Food is the fuel that your senior’s body uses to help her to maintain herself.
In the case of bed sores, if your elderly family member isn’t getting enough nutrients, it’s difficult for her body to fend off wounds and to repair wounds when they do occur. Bed sores, or pressure ulcers, are extremely common in people who aren’t able to be as mobile as they once were. Especially if your elderly family member is confined to her bed, bed sores can be a huge problem. Try some of these ideas to help prevent them.
Keep Yourself Aware of Her Positioning
The biggest part of preventing bed sores is to be aware of your elderly family member’s current position and roughly how long she’s been sitting or lying that way. This is especially vital if your senior is bedridden and can’t easily move herself. You might want to start keeping notes for yourself just so that you have an approximate idea of when you last helped your senior move.
Use Pillows to Help Your Senior Maintain Her Position
When you do help your aging family member to adjust her position, she might have difficulty staying in that new position. Pillows and blankets can help her to gently remain in a new position, especially when her mobility is hampered. Start collecting a variety of pillows that are big and small so that you have options when you need them.
Clean, Soft Bedding Can Help a Great Deal
Another contributing factor for bed sores can be moisture. Swapping out your senior’s bedding frequently can help to keep her dry and also prevent moisture from building up against her skin. Likewise, changing her clothing regularly also helps. This is especially important if your elderly family member is dealing with incontinence issues as well.
Try to Keep Her Eating
Try your best to keep your senior eating healthy food choices that give her body the building blocks that she needs. If nutrition is difficult, talk with her doctor about the best meal replacement options for her.
Work with Home Care Providers
Dealing with bed sores and preventing them may be something that is extremely new for you. It can help immensely to work with home care providers. They’ve got experience in dealing with these sorts of situations and can help you and your senior to keep her skin much healthier.
If your elderly family member does develop bed sores, make sure that you’re paying close attention to the wounds. Keep them dry and clean so that you can help your senior to avoid infection. Her doctor can give you more specific information about treating these wounds safely.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care in Claremont, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care. Call today: (415) 795-2203
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