When a loved one is seriously ill, his family faces a difficult task: to alleviate his condition as much as possible, support him, and surround him with care. It is important to know the basic rules of caring for a bedridden patient so as not to harm him.
Professional nurses and carers undergo extensive training in caring for bedridden patients, but everyone who comes into contact with a bedridden patient should know the basic life hacks.
At home, the patient needs to be provided with comfortable conditions. He should be given a spacious, bright room, protected from excessive noise.
Lighting is preferably moderate: not twilight, but not too bright light. The optimal air temperature is about 20 degrees.
The bed is placed with its head against the wall, so that it can be accessed from all sides. This will facilitate turning over, hygiene procedures, changing linen and other manipulations necessary to care for a bedridden patient. It is better to purchase a special functional bed that supports all modern technological techniques.
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The bed where the patient will lie most of the time, or even all the time, should not be too soft. It includes:
If necessary, the mattress is sealed with oilcloth.
It is necessary to regularly prevent bedsores.
A small table or bedside table or a closet with things will come in handy next to the bed. You can put it on the nightstand drinking water, lamp, TV remote control, glasses, books and everything that the patient needs is at hand. It would not be superfluous to have a bell with which he can call for help. The drawer can be used to store medical and cosmetic preparations, hygiene products, thermometer, tonometer and other necessary instruments.
Don’t be afraid to use modern technological techniques for caring for a bedridden patient: they will make care much easier. The following tips will help you.
An important rule is that all manipulations must be thought out to the smallest detail and be as convenient as possible for both the patient and the person caring for him.
A professional nurse can teach how to look after and care for a bedridden patient. It is not difficult and does not require mandatory medical education. But it’s not enough to undergo training and learn basic techniques, tips and technologies. One must have truly limitless patience and big heart to truly make life easier for your sick or elderly relative, without falling into despair in front of him, without getting irritated by his whims.
What is better: to undergo training yourself or to entrust the care to a professional - it’s up to you to decide. Both cases have their advantages and disadvantages. Of course, it is more pleasant for the patient to see a loved one next to him. But not everyone has such an opportunity, both physical and moral. In this case, contacting a nurse is the best choice.
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Organizing care for bedridden patients at home can be very difficult, especially for a person far from medicine. It is difficult to foresee all the nuances and upcoming difficulties. However, the price to pay for a mistake is not only comfort. loved one, but also his health. Rationally organized care for a sick bedridden person, a constant daily routine and preparation of the apartment will provide not only psychological comfort for all family members, but will also have a beneficial effect on the patient’s health.
The first thing that needs to be prepared at the time of discharge from the hospital is the bedroom in which the bedridden person will always be. No matter how long he will be confined to the bed, it is important to properly organize the space and create maximum comfort. It directly depends on this psychological state and speed of recovery. While maintaining some degree of mobility, installation in other rooms will be required.
The bed should be positioned in such a way that there is access from both sides.
The following devices may also be required to care for bedridden patients:
| Device | Purpose |
| Anti-bedsore mattress | Allows you to evenly distribute the load over the entire surface of the body, preventing disruption of blood supply in soft tissues |
| Bedside table | Instead of a full-fledged table, you can use special stands, but they are less convenient and are only suitable for beds with handrails |
| Therapy arc, ladder | Pull-up device. Necessary if the patient has retained partial mobility and has physical strength |
| Toilet chair | It will be needed if the patient is able to move around a little, but for some reason cannot get to the restroom |
| Lift | A device that allows you to lift and move a patient. Particularly relevant for caring for |
If care is required for seriously ill bedridden patients with incontinence, it is better to install an ionizer from the first day. It will not only clear the air from the inevitable unpleasant odor, but also enrich it with ions, which has a beneficial effect on health.
For patients whose movement, although limited, is possible, it is necessary to install additional devices in the apartment. Depending on his diagnosis and physical strength, he will need the following equipment:
When caring for bedridden patients at home great importance has the quality and frequency of hygiene procedures. A weakened body is highly susceptible to infections, and a lying position provokes the occurrence of skin inflammation and bedsores. Maintaining hygiene and changing bed linen daily will reduce this risk.
Items needed to care for bedridden patients:
Daily hygiene procedures must include:
Before starting the procedure, you must make sure that there are no drafts in the room and that the air temperature is comfortable.
Important! All procedures must be carried out wearing medical gloves.
Complete hygiene and care for bedridden patients involves washing the entire body and head at least once a week. Very often this becomes the most difficult responsibility for relatives. However, to facilitate this procedure there is now huge assortment products for the care of bedridden patients. Their choice depends on the financial capabilities of the family and physical condition sick.
There are two ways to wash a bedridden patient:
The latter method is possible if the person maintains clarity of consciousness, is able to move, or has a physically strong assistant and the necessary devices.
| Care | Necessary equipment and care products | Features of the method, difficulties and advantages |
| Washing in the bathroom |
When choosing washing products, you should give preference to hypoallergenic, neutral PH, without strong smell and dyes |
Washing in the bathroom is much more convenient than in the bed, but requires significant effort from the caregiver. In the absence of additional help and heavy weight patient, this method becomes unavailable |
| Washing in bed (with water) |
|
The best option for washing a patient in bed. The feeling of water on the skin has a beneficial effect on mental state. The bath is easy to install, there is no need to lift and move the patient, the presence of a hole and a hose makes it easy to drain used water |
| Washing in bed (without water) | Special without water:
Some of them require water, but in very minimal quantities. The peculiarity of such products is that they do not require rinsing. Additionally, you will need fabric towels. |
This method can be used as an additional method, since water procedures, according to doctors, is much more useful. Using it as the main one - extreme case when there are no other options |
Bedsores - serious problem, which all bedridden patients and their caregivers face. Necrosis begins due to impaired blood supply to the soft tissues caused by constant pressure and lack of movement. In particularly serious forms, it spreads deeper, affecting the muscles and tendons. Treatment of bedsores is very long and difficult, so special attention should be paid to prevention and hygiene. Poor quality leaving is one of the reasons for their appearance.
With poor hygiene and low mobility, the first signs of bedsores may appear within a couple of hours. To prevent them, the following rules must be observed:
Important! Treatment of bedsores is determined by the degree of tissue damage and is carried out only under the supervision of a doctor.
Treatment includes:
Important! The transition to nutritional formulas is carried out only on the recommendation of a doctor!
Limitation of mobility is a factor that causes depression in any person. Added to this are sleep problems characteristic of old age and a heavy awareness of one’s helplessness. For the psychological comfort and health of the patient, it is necessary to adhere to several rules:
Bedridden patients are very sensitive to the psychological atmosphere in the family. Therefore, full-fledged modern care for bedridden patients is impossible without healthy egoism. And so that caring for a bedridden elderly sick relative does not turn into an unbearable burden, you must adhere to the following principles from the first day:
If you decide to take care of the patient yourself, then it is worth remembering that respectful attitude, sincere care and love are things without which caring for a bedridden person will never be sufficient and complete.
Caring for seriously ill relatives who are constantly in hospital supine position- it's hard work.
But if you organize everything correctly, you can make your work much easier., therefore, before you begin caring for a paralyzed person, you must consult a doctor and familiarize yourself with the recommendations.
Hygiene is very important in caring for non-ambulatory patients. Doctors recommend carrying out all activities at least 2 times a day.
One of the problems that causes moral inconvenience. Patients require special padding vessel And "duck", that is, urinals. Such containers must be thoroughly washed and disinfected after each use.
Important! It is necessary to explain to the patient that there should be no embarrassment, that it is important to empty on time. bladder and intestines, otherwise it can provoke the development of constipation and exacerbation of urinary tract diseases.
If the patient cannot control urination or bowel movements, he must be wearing diaper, can be used disposable diapers or regular sheets, under which you will need to lay an oilcloth.
It is necessary to bathe a bedridden patient every day; if the person can walk to the bathroom himself, then he is escorted and washed in the shower.
Reference! For hygiene, it is best to use baby hygiene products.
After bathing, the patient's body should be patted dry. soft towel or gauze - wiping the body is not recommended, as microcracks may appear, which can subsequently trigger the development of bedsores.
It is very important to wipe the body dry; a wet body on the bed can also cause bedsores.
If the patient is unable to move, then they bathe him directly in bed, having previously laid an oilcloth under him:
In order to wash your hair, use an inflatable bath, which comfortably fixes the head and does not put any pressure on the head.
Important! Don’t forget that patients should definitely brush their teeth in the morning and before bed. For bedridden patients, it is best to use a toothbrush with soft bristles so as not to damage the surface of the gums.
How to properly wash a person lying in bed is shown in the video:
The attending physician prescribes a diet depending on what caused the paralysis and on how much chewing skills and swallowing functions have been lost:
Should be given at required quantity liquids in the form of tea, compote, non-acidic juices. Drinking restrictions apply only for heart and kidney diseases.
The patient should be fed as follows:
Reference! After feeding, be sure to wipe the patient's face with a damp cloth, and also shake off crumbs from him and from the bed.
Watch a video that shows how to properly feed a patient in bed:
Bedsores are one of the most common pathologies in bedridden patients. Bedsores usually develop in places strong pressure or rubbing. The reason may be a banal fold in the sheet.
Important! The patient's position should be systematically changed and problem areas should be massaged. A regular terry towel will do for this.
Some preventative procedures should also be performed:
How to prevent the formation of bedsores in a bedridden patient is described in the video:
Paralyzed patients constantly remain in one position, as a result of which normal ventilation of the lungs is disrupted, and sputum begins to accumulate in the bronchi.
If the cough reflex in patients is impaired, then sputum cannot be eliminated from the body naturally, which subsequently leads to stagnation of sputum, and becomes the cause of the development of a bacteriological process in the lungs.
Gradually, the patient begins to develop hypostatic or congestive pneumonia, which is virtually impossible to determine on initial stage disease, since it is asymptomatic and is detected only when the disease is already in the midst of its development.
Reference! Often this pathology becomes the cause of death, so it is very important to prevent it in time and prevent further development if pneumonia has already begun.
To prevent the development of congestive pneumonia, the following measures should be taken:
For the purpose of prevention through methods traditional medicine You can use tea with thyme or a decoction of viburnum.
Gymnastics is very important aspect, it is carried out to prevent muscle atrophy and to stimulate normal blood circulation in the extremities:
Massage is also necessary to stimulate blood circulation and to prevent the development of bedsores.
It is not necessary to do a professional massage; you can simply gently rub and knead problem areas of the skin.
In caring for a bedridden patient, you will need auxiliary cosmetics:
You can buy such products in almost every hardware store, and their cost is low.
Reference! The EliXi company produces cosmetics specially created for the care of bedridden patients.
What equipment you need to prepare to care for a seriously ill person is described in the video:
Hospitals and boarding houses are the first stage of providing assistance to patients who, for some reason, find themselves permanently or temporarily bedridden.
A special feature of inpatient treatment is that there are auxiliary devices that facilitate the care process.
Such devices are:
This situation has certain advantages for those who, after hospitalization, will have to care for a bedridden relative at home.
Reference! The hospital will always tell you what to pay special attention to when caring for you - how to bathe and feed the patient, what needs to be done to prevent the development of bedsores and congestive pneumonia.
Caring for a bedridden patient is hard work, but it is worth it. After all, recovery will come much faster if the patient feels cared for.
Relatives and medical staff should make every effort to achieve positive dynamics.
Caring for a bedridden patient requires the presence of certain skills - for example, you need to know what products to treat the skin with, how to organize oral care, what care products will not harm the weakened body.
Table of contents:Such procedures for bedridden patients should be carried out twice a day and optimal time for this purpose there will be a period immediately after waking up and before breakfast, before going to bed at night. To ensure that the hygienic procedure does not pose problems for people who care for a bedridden patient, it is worth preparing the following means in advance:
This list may vary depending on how severe the patient's situation is. For example, you may need:
Please note:A more specific list of necessary means and devices for caring for a bedridden patient will be compiled by his attending physician, since everything depends on the diagnosis.
Before you begin to perform skin cleansing procedures, you need to get rid of drafts in the room; the air temperature should be at least 20 degrees. Such rules must be observed, since temperature fluctuations and drafts can lead to aggravation of chronic diseases in a bedridden patient, his condition worsens - in such patients he is very weakened.
Having prepared all the devices and means, ensuring desired temperature indoors, you must wear rubber gloves and protect the bed with an absorbent or waterproof oilcloth/sheet. The patient's underwear is removed and hygiene procedures are carried out in strict sequence.
If the patient is able to sit, then he is placed on a chair or given a sitting position directly in the bed. If the patient is not allowed to change his body position, then you just need to turn his head to the side. Cotton swabs are used to clean the cheek space from accumulated mucus and saliva, but for this you can use disposable spatulas, which will allow you to move your cheeks and make the procedure easier.
Teeth brushing is carried out according to the same rules as for healthy person, but only more carefully, without any effort. After the cheek spaces and teeth are cleaned, it is necessary to rinse the patient’s mouth - this is done with a syringe with a soft tip, which contains either clean warm water or a hygienic solution (hydrogen peroxide, baking soda).
Please note:When rinsing the mouth, you need to raise your head above the surface of the bed (if the patient is lying down) to prevent liquid from entering the esophagus and respiratory tract.
Special attention you need to pay attention to the choice of toothbrush and, since in bedridden patients the oral mucosa becomes vulnerable and sensitive to the effects of hard bristles. For patients after a stroke, it is recommended, which has astringent and hemostatic properties, but such recommendations must be given by the attending physician.
After completing the procedure for cleaning the mouth, the patient should blot their lips with an absorbent napkin and apply hygienic lipstick or moisturizing balm to them - this will prevent drying and cracking of the lips. Choosing similar means, you need to be sure that they are hypoallergenic.
A sponge is moistened in warm water and wiped over the face of a bedridden patient. Then they treat the eyes - using two damp cotton pads (one for each eye), wipe them with movements from the outer corner to the inner.
Cleaning the inner surface ears And ear canal carried out with the help cotton swabs, and then you need to wipe the skin behind the ears, neck and chest area with a damp sponge, paying special attention to the folds under the chest, the surface of the sides and the stomach of the bedridden patient. In parallel with the described actions, the already cleansed areas of the skin are blotted with a cloth (it must have absorbent properties) and covered with a blanket or towel, moving downwards to top part the torso puts on clothes.
After this, the bedridden patient is carefully turned on his side and the back area is wiped. Immediately you need to blot the treated areas and apply a product to protect against bedsores, which contains zinc or arginine.
Each patient's hand is alternately placed in a basin with warm water and wash with a sponge or gloves. Particular attention should be paid to cleansing the interdigital space - it is in these places that accumulates large number pathogenic microorganisms.
After washing, each hand is dried with a towel, and a moisturizer is applied to the elbows - it is in these areas that roughening of the skin is often observed, so it is necessary to prevent the appearance of cracks. All that remains is to trim your nails and file them with a file, but this is not done daily, but as the nail plates grow.
Before proceeding to this stage, you need to take off your gloves and put on clean ones, prepare a new one warm water. Hygiene intimate places is carried out according to the following algorithm:
After treating the perineum, they proceed to washing the feet, but first you need to change the water in the basin and put on clean gloves, take a clean sponge or mitten. The foot washing procedure is performed as follows:
Please note:All described hygiene procedures must be carried out daily. This is the only way to prevent the occurrence of bedsores and alleviate the plight of a bedridden patient.
This hygienic procedure should be carried out as the hair of a bedridden patient becomes dirty. You should prepare the following:
The bedridden patient should be in a supine position, with an inflatable bath placed under the head. If you use a basin, you need to put a small inflatable pillow under your head, and a cushion under your neck so that your head is thrown back. The head of the bed should be covered with oilcloth or a waterproof diaper, and a basin of water should be installed.
The hair washing procedure is carried out in the following sequence:
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A stroke often leaves a patient incapacitated. The consequence of the disease can be partial paralysis, in which a person loses the ability to self-care. Caring for patients after a stroke requires some skills, so relatives receive the necessary information from medical personnel or study specialized literature.
The consequences after a stroke are individual for each patient. Some patients may develop only speech disorders and minor neurological pathologies. Loss motor activity is more a common consequence suffered hemorrhagic stroke. After discharge from the hospital, the patient undergoes rehabilitation period at home or in specialized institutions, if he does not have relatives and friends.
In order to eliminate the risk of relapse and speed up the process of restoring body functions, when caring for a patient after a stroke at home, you must adhere to the following program:
These are the basic principles of rehabilitation care, the violation of which can lead to undesirable consequences. If you do not provide the patient with proper hygiene, this will cause diaper rash and infection. At poor nutrition Digestive problems with the development of constipation or diarrhea are possible. Insufficient stimulation of blood circulation in the sacral area within a short time will lead to the appearance of bedsores.
How often do you get your blood tested?
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Only by prescription of the attending physician 31%, 1962 vote
Once a year and I think that’s enough 17%, 1063 vote
Only when I'm sick 16%, 1004 vote
At least twice a year 15%, 940 votes
More than twice a year but less than six times 11%, 720 votes
I take care of my health and rent once a month 6%, 385 votes
I'm afraid of this procedure and try not to pass 4%, 257 votes
21.10.2019
Caring for a bedridden patient at home requires integrated approach. Special technical devices can make the rehabilitation period less painful for both the patient and his loved ones. For bedridden patients, it is recommended to purchase a special multifunctional bed with the ability to adjust the head and foot parts. This design will allow you to give the patient’s body a comfortable position at any time. In addition, the ability to change the height of the bed will facilitate hygiene procedures and exercises.
An important point is the presence of built-in side rails at the bed, which prevent the patient from accidentally falling and help the patient turn over independently.
If it is not possible to purchase such a bed, then you can change the height yourself sleeping place patient using additional mattresses. Chairs with wooden backs can be used as handrails and fall protection. For stability, the chair legs are placed in special iron frames, which can be made to order.
When the patient begins to walk, the safest conditions possible should be created for him at home. It is necessary to make special handrails in the bathroom and toilet, the floors in the apartment should not be slippery, it is better to keep the doors to the rooms open so that the patient does not exert unnecessary effort. All this must be done taking into account the fact that in patients after a stroke, coordination of movements is often impaired and there is high risk falls.
It would be good if the patient was given a separate room. The room should be bright and as spacious as possible. If it is on the sunny side, then blinds should be hung on the windows. During the hot season, it is advisable to equip the room with air conditioning, but as far away from the patient’s bed as possible. If it is not possible to install such equipment, then you can use a floor fan.
In cold weather, the room should be well heated. One of the consequences of a stroke is poor circulation, which can cause the patient to feel cold.
