start to slide.

The Deep Contour is 100 mm high. It lifts you higher in the chair, so the footplates and armrests usually need adjusting. We do that when we fit it.

Side by side

Low riskJay Basic$269.95For people who move their own weight and have never had a sore.View cushion

High riskJay 2from $1,699.95For long days in the chair, or skin that has broken down before.View cushion

High risk, plus postureJay 2 Deep Contour$1,699.95For high risk when you also slide or lean in the chair.View cushion

	Jay Basic	Jay 2	Jay 2 Deep Contour
Our price	$269.95	$1,699.95 to $1,899.95	$1,699.95
Inside	Moulded foam	Shaped foam, fluid pad	Deep shaped foam, fluid pad, soft overlay
Made for	Low risk	High risk	Highest risk, can't reposition
Height	50 mm	75 mm	100 mm
Cushion weight	about 0.8 kg	about 2.5 kg	about 2.8 kg
Max user weight	110 kg	113 kg	113 kg
Sizes we stock	16x16 to 20x18 in	16x16 to 20x20 in	16x16, 18x16, 18x18 in
Checking	Once a year	Hand check monthly	Hand check monthly
NDIS group	Low-cost	Mid-cost	Mid-cost

Heights and weight limits are from our supplier's listings for the sizes we stock. Cushion weights are Sunrise's figures for a 16 x 16 inch cushion. Sunrise's Australian site lists higher weight limits for the newer J2 models. If you're over 110 kg, call us before you order.

Questions we get

Can I buy a Jay 2 without an OT?

Yes, if you're paying yourself. For NDIS funding you'll need written evidence from an OT or similar, because it's over $1,500. If it's your first cushion after a sore, we'd want an OT involved anyway.

Can the fluid pad leak?

It can, though it's not a common complaint. One therapist's review mentions pads occasionally splitting. Keep sharp things off the cushion and never soak the pad. If it's damaged, call us about a replacement pad.

Are they hard to transfer off?

The raised sides of the Deep Contour can make sliding transfers harder. One Jay 2 user said the same about its firm front corners. If you use a transfer board, tell your OT before you choose.