Caring for a parent who can no longer leave bed is one of the most loving — and most tiring — things a family can do. With the right routine and a few pieces of equipment, it becomes far more manageable.
Start with the right bed
A normal bed makes turning, feeding and cleaning hard on both the patient and the carer. A hospital bed with side rails lets you raise the head for meals and medicine, and brings the patient to a comfortable working height for you.
- A manual 2-crank bed suits most home patients.
- An electric bed helps when the patient needs frequent position changes or the carer has back problems.
Prevent bedsores
Bedsores can start in just a few hours of pressure. To prevent them:
- Turn your parent every 2 hours, day and night.
- Keep the skin clean and dry, especially after toileting.
- Check the heels, hips, lower back and shoulders every day for redness.
- Use pillows between the knees and under the calves.
If a red patch doesn’t fade 30 minutes after turning, call a nurse — it is an early bedsore.
Food, water and medicine
Raise the head of the bed to at least 45° for every meal and keep it raised for 30 minutes after. Offer water often; older people rarely feel thirsty. Keep a simple written chart of medicines and times so every family member gives the same doses.
Look after yourself too
Caring around the clock is not sustainable for one person. A trained caregiver for day or night shifts lets you sleep, work and stay well — so you can keep caring for longer.
