Taking care of a loved one at home is the real testament to love and dedication. It becomes very difficult to provide mobility and comfort to them. If the patient is comfortable, he or she will be happy; however, the mobility of the patient is a matter of physical health and independence.
You do not have to render the home into a clinical setup, though! With the right modifications and proper equipment, you can design a setting suitable for comfort, safety, as well as enable independence. Here’s how.
Sound Foundation: The Best Bed
This is the most important investment for someone who is going to be more or less bedbound. A regular bed isn’t made for medical needs.
- The Power of Adjustability: A bed-hospital at home use can be adjusted for a user to raise their head (Fowler position) to ease breathing, eating, and reading. Raising the feet (Trendelenburg position) can help with circulation and reduce swelling.
- Pressure Relief: More than just beds, pressure relief mattress (air, foam, or gel) are needed to keep the person from getting painful and dangerous bed sores (pressure ulcers).
- Safety and Convenience: Changing the height of the entire bed simplifies and safeguards getting into and out of bed (transfer), and significantly lowers caregiver effort during assistance.
Master Safe Transfers and Movement
Moving from the bed to a chair, or to the bathroom, is where falls usually occur. Proper equipment ensures safety and maintains dignity.
Patient Lifts: In patients with severe mobility limitations, a ceiling or movable patient lift enables one caregiver to transfer them safely and without physical exertion.
Gait Belts: This plain yet durable patient belt provides the caregiver with a secure grip to help with support for balance during transfers and walking.
Transfer Boards (& Sheets): Smooth boards span gaps between surfaces (e.g., bed to wheelchair), enabling the patient to glide safely across with little effort.
Create a Safe and Accessible Home Environment
Walk through your home from the patient’s viewpoint. Remove tripping hazards and obstructions.
Clear Pathways: Clear throw rugs, clutter, and electrical cords from pathways.
Install Grab Bars and Rails: This is not an option for safety. Install grab bars in the bathroom alongside the toilet and in the shower/tub. Consider installing bed rails for stability when entering and exiting the bed.
Consider a Ramp: If stairs exist at the front door, a permanent or temporary ramp can preserve access to the outside world.
- Make Comfort a Part of Every Detail
Comfort is not just physical; it’s emotional and environmental.
Supportive Seating: Place chairs and couches at a height that facilitates easy sitting and standing. Firm cushions and good lumbar support are essential. A power lift recliner can be an excellent comfort and independence investment.
Temperature Control: Patients tend to catch chills easily. Have soft blankets within reach and make sure the room temperature is comfortable and easy for them to control.
Personalizing: Friends around with familiar pics, books within arm’s reach, the right bedside table, or something else that makes the environment theirs. The mind comforts itself only when the body is comfortable.
- Support Gentle Movements and Activities
Mobility is not just transferring; it is keeping strength and circulation.
- Range-of-Motion (ROM) Exercises: Gentle exercises for both arms and legs can be done even while sitting down or lying in bed. They aid in enhancing flexibility but oppose preventing stiffness and contractures. The physical therapist will aid in planning a simple exercise routine.
- Short, Frequent Walkying: If willing, encourage stirring for short walks in and around the house with suitable assistants (if a walker or cane is needed) and with appropriate supervision. The focus stays on moving, not the distance.
- Stay Active: Encourage activities of embodiment, both physically and mentally, such as seated gardening, working puzzles, or light arts and crafts. These activities help one to fight boredom and depression, and mobility and comfort are two opposites.
How Hospital bed Rental Inc Can Help
You are not alone through this process.At Hospital bed Rental Inc ] we do understand that home care is tough.Our alliance with you will consist of:
- Expert Advice on the correct selection of equipment, ranging from home hospital beds to patient lifts and support surfaces.
- Top Quality Products concerning safety, durability, and comfort.
- Support and Guidance in planning your home for success.
Enhancing comfort and mobility is an ongoing process, but each subtle adjustment makes a dramatic difference in quality of life.