My mother is sleeping most of the time now! She did get 1 bed sore once...I didn't know much about that problem. I heard water beds were the best for preventing sores. Where can I buy one...what brand is good? Is there anything I should know about these beds before I purchase one? THANKS!
If you are not considering Hospice, discuss your mother's needs with her doctor.
If she is sleeping 16 to 24 hours a day, then is she eating well? Taking her meds?
A water bed isn't for everyone, and hospice or the mention of can set some people off.
Look at your situation, talk with her doctors about her needs. You know your mom and weather she would like a water bed or hospice care.
I know my mom hated waterbeds, wanted nothing to do with hospice and loved sleeping in her favorite chair. I lost her in 2011.
Your post did not indicate your mom's age or total condition.
If your mother qualifies for Medicare-sponsored Home Health, her current Doctor can prescribe an evaluation to determine her needs.The general criteria are called Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) If she is unable to feed; dress, bath, walk or transfer (move from bed to wheelchair) herself she will qualify.
Once she qualifies you can begin to interview (or your Doctor may suggest) various Home Health Agency to interview, they must be Medicare-Certified.
At that point, a professional medical team consisting of a new doctor, nurse, CNA, physical and occupational therapists, wound specialists, foot care etc. will take charge and your immediate problems will be solved.They will supply the bed. Ouirk Alert; they will supply an air mattress only after she has developed bed sores .( I swear some Medicare rules are written by a sixth grader)
Whew, now an answer to your water bed question. No water bed. The hospitals and nursing homes have electrically operated heavy duty air mattresses that is firmness regulated and air flow adjustable. They are expensive $1,000 plus.
.
ferris1 used the term "turned" to describe the procedure to lessen the risk of bed sores. That is excellent advice....it works. In fact, you should try it before you make any future decisions. Simply stated you use a pillow to prop up you moms side/butt longitudinally (every two hours) to change the weight distribution.
In addition, it is vital to keep her dry and clean to avoid bed sores.
If your mother is at serous risk of pressure sores, she needs an air bed with a variable pressure mechanism. They cost the earth - see if you can hire one, or take advice from her nursing team.
When hubby had his liver transplant he was in a hospital "air bed" it routinely moved the pressure spots around his body so he would not get bedsores. He wasn't just lying there all day, he was up and dragging all the drains and tubes with him, but when he laid down--he loved it (as much as you can love something in that situation!) Other than the noise it makes, as it pumps the air into the different chambers, it's not annoying to have. I imagine one for home use would be very expensive, but look into it. Bedsores are horrible and one more thing to contend with. Sounds like you have a lot of options out there, but again, I heartily say no to a waterbed.
I use ivory soap and water, rinsing well, and applying whatever light skin medication needed at various intervals. Never using talc in powder, that is not always recommended for best skin care these days. Plus the past two months, I have been taking the time twice a day, when freshening his skin to massage the area that looks tender or a bit colored from laying on. It is helping to bring back the natural look to the skin, and I wish I had thought of it sooner. Just ideas that might give a measure of relief to some. joylee
Also, does your mom have medicaid? If so, there are programs to allow her to stay in the home and an aide will come and assist her during the day.