Pressure Sore Prevention Tips
Because most bedsores are preventable, taking measures to prevent them is crucial.
- Make sure your loved one is getting sufficient nutrition and water.
- Nursing home residents should get as much exercise as possible to increase mobility. Consult your loved one's physician and request placement in a physical conditioning or rehabilitation program that might include exercises to improve strength and endurance, physical therapy, a walking program, or gait training.
- Request grab bars and other devices so that repositioning is made easy for the resident.
- Take care of your loved one's skin, or make sure that the nursing home is taking this care. Ask your doctor to suggest a good lotion to keep skin moist and supple.
- If your loved one is incontinent, make sure adult diapers are changed regularly and that sheets are dry and clean.
- Always pay attention to the ratio of staff to residents. Because understaffing is a problem linked to poor care, you should always be concerned about how many staff members are available to care for your loved one.
If someone you care about has developed a pressure sore while in a nursing home, you should:
- Tell their doctor immediately, and discuss causes, cures, and future prevention techniques.
- If you are dissatisfied with the way the nursing home is treating current bedsores or how they are trying to prevent future bedsores, you should get your loved one emergency medical help at a hospital immediately. Remember that decubitus ulcers are serious and can be life-threatening.
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Types of Neglect 