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Surface - what is the person lying on or resting against? Is anything pressing on the skin?
Skin Integrity - have vulnerable areas been checked for signs of breakdown?
Keep Moving - encourage the person to move around as much as possible (every little helps). If s/he can't, adjust position for her/him.
Incontinence - ensuring that the skin is kept clean and dry by using the correct, effective continence care products and inspecting/changing frequently.
Nutrition - monitoring fluid and food intake and output.
Alternating or variable pressure air mattresses help a lot, but 2-4 hourly skin integrity checks, turning and adjusting position are needed to prevent skin breakdown in vulnerable bed bound patients. You can find charts on the internet which will help you go about checking methodically. One lists the areas to check:
Right hip
Left hip
Right heel
Left heel
Right ankle
Left ankle
Base of spine
Right elbow
Left elbow
Right buttock
Left buttock
Other
Ears and toes are also prone, because they come into prolonged contact with surfaces. Bedclothes rest on toes. Ears are often against pillows or cushions. Seriously, that's all it takes.
Is this an existing pressure sore that you're aiming to heal, or are you more focused on preventing new ones? Prevention is massively better than cure, of course; but if there already is a pressure ulcer then you need specialist nursing care and you need to make sure the area is not in contact with any surface (except a dressing, if applied). Creative use of cushions and a compliant patient will help.
My mom's pressure sores went from Stage 1 to Stage 3-4 in a matter of days, so keep up the preventative measures but don't wait to see a specialist if you have any doubts/concerns!
It requires a lot of diligence to prevent and treat bedsores. An alternating pressure mattress is #1, imo.
There are 5 stages to bedsores. The first is a reddened area usually in a bony prominence (iliac, tailbone). You want to catch them at this phase if possible and then continue with frequent position changes, etc.
Once the skin breaks down the person should see a woundcare specialist ASAP. Frequent skin inspection is key.
Good luck to you!
There are all sorts of creams for all sorts of purposes. I don't think it would be sensible for anyone to recommend one without examining your wife. Do you have access to trained nurses with experience of wound care?
Make sure your Loved one is being treated/managed/monitored by the Wound Care Specialist. There are many different types of bandages and topicals out there, and often several types of treatment may be tried to find the one that works, sometimes the wound needs to be debried, so they know best.
Very good and thorough tips from CountryMouse too, what a great resource! The patients nutrition is very important too, especially if they are Diabetic.
You can aslo check with your Wound Dr to see if a visiting Nurse can come to your house for home treatment. Check with Medicare and secondary insurance too, as they can be a great resource for you!
I'm so sorry you are dealing with this, we did too with our bedridden Mom and it can be so frustrating for the Caregiver and so Painful to the patient. I only hope that those folks who have their parents in Nursing Home be sure to check their skin, especially in those areas (pressure points) that are prone to bedsores.
This circulates the air through chambers helping with pressure and the sheepskin allows air flow, because the mattresses are plastic and not all of them have good coverings to protect your skin from the moisture created a good sheepskin will be so comfortable for her.
Go on Amazon or talk to her doctor about prescribing the mattress. You will probably have to buy the sheepskin.
Best of luck finding something that helps.
You should have a medical professional look at and treat whatever is going on with her skin.
If the area is red with skin broken and not bleeding I use Wound CLEAN to clean the area. I then apply A+D Diaper Rash Cream. Available in drug stores, supper markets and on Amazon.
If the area is extreme I apply CALMOSEPTINE OINTMENT. I get mine from Amazon.
If area is bloody I use SILVADENE CREAM.
As a precaution, if an area looks read or looks like you could be havind a problem I use A+D PREVENTIVE OINTMENT. Again available almost any where.
Once you get on top of the rash situation you will be able to control it and the recurrence will greatly decrease.
I worked as a nurses aide some years ago and used sugar and the sores were healed.