It is not easy to take care of a critical patient. Caring for a bedridden patient requires a combination of patience and expertise. A patient stuck to bed due to injury, chronic illness, or ageing requires attention and the right medical care and support for well-being and maintenance. This is because bedridden patients are at high risk of developing several conditions such as pressure bed sores, infections, and muscle atrophy.
Specialised care for the patient can significantly affect the recovery and quality of life of such patients. We will take a deep dive into caring for bedridden patients, why it’s necessary, and how to take care of a bedridden patient with tips.
Nursing Care Of Bedridden Patients
A bedridden patient is someone who requires assisted living services. They cannot move or get up on their own and require non-stop supervision and attendance of a caregiver or a nurse. The condition can be temporary, especially in case of injury, accidents, or post-operative care. However, the bedridden condition can be permanent, too, due to a critical medical condition. Experienced caregivers play an important role in these cases. They ensure the right support and care to prevent further complications and improve the quality of life.
Bedridden Patients – Common Complications
A person restricted to a bed due to health reasons for long periods runs a high risk of developing additional health conditions. For example-
- Pressure Sores (Bedsores): Prolonged pressure and frick on thin skin especially in the bony areas such as the back, hips, and elbows can cause painful ulcers known as pressure or bedsores.
- Muscle Weakness and Stiffness: When a person doesn’t move much, they run the risk of developing muscle atrophy and joint stiffness. The condition constructs mobility.
- Respiratory Infections: Limited or lack of movement has several disadvantages. It can cause mucus buildup in the lungs thereby increasing the risk of pneumonia.
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Bedridden patients are often given catheters. If not maintained carefully and without proper hygiene, patients can get UTIs. UTIs are infections in the urinary tract, especially common in female patients and can be painful.
- Depression and Anxiety: No movement, bad health, inability to do anything independently, complete dependency on people(caregivers), and social isolation negatively affect the mental health of the patient. It can lead to depression, anxiety, and demotivation.
- Digestive Problems: Another issue with no movement and inactivity is slowed digestion. This leads to increased chances of constipation and other gastrointestinal issues.
Essential Tips To Follow When Caring For Bedridden Patients
Nursing care for bedridden patients includes hygiene, mobility, medications, emotional support and more. Here are some important tips to follow to prevent complications and ensure care and comfort to the patients:
1. Regular Position Changes
Frequent repositioning of the patient is extremely important for blood circulation. Changing the position of the patient every two hours can prevent bed sores and muscle stiffness. A special pillow, pressure-relief mattress or bed for bedridden patients can be used to reduce pressure on sensitive areas and prevent bedsores.
2. Encourage Movement & Exercise
Movement and exercise are essential to prevent muscle and joint stiffness. Also, the simple trick can aid with blood circulation in the body. Ideally, bedridden patients should be assisted with passive range-of-motion exercises for flexibility. One can take the help of a physiotherapist to get trained in the ideal set of exercises and then assist the patient in doing them regularly.
It is also important for a bed return patient to practice sitting and holding the body upright. While advanced beds can help with supporting the body to a sitting position, using physiotherapy sessions or assistive devices like handrails and grip bars is encouraged. Independent movements can help strengthen muscles and give the patient wins that may work as motivation for recovery.
3. Ensure Proper Nutrition & Hydration
A bedridden patient starts to lose energy levels and health even more due to the lack of activity and health conditions. Recovery requires balanced nutrition and adequate hydration to prevent constipation and dehydration. Regular checkups and calorie counting may be necessary to prevent malnutrition. Also, liquid supplements may need monitoring for people on feeding tubes. Excessive sugar intake and processed foods increase complications, so they should be avoided.
4. Maintain Proper Hygiene
Complete dependence on assistance and lack of movement together put the body at an increased risk of infections. Maintaining good hygiene is essential for both the well-being and comfort of the patient. Here are a few tips to ensure hygiene-
- Regularly bathing or giving the patient a sponge bath using gentle cleansers is a must.
- Keep the skin dry but moisturised. Ensure that the body doesn’t get too sweaty or start to crack with dryness.
- Regularly change bed linens and towels.
- Keep the nails trimmed and filed to ensure there are no unwanted scratches.
- Strictly take care of oral hygiene.
5. Prevent Respiratory Issues
Limited movement increases lung issues. Thus, attention to lung health becomes extremely important for respiratory well-being. Activity in the body can help prevent fluid buildup in the lungs. Simple things such as yoga, breathing exercises, and frequent position changes can be helpful. Furthermore, a humidifier may help maintain air moisture and good ventilation in the room with air circulation. Together, they improve the air quality, which makes breathing easy.
6. Emotional & Mental Well-Being
Mental and emotional well-being is as important as the patient’s physical health. Here are a few ways to uplift the patient mentally and keep them happy and motivated-
- Engage them in conversations.
- Promote the use of reading, music, or audiobooks.
- If not very critical, then arrange for visits from family and friends.
- Get geriatric counselling for help.
- Play board games with them to keep them engaged and promote brain activity.
- Maintain a routine. It helps the patients feel normal and stable.
Olive Elder Care Nursing Care Of Bedridden Patient
Olive Elder Care is a living facility with specialised services for eldercare, including bedridden patient care. Our team of experienced caregivers ensure the highest level of comfort, hygiene, and mobility support to the residents who need special care. With a focus on the complete well-being of our elderly residents, we provide a wide range of medical support, run holistic wellness programs, and offer compassionate care. Here are some of our exclusive offerings for bedridden patients-
- Personalised care plans
- Specialised bed for bedridden patients
- 24/7 Medical Assistance
- Rehabilitation Programs
- Home Care Services
- Counseling & Support
Talk to geriatric experts at Olive Elder Care today and get assistance for bedridden patients.
FAQs
1. What is a bedridden patient?
A bedridden patient is someone with a critical health condition with restricted movements. They are restricted to beds due to an illness, injury, disability, or surgery. Also, they need assistance with everything they do.
2. How to care for a bedridden patient?
Bedridden patients require nursing and care from professionals. They may have medical tools on them, which require proper handling. Furthermore, a bed return patient requires attention to posture, mobility, nutrition, hygiene, health checkups, emotional support, and infection prevention.
3. Can a bedridden person walk again?
A bedridden person may walk again if given the right medical support and proper care. Recovery depends mainly on the patient’s medical condition and treatment.
4. What does it mean to be bedridden?
Bedridden means being restricted to a bed due to mobility challenges. It may be advised or an effect of severe medical conditions.
