You’ll be caring for your loved one at home on a hospital bed.

And this is your first time caring for someone in a hospital bed.

How do you even navigate it so that your loved one is comfortable and taken care of?

In today’ post, I will share some best practices on caring for your loved one who is in a hospital bed.

I will also share some times on how to take care of yourself while you care for your loved one who is in a hospital bed.

Let’s dive right into it.

Caring for a loved one in a hospital bed at home.

Take stock of your own feelings

Before we even get into talking about taking care of your loved one in a hospital bed, let’s talk about you.

How are you doing?

Bringing a loved one home to a hospital bed is no mean feat.

By now, you’ve spent a lot of money to ensure your loved one is getting the right bed that will help them be comfortable.

Perhaps, your loved one’s diagnosis and whether or not they’ll live is weighing on you.

Or maybe you’ve had to rearrange and make improvements to your home just to accommodate the hospital bed.

It sure sounds like a lot doesn’t it?

If you’re in that space, I recommend joining a support group that will help you cope with the feelings. You can also speak to a mental health professional about your feelings.

Don’t be shy of expressing how you feel and processing your own feelings so you can better support your loved one.

Factors to consider in caring for your loved one in a hospital bed.

Space

Do you have the space for the bed? If you don’t see where you could fit a hospital bed right now, it may be time to make the space for it. This may require getting rid of other things in order to create the room for the hospital bed.

Supplies

Do you have the right supplies? This will depend on several factors and one of those factors is whether your loved one is mobile or not. If there are not mobile, you will have to think about giving them bed baths, preventing bed sores, keeping them safe and how you’ll be helping them move about on a daily basis.

Privacy

Make sure you don’t forget curtains for privacy. If the room your loved one will live in has windows, it will be helpful to get curtains so you can help them maintain privacy. And those forget to draw them open for sunshine and fresh air as well.

Family activities

Will your loved one be able to engage in family activities from their room/bed? Being bedridden doesn’t mean your loved one cannot be involved in family activities. In fact, this will improve quality of life for them. So have them in a where children and grandchildren can come and enjoy time with your loved one while they can.

Get help if you need it

Don’t forget to get the help you need. This may involve drawing up a time-table with family members or hiring professional home care help for your loved one. Whatever the case maybe, realize you don’t have to go through this alone. There are others who can come alongside you to support you on this journey.

Advanced directive and wills

If your loved one is still able to make decisions, this might be the time to tie up any loose ends when it comes to advanced directives and wills. If this type of documentation has not been made clear and your loved one is terminal, this is a good time to set those things in order.

 

Taking care of a loved one on a hospital bed at home is tasking, to say the least.

However, the points I raised above will help you get ready for this major life change.

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