The use of petroleum-based ointments and silver compounds ruin the coating on the beads and can permanently destroy their fluidising properties. The characteristics and performance of AFT support are highly desirable for the palliative care patient and today there is an alternative and improved option to AFT support systems referred to as fluid immersion simulation (FIS). The patient doesn’t feel ‘trapped’ in the bed, promoting mobility and quality of life while improving caregiver access. FIS surfaces provide the benefits of AFT support without the problems encountered with AFT and are an excellent option for the palliative care patient where frequent repositioning is not appropriate .