Seeing a family member or loved one bedridden is an emotionally draining experience. Not being able to do much to help their suffering and provide the best care makes the feeling worse. This article strives to offer some solutions and understanding for the layman caring for bedridden patients in the context of home care.
Bedridden patients face a variety of problems, from labor support, mental illnesses such as depression, basic cleanliness and hygiene, bedsores, to chronic illnesses such as hypertension. Of this list, manpower problems usually rank first.
Most of the bedridden patients in Singapore stay at home and are cared for by family members. Over time, this can be a tiring cost for family members, and an understanding of home care will be of great help to both the family and the patient.
Understand the cause of bedridden
A patient can become bedridden for a multitude of reasons. A spinal fracture, post-traumatic coma and paralysis, surgery, head injury, end-of-life causes, old age, and the common stroke are situations that can cause patients to become bedridden. Understanding the causes can help prevent the problem from happening in the first place, while adjusting care for these patients will improve the quality of life for these patients.
Common problems
Nursing problems
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Ulcers or bedsores: Pressure ulcers and bedsores, if left unchecked, can cause serious complications over time.
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Basic hygiene and cleanliness. Basic cleaning of patients, regular diaper changes, bowel control are all important but physically demanding.
Medical problems
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Muscular atrophy. After prolonged periods of inactivity, muscles eventually lose their strength and muscle weakness sets in, making it a vicious cycle. The bedridden patient becomes more bed-bound as the days go by.
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Frequent infections: Due to the sitting / lying posture, the lungs cannot fully inflate with each breath and therefore respiratory infections are common. Due to prolonged use of diapers, the urinary tract becomes easily infected.
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Mental illness. It is common for patients who are bedridden to become depressed. Love, care and attention, frequent companionship, and empathy will go a long way in treating these patients.
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Insomnia. It is common for bedridden patients to not sleep well.
General problems due to lack of activity:
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Bedridden patients generally report loss of appetite, loss of interest in all things big and small, and a general decrease in all functions.
Challenges for caregivers
Caring for a bedridden patient is challenging. Over time, the daily routine of caring for the bedridden patient will take its toll on the caregiver.
Enforcing personal hygiene, administering the correct medications, serving adequate food, ensuring regular exercise, and providing companionship to bedridden patients are the necessary basics.
To go beyond the above, turn the bedridden patient every 2 to 4 hours to prevent pressure ulcers throughout the day, suction and clear the airways, feed through tubes, bandage open sores and wounds of the skin, urinary catheter care are all challenges faced. by caregivers in the face of patients with complicated medical problems.
Therefore, it is normal for a caregiver to feel overwhelmed at some point, which creates high levels of stress for the caregiver. Therefore, the provision of labor, just an extra pair of hands, will make a huge difference when it comes to home care.
Risks faced by bedridden patients
Common risks include:
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Development of pressure or pressure sores that get worse if left untreated.
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Formation of blood clots in the veins of the lower limbs. If these clots break loose and lodge in the heart, lungs, or brain, they can cause further complications.
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Muscular atrophy.
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Frequent infections and complications from general lack of activity.
As an aside, keep in mind that pressure ulcers rank higher when nursing care is poor. It usually begins with mild skin redness, but if left unchecked, pressure sores will infiltrate deeper into the layers of the skin and can erode the skin down to the bone if left unchecked.
Rules
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Perform a daily skin inspection to check for redness of the skin, especially in bony areas such as knees, hips, shoulders, ears, tailbone, and buttocks.
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If a pressure ulcer is identified, immediately replace it and seek medical help if the skin is broken.
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Keep the skin clean and dry. Clean the skin with mild soap and water; I know that.
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Moisten the skin: Use a body lotion to keep the skin lubricated. Use powder to dry skin folds, such as the armpits and under the breast.
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Bedding and bedding should be changed daily. In case of enuresis, change wet sheets immediately.
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Keep the patient hydrated.
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Eat a balanced diet: a healthy and nutritious diet is very important to boost the patient’s immunity. Keep a diary to record all the meals taken.
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Exercising the patient: To prevent muscle weakness, exercises should be performed taking into account the patient’s condition. If the patient is able to walk a little, help him walk as it suits him.
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Massage: Deep massages can help prevent complications related to blood circulation. Light massages are great for sore muscles and pressure ulcer prevention.
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Positioning: Reposition the patient every 2 hours. Never drag the patient; always lift.
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Keep Extremities Elevated – Hands and legs should be kept slightly elevated to prevent swelling and help blood circulation.
What to do in case of pressure ulcers?
Unless you are experienced or trained, the first contact of pressure sores should be handled by medical professionals to the extent possible.
However, for the first answer, the best treatment for pressure ulcers is to leave it in the open air and relieve pressure on the pressure ulcer as much as possible.
With sufficient experience with the type of dressings to be used, the caregiver should learn from each episode and become familiar with the available treatments and the methods used to clean the pressure sores.
The best method of treating pressure ulcers is prevention. So constant vigilance is the key.