Where do you look to find reliable reviews/ratings of hospice care organizations? I need help. Googling isn't helping. Is there somewhere you call? I don't trust the social work services at the hospital my mom is at. Thank you.
Thank you for the offer. She has a stage 2 bedsore and it's been treated for about a week now, but will need at least 2 more weeks of treatment, and she'll need to be turned every 2 hours until it heals, and there is no way my brother can handle that and function, so I don't think home hospice care is possible for them for 2 or 3 weeks, and if she lives that long we hope, then we'll need that equipment to keep her from getting another one, and then maybe, hopefully, they can do home hospice. I think she will need to go to the hospice facility for 3 weeks before home. I don't think my brother was aware how dangerous bedsores are and what the care takes, but he does now. So thank you--I will be very grateful to learn what you can teach me about the equipment they'll need.
Yes, once a bedsore happens, it takes professional care to heal it.
Just let me know when she is able to come home and I'll write up a doc with as much ifo as I can think of that will help to make caring for her easier.
There are sites online where you can get things for inhome care that are really good. I had an alternating pressure pad mattress for Jim's bed. It's a vinyl pad that uses air to distribute pressure evenly, and it shifts very gently and gradually so that pressure is relieved at different points under the body, so there isn't too much on any one part at any time. And there are sheepskin pads to go under the hips and shoulders and knees that also help, and heel and elbow protectors that fit over the bony protuberances to protect those.
Keeping the skin clean and dry and using very gentle massage to stimulate blood flow helps too, as does turning the person as frequently as you can, at least every few hours.
There are things to handle linens and other supplies that make it much easier to care for someone who might be incontinent.
I'd be glad to go into detail and help as much as I can. I know most people don't ever need to know the shortcuts and techniques for caring for a sick person, so it's overwhelming when you have to do it.
Here is a site that supplies the alternating pressure pad. You can probably find anything you need there. If she has Medicare, they might pay for some of the things you'd need.
Thanks so much for all the advice, bb. *hugs* She has medicare--she's 82 and has been fighting cancer and chemo for 14 years now. It is almost definitely unlikely she will be going home for home care. She is in a hospice facility with a catheter and port, and since Thursday night, she hasn't been speaking or opening her eyes, just breathing and possibly responding with nods to some nurses questions, or not it's hard to say. The transfer tot eh new hospital wight th e hospice facility took everything out of her. I was up there yesterday and with her for 3 hours, and delivered love from relatives. I hope the nurses are more attentive to her when we are not there. I was there for 2 hours before the nurse told me I could swab her lips when I said I think she may be thirsty--I realized then her mouth movements meant she was and I wish I could have been giving her the comfort of that for the first 2 hours. I hope they are doing it enough. No one thinks she has long now, but no one can say.
*hugs you* I would have taken you up on calling already, bb, as I've been in babble phase, but I've been lacking in time and energy with everything to do, as I know you completely understand. Thank you.
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Just let me know when she is able to come home and I'll write up a doc with as much ifo as I can think of that will help to make caring for her easier.
There are sites online where you can get things for inhome care that are really good. I had an alternating pressure pad mattress for Jim's bed. It's a vinyl pad that uses air to distribute pressure evenly, and it shifts very gently and gradually so that pressure is relieved at different points under the body, so there isn't too much on any one part at any time. And there are sheepskin pads to go under the hips and shoulders and knees that also help, and heel and elbow protectors that fit over the bony protuberances to protect those.
Keeping the skin clean and dry and using very gentle massage to stimulate blood flow helps too, as does turning the person as frequently as you can, at least every few hours.
There are things to handle linens and other supplies that make it much easier to care for someone who might be incontinent.
I'd be glad to go into detail and help as much as I can. I know most people don't ever need to know the shortcuts and techniques for caring for a sick person, so it's overwhelming when you have to do it.
Here is a site that supplies the alternating pressure pad. You can probably find anything you need there. If she has Medicare, they might pay for some of the things you'd need.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/home-medical-supplies-and-equipment/ID=359443-tier1
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