Choosing a pressure care cushion
Two questions decide the cushion. Is the skin intact, and can the person lift or lean to shift their own weight?
Yes to both, and a foam cushion between $74.95 and $269.95 does the job for most people. If the skin is already marked, or they sit all day and can't move themselves, you're looking at gel, fluid or air. That takes the price from $499.95 to $2,299.95, and above $1,500 the NDIS wants an OT report first.
Foam, gel or air
Foam is light, cheap and needs no looking after. The Max Mobility PU foam cushion ($74.95) suits everyday sitting in a transit chair. The Jay Basic ($269.95) is moulded with a mild contour, and Jay says it's for low risk skin.
Gel and fluid let the body sink in so the weight spreads over more skin. The Gel-T ($499.95) is rated by Span-America for moderate risk. The Equagel General ($849.96) is a gel grid with no pump or valve. The Jay 2 ($1,699.95) puts a fluid pad in a contoured foam base, so it holds posture as well as skin.
Air is the ROHO Single Valve ($1,499.95). Its air cells let the body sink deepest of all, and ROHO puts no weight limit on it. The trade off is that someone has to check the air, and it's the least stable surface for transfers. Low profile (60mm) is steadier, high profile (100mm) suits high risk skin.
They differ in how they feel and how you take care of them. Foam needs nothing. Gel needs wiping. Air needs a hand under it every so often.
Sizes, weights and covers
| Cushion | Type | Sizes (W x D) | Height | Max user | Cover | Price |
| Max Mobility PU Foam | Foam | 455 x 405mm | 80mm | Not published | Removable fabric | $74.95 |
| Jay Basic | Moulded foam | 41 x 41 to 50 x 46cm | 50mm | 110kg | Moisture resistant | $269.95 |
| SAF Pink/Grey | Two density gel foam | 41 x 41 to 50 x 50cm | 60mm | 110kg | Optional fluid resistant, washes to 95°C | $399.95 |
| Span-America Gel-T | Gel bladder in foam | 400 x 400 to 610 x 460mm | 63.5mm | 113kg, 227kg from 510mm wide | Wipe clean vinyl, non skid base | $499.95 |
| Equagel General | Gel grid | 40 x 40 to 56 x 50cm | 51 or 63mm | 220kg (51mm), 350kg (63mm) | Machine washable, cushion too | $849.96 |
| ROHO Single Valve | Air cells | 38 x 38 to 52 x 52cm | 60 or 100mm | Unlimited | Zippered lycra, non slip base | $1,499.95 |
| Jay 2 | Contoured foam, fluid pad | 41 x 41 to 50 x 50cm | 75mm | 113kg | Breathable stretch | $1,699.95 |
| Jay J2 Plus | Bariatric contoured foam, fluid pad | 51 x 46cm | 90mm | 294kg | Several options | $2,299.95 |
Max Mobility doesn't publish a weight limit, so ask us before ordering one for anyone over 100kg. Prices are for the smallest size. The SAF Pink (80kg limit) and Jay 2 Deep Contour (100mm high) are in the range too.
Match it to the seat
Measure the wheelchair seat, not the person. Width is the gap between the armrests. Depth is from the back canvas to the front edge of the seat.
The cushion should match both numbers. Too wide and it bunches. Too narrow and it slides, so the skin rubs with every push. A 450mm chair in our wheelchair range takes an 18 x 18 inch cushion, which is 46 x 46cm.
A 100mm cushion lifts the knees and can leave feet dangling, so check the footplates after it goes in.
Weight rating matters too. The Jay cushions stop at 113kg, and foam past its limit flattens within weeks. Over 113kg, look at the Gel-T in its wider sizes (227kg), the Equagel (220kg or 350kg), the J2 Plus (294kg) or the ROHO.
Covers and washing
The cover decides how the cushion copes with a wet day. Fabric covers breathe and stay cooler, but liquid goes straight through into the foam. Vinyl and PU covers wipe clean and keep fluid out.
If incontinence is part of the picture, buy the fluid resistant version. The SAF cushions come with or without one, and the whole cushion machine washes at up to 95°C. Equagel says cushion and cover both go in the machine. Foam never does, so wash the cover and let the foam air.
Checking a ROHO
A ROHO only works with the right amount of air in it. Too little and the bones touch the base. That's called bottoming out, and the cushion is then doing nothing.
ROHO's own check is simple. Pump it up firm and sit the person on it as they normally sit. Slide a flat hand under the lowest bony point of the bottom. Let air out slowly until there's about a finger's width, 1.5 to 2.5cm, between bone and base.
A carer should repeat that hand check weekly and after any long drive, since air shrinks and expands with heat. If you lift someone out at 2am for a wet change and the cushion feels flat, check it then, not next week.
On any cushion, the person still needs to shift their weight through the day. If they can't, the OT sets how often a carer repositions them.
NDIS funding for cushions
Every cushion here except the Jay 2, Jay 2 Deep Contour and J2 Plus is under $1,500. That's low cost assistive technology, bought from the core budget with no quote or OT report, as long as it relates to the plan. The NDIA sets out the bands on its assistive technology page.
Over $1,500 the NDIA wants written OT evidence that names the cushion and its cost. Send us the OT report and we'll have the quote back the same day. We're NDIS registered (4050144759), we invoice plan managers and the agency direct, and self managed participants pay and claim. Our NDIS pressure care cushion guide goes through the paperwork in more detail.
Common questions
Jay Basic or Jay 2?
Jay Basic ($269.95) is foam for someone with intact skin who moves themselves. Jay 2 ($1,699.95) adds a fluid pad and deep contours for moderate to high risk. We compare them in Jay Basic vs Jay 2.
Is a ring cushion good for pressure care?
For a sore tailbone after surgery or childbirth, yes, and they start at $54.95. For a wheelchair user at risk of skin breakdown, no. Our coccyx cushion guide explains which shape suits which problem.
Why are there pillows and a bed overlay in here?
They're positioning foam and sit alongside the seat cushions. Mattresses and overlays live in pressure care. If someone is in bed as much as the chair, the mattress matters more than the cushion.
How long does a cushion last?
Foam goes first. When it no longer springs back after you stand, or you can feel the seat through it, it's done. Gel and air last longer but wear out their covers. We can get spare parts and covers for anything we sell.
Do I need an OT to buy one?
Under $1,500, no, though we'd want one involved if there's any broken skin. Over $1,500, the NDIA asks for the report. We won't pretend a cushion fixes a wound on its own.
Can I return it?
Yes, within 14 days. Our refund policy has the conditions.
Measure the seat, note the weight, and tell Nadim on 1300 216 888 whether the skin is intact. If a $74.95 foam cushion is the right one, that's the one he'll point you to.
