Working in the homecare field means providing the best level of care for the home-bound patient. A person who needs nursing supervision at home, may or may not be able to offer much self-assistance when it comes to things like bathing, eating, toileting and skincare. This is especially true if the person is bedridden.

Bedridden People Have Special Skincare Needs

Anytime a person has to stay in bed for any length of time, special care needs to be taken with the health of the skin. The elderly are especially vulnerable to skin problems while bedridden. Older skin is much thinner and has lost the underlying fat layer in the dermis that cushions bones and joints. Poor health, age and frail skin makes the ill senior more susceptible to skin-tearing and forming decubitus ulcers or bed sores.

Turning and Positioning for Maximum Circulation

One of the main reasons why the elderly get bed sores, is from prolonged pressure on one area of the skin.

It is much easier to prevent a bed sore than to heal an open wound on a bedridden patient. Bedridden people need to be turned at least every 2 hours. Daily skincare should provide:

1. Daily bathing-Use drying soaps sparingly. Apply lotion to all areas of the skin. This is the best time to check the skin for signs of pressure sores. It is also a good time to give the patient a massage as this increases circulation.

2. People who are incontinent need to be checked for signs of wetness. Male and female patients on urinary catheters need special cleansing around the catheter insertion point to prevent infection.

3. After turning, prop the patient and apply padding to any bony prominences to protect sharp bones from producing pressure marks on the skin surface. Sheepskin padding can also provide extra comfort to the bedridden.

Typical Home Healthcare Supplies For the Bedridden

Some of the typical homecare supplies that are used to maintain good skin health on a bedridden patient may include wound cleaners, barrier creams for incontinence, heel and elbow pads and sheepskin liners.

Other types of homecare medical equipment could include lifting devices like Hoyer lifts, and toileting essentials like urinals and bedpans. A person may or may not be able to tolerate sitting up on a bedside commode. Taking good care of the skin by keeping it clean, dry, moisturized and pressure-free goes a long way in preventing painful sores that are difficult to heal.