5 ways to take excellent care of your bedridden loved one

November 15, 2019 0
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Do you have a loved one who is now bedridden?

In today’s post, I am going to talk about 7 ways you can provide excellent care of your bedridden loved one.

7 ways to take excellent care of your bedridden loved one

Personal hygiene is a must

Personal hygiene is an absolute must when you have a loved one who is bound to their bed.

Giving a bed bath everyday is important and in this post, we go into details on how to give the best bed bath.

In addition to bed baths, oral care is important. Bring a toothbrush, toothpaste and a basin to the bed side so your loved one can brush their teeth. Keep mouthwash handy so they can wash their mouth in between meals.

You will also have to make sure your loved one has clean clothes they can wear everyday so they don’t feel uncomfortable throughout the day.

Turn them and help them move about in bed everyday

Obviously, one of the biggest challenges for someone who is bedridden is the lack of movement.

Thus, it’s up to you as the caregiver to help your loved one move about in bed.

Moving will help with blood circulation and will keep muscles from atrophy.

Muscle atrophy happens when people don’t use their muscles groups and so those muscles become weak and the cells begin to die.

You can help your loved one with range of motion exercises where you move their arms and legs for them.

If they can sit up in bed, you could help them sit up and help them turn from side to side.

Helping your loved one move about in bed is also important because it prevents bed sores from happening.

Bed sores are notoriously hard to treat and so the best way to treat them is to prevent them.

Help them get the best nutrition

While they’re bedridden, it’s important that your loved one gets the best nutrition.

Like I mentioned above, lying down in bed makes a person more likely to have muscle atrophy and increased the likelihood of bed sores.

Making sure your loved one eats a balanced diet and gets the dietary supplements they need will improve their overall health.

You also want to make sure they are drinking enough fluids so they’re not dehydrated.

Ventilate the room and keep it clean

It’s hard to be in one place all day everyday for weeks.

You can help your loved one overcome the feeling of being cooped up by making sure you keep the room well ventilated. This is especially important during the warmer months.

Open up the windows. Use bright curtains to add color to the room. Adjust the temperature as needed so they’re comfortable.

It’s also important to keep clutter out of the way and have a room that so generally clean to live in.

Music can create a happier environment

Music therapy is an interesting emerging field that seems to improve people’s health.

In fact, music therapy might even be useful in improving the emotional and social responses of people with Alzheimer’s Disease.

So play your loved one’s favorite music in their room to keep the environment cheerful.

Get the whole family involved

Involve the grandchildren and any other family member who is willing in caring for your loved one.

This can be a way to bring the family closer. And your loved one will get to continue to enjoy being a part of the family unit.

Home medical supplies

Your local home medical supply store can provide you with everything you need to take excellent care of your loved one at home.

Read this post to learn which home medical supplies you should have on hand.

Make sure to take care of the caregiver too

As a caregiver, taking care of a loved one who is bedridden is hard.

Perhaps you may not even be able to work because of the situation.

And so emotionally and financially, this can be taxing. Make sure you’re taking care of you as well.

For tips on how to take care of yourself as a caregiver, read this post.

 

Enjoyed this post?

Consider sharing it with someone caring for a bedridden loved one.


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