Just throwing this out there. The topper doesn’t necessarily need to cover the entire bed. We used a twin foam eggcrate topper on my dad’s bed (it was a queen size) and worked just fine since he only slept on one side. Made the bed easier to make.
we have a quilted mattress pad over our topper also - If she is sensitive to quilting you can find ones that are just “striped” not quilted (like this one https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/nestwell-cotton-comfort-mattress-pad/5545633)
Usually a higher bed (but not excessively so) is easier to get out of than a lower one.
This mattress has buttons? I think I would get a new mattress. Maybe something with a memory foam top, or a gel top. Seems like that a better idea than trying to get a topper that will make the feel of those buttons disappear!
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I like two mattress covers, one on top of another. One thick one- maybe 3/4-1 inch but they are not labeled that way and a thinner one. The kind that have thicker cotton tops and thinner sides that fit around the sides of the mattress and minimal quilting seams on top. I buy them at Home Goods, Macy’s, Tuesday morning.
But may be harder to get into! 
I’ve thought a lot about this thread. This mattress has stuffing that has bunched up…and it has buttons. Some things just can’t be fixed with a bandaid fix. I’m now voting for buying a new mattress, and just getting rid of this one.
@snowball is your mom able to go mattress shopping with you…so she can lay on some different mattresses and try them. Or do you or someone you know have a mattress type she could try out…and then you can order and have it delivered and set up?
A thicker topper would make it hard for mom to reach the floor with her feet and to climb into bed; she is all of 5’2"! I think she would be better with 2" or less, or maybe the wool topper.
Mom has a typical cotton mattress pad which she likes to wash monthly. This is why I was looking for something that went under the mattress pad.
Yes, her mattress has buttons inside the tufted area. Finding a topper that would make the indention unnoticeable and the sleep area a bit softer is her goal.
Mom is able to go shop for a mattress, but don’t think she wants to spend the money if we can find a fix cheaper. Plus, if she doesn’t like what we find, a far as a mattress, and the old one has been removed, we have to try again, which is more than she wants to deal with. Mattress shopping is always hard unless one wants to take a nap in the store!
I will search online during the week, and check local stores over the weekend.
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My mom was always looking for a cheaper fix even when one wasn’t likely to be found. In those situations, we usually offered to get her the item as a gift.
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I vote for a 2” nice topper. Mattress shopping can be incredibly stressful and physically demanding. I think it would be difficult for her to climb in and out of more than a dozen mattresses. Plus then having the stress of committing to one and worrying that she might not like it once it’s home.
Does she have a low profile box spring? Or maybe you could find lower height bed frame?
Or even a platform that the mattress sits on.
2 inch memory foam topper with just the fitted sheet on top so it isn’t compressed.
If you want a protector of some sort lay it on top (or use adhesive tape to keep in place) and go from there. They can get heavy depending on bed size so consider a smaller twin size.
If there are “dips” in the bed (and you don’t want to buy a new mattress) try putting a folded towel under the mattress to support those areas.
I have a 2” memory foam mattress topper and put it under my mattress pad. Never knew that it’s supposed to be over the mattress pad. Works perfectly. I like to wash my mattress pad.
I have to take the memory pad out of the packaging and let it air out for a few days. I’m pretty sensitive to the smell.
I got it at target I’m sure, wasn’t a Costco members when I bought it and target is my go to. But if they have a 2” in stock at Costco I’d look there first.
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It should from a short google search go UNDER the mattress pad. BUT I think the deal is if there is actually enough room for it without being compressed. Between the mattress pad and sheet compression it can become a problem (especially if you have old size sheets that only go to a certain thickness).
We put it on top.
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Unfortunately, she doesn’t not have a low profile frame or box springs, nor will she consider changing either of them. She has a custom made comforter and bed skirt which would requiring hemming if she changed the drop. Again, money she isn’t willing to spend if she doesn’t have to.
I am going to see about a 1"-2" memory foam with it’s own cover, and see if she will forgo the mattress pad. I see some toppers have a zippered cover, which means it would be difficult to remove for regular washing, but some have a removable cover that is doable.
I appreciate everyone’s advice.
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Have you ruled out an adjustable hospital bed? No idea how much they cost, since Mom borrowed one for free through Hospice. The mattress did not seem like much to me, but oh how she loved that bed with ability to easily raise/lower height and also raise the head and foot as desired to get comfortable. It made me a little sad we had not pursued one during the years she complained about the old bed (but refused to go out with me to shop for a new mattress).
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We got a Serta one at Costco and it comes with a nice cover that is basically a mattress pad. You could definitely wash it anytime and it does not zipper onto the mattress. We got a 3 inch and I hated it at first as it seemed way too soft. Would definitely swallow up your mother. Now that I’ve had it for a month I really love it. If you can find the Serta in a 1 or 2 inch at Costco I think that’s what I would go with as the cover is great and it would definitely hide the bumps in the mattress.
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Hospital beds are great but can be really expensive. However you can find them often on the resale markets as people often don’t use them for long. We bought my dad one recently on Facebook marketplace and it was only a month old. Woman had bought it for her mother, she slept in it 3 times and then moved to a nursing home. Got the bed and mattress for $500 and it’s a game changer for my 88 year old dad.
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My mom has been in a hospital bed for awhile. She seems to like it very much. We got it 2nd hand from my sister, after her MIL died. We have been struggling to get a new mattress but are FINALLY getting one! The cost of the mattress and the gel pad for the hospital bed is pretty reasonable (gel pad was under $140 and mattress with innerspring was under $160, plus tax). The ability to raise & lower the head/foot of the bed, plus the rails are great for mom and the aides!
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I didn’t know they still made mattresses with buttons. My in-laws have a mattress in their barn apartment and it’s the most uncomfortable mattress. We had a 3 inch memory foam on our old bed from Costco. When we got our new mattress we moved it to a guest room bed. A king size memory foam topper can be heavy or at least ours was. It’s not something I’d want to take on and off to wash a cover.
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