A method of positioning an occupant (98) of a bed includes identifying (204) the presence of a discrepancy between an existing occupant position and a target occupant position, and establishing (206) an elevation gradient having a direction, magnitude and position compatible with moving the occupant from the existing occupant position to the target position. In one variant of the method the step of establishing an elevation gradient is one substep of a preordained sequence of bladder inflations and deflations. In another variant, the method includes determining (210) if the discrepancy has been corrected and responding to any noncorrection of the discrepancy.