At-Home Care for Bedridden Elderly Adults
When a loved one is confined to a bed, they will require help with daily tasks. We'll go through how to care for a bedridden sufferer in this piece.
A Quick Guide to Bedridden Patient Care
Before digging deeper, we'll go through how to care for a bedridden patient in simple terms in this part. Aspects of life that you may take for granted, like as sanitation, are involved in bedridden caregiving. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for.
1. Ensure excellent hygiene:
Bathing and dental care may be difficult for bedridden elderly people. Additionally, trimmed nails and groomed hair will prevent the patient from accidentally scratching themselves and will help to reduce infestations of lice, bedbugs, and other parasites.
Bedridden hygiene will also boost the patient's self-esteem.
2. Encourage proper nutrition:
Speak with the patient's doctor or a dietitian to ensure they are eating a well-balanced diet. Keep track of their eating habits for future reference when speaking with a practitioner if anything unusual happens after eating certain foods.
Take care of their nutritional requirements. Some people prefer smaller snacks throughout the day to larger meals. Keep water and non-sugary drinks on hand for them to sip throughout the day as well.
3. Keep them entertained and comfortabl:
Bathing and feeding are only two aspects of home care for bedridden patients. You should also ensure that they have access to entertainment. Make a television with a remote available, as well as books, magazines, and newspapers on a nearby nightstand.
Air out the room on a regular basis, and make sure the bed linens are changed and cleaned as needed.
Bedsores Prevention:
Bedridden patient care at home include treating damage to the skin and underlying tissues caused by sitting or resting in one position for an extended period of time. Bedsores, also known as pressure sores, require that the sufferer be positioned differently every few hours. In the worst-case situation, these sores can get infected, leading to problems and a reduced life expectancy.
Here are some simple ways to avoid bedsores:
Encourage the bedridden patient to adjust themselves into sitting postures or engage in small exercises if they are able to move on their own.
Consult a doctor about the safest techniques to adjust a patient without causing injury.
Keep your skin clean and dry at all times.
Pillows should be placed between body parts that frequently rub against each other, such as the knees and ankles.
Check areas where bedsores are common, such as the ankles, heels, hips, and tailbone, on a regular basis.
Diaper Changes:
When caring for bedridden elderly people at home, changing diapers is a common task. Wear disposable medical gloves and have a new diaper, a plastic shopping bag, pre-moistened wipes, and diaper rash cream on hand when changing the baby.
We'll show you how to do it step by step here:
Remove the patient's pants fully rather than rolling them up to their ankles if they are wearing them.
1. Turn the patient onto their side and check the diaper for urine and bowel motions.
2. Unclip the edges of the diaper, open it, and fold it down to enclose the dirty area.
3. Clean the area with wipes and apply ointment if necessary. To access all of the places, you will need to elevate their legs.
4. Roll the patient to the other side and remove the diaper.
5. Place an open, clean diaper behind the patient to allow them to roll into it effortlessly.
6. Place the patient in the diaper.
7. Pull the front of the diaper up through their legs and secure the front and sides together.
8. Place the diapers and wipes in a plastic grocery bag, seal it, and dispose of it appropriately.
