How to Care for Bedridden Elderly Adults at Home

Caring for a bedridden patient requires a great amount of understanding and patience. No matter how much you love them, it can become a daunting task because of physical and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. We have compiled a few important tips regarding care for a patient, whether it be a friend, family member, or someone you know, that way you can accelerate healing process.

1. Maintain a Comfortable and Healthy Environment

Surroundings play a major role in healthy aging. Create a supportive physical environment to maintain the quality of life for an older adult. If your bedridden loved one resides in poor living conditions, there’s a high chance they’ll experience injuries at home. A safe and accessible living environment is great—smoke detectors, first-aid kits, fire extinguishers, and nonskid surfaces should be installed as safety measures. Make sure the room is lit well with a natural lighting system. Place the bed near a nightstand for easy access to the phone, food, books, or the alarm. If your patient is experiencing a hallucination, they may have a difficult time adapting to their surroundings. You must try to identify what triggers hallucinations. Keep distractions to a minimum to ensure that the patient can get quality sleep.

2. Manage Bed Sores like a Pro

Bedsores or pressure sores are injuries on the skin caused by prolonged sitting or lying in a position for a long period. If your parent or loved one spends more time in a bed or chair, it puts pressure on certain body parts such as legs, thighs, and the buttocks. As a result, blood flow is blocked, causing extreme pain while trying to move around. Encourage them to change positions frequently to reduce the risk of developing pressure ulcers. Use pillows and place them under shoulders, heels, and the tailbone to prevent bedsores. A few range-of-motion exercises such as side bends, lower-back stretches, and semi-sits can help reduce the risk of bed sores. You can also sprinkle talcum powder on vulnerable body parts for pain relief. In the worst cases, contact a medical practitioner for help.

3. Find an In-Home Healthcare Nurse

Having someone at home to care for an aging loved one can help relieve you and allow you to free yourself for some personal time. Hire our in-home healthcare assistants that help maintain an optimum level of comfort and care in the home. We assist with daily living activities such as feeding, bathing, dressing, and going to the bathroom. Our caregivers can monitor vital signs and help with medication. We can also provide social interaction thereby reducing loneliness, anxiety, stress, and depression. If your aging parent has any kind of difficulty moving around, our in-home physical therapy experts can help them perform strength-training and other range-of-motion exercises for better bone density. We understand the patient’s needs and requests and can offer complete and professional care.