Abstract: Apparatus for altering the contour of a mattress on a bed comprises a lifting and lowering device located, in use, at one end of the bed and carrying an attachment for generally vertical movement. A flexible elongated carrier for a mattress has one end hinged to the attachment, and is movable between a first contour, where the attachment is in a lower position and the carrier is disposed wholly in a generally horizontal plane, and a second contour where the attachment is in an upper position, the end of the carrier hinged to the attachment is spaced above the aformentioned horizontal plane and the opposite end of the carrier, together with an adjacent, substantial portion of the carrier, is disposed in said generally horizontal plane. Friction-reducing means facilitates movement of the carrier in the horizontal plane.