Nancy Gerrish, 78, reclines on her cherished waterbed with her dog Penny in her Los Feliz home. Gerrish has had a waterbed for 28 years after first sleeping on a friend's waterbed. (Genaro Molina / ...

The bed in Nancy Gerrish’s bright Los Feliz home appears perfectly normal — carved wooden headboard, fuzzy brown blanket, cream-colored bed skirt. The sheets are a tasteful leopard print. A few ...