He is very limited in his movement due to advanced cancer. He basically sits in a chair at the kitchen table, in a lift chair in his living room, or is in bed. Due to his inactivity, he has developed a major ulcer/bed sore on his lower tailbone and on both heels. His home health care nurse bandaged them but he is uncomfortable sitting(even on a donut(rubber/vinyl). His OT mentioned air cushions are recommended with patients with ulcers/bed sores on their bottom. Has anybody used them? Are they effective? We have spent so much already on equipment that insurance won't cover. I don't have a problem investing in it if others have found them beneficial. Also, does anyone know if these air seat cushions are covered by insurance?
I had so much success using alternating pressure mattress, rotating her at least every two hours and using a product called "Wound Care - Healing Formula" sold by Herbal Healer. My mother developed a sore on her heels and this worked wonders. I had her caretakers use it regularly if the saw some redness developing. She never got any more ulcers once we used the alternating air mattress and rotating her (at least every two hours) religiously. To help heal those quickly order bottles of Wound Care at only $20 per bottle. It will help give him the relief he deserves. The link is below;
herbalhealer/healingformula.html
God Bless and I hope you remember to take care of yourself, which will ensure your father will always be in good hands. Find other caretakers to give you a break and write a regimen and schedule so you will feel comfortable when others are caring for your father.
Grace
2. Have a wound nurse specialist treat the wound. Very serious injury and in-way for infection.
Treat his condition as an emergency!
The more that you keep him off his back the better. When sitting, a foam rubber cushion or egg crate cushion helps.It sounds like he needs to be turned every 2 hours faithfully. He should not sit in one position for long periods of time.
Good nourishment is important. With cancer, he probably does not have a good appetite. Hi calorie, hi protein drinks are good. Protein is important for wound healing.
The home health nurse should work out a program for you regarding turning and nourishment.
MUST position and rotate every 2 hours
Go to a Wound Care Surgeon and get them to pres the right care and Wound Care Team to help
Briggs HealthCare Medical Supplies has $79 REAL SHEEPSKIN but you wash them at least 5 times in machine to air out and Line Dry to complete air out
Ask Wound Care Doctor for proper type of Physical and Occup Therapist
We had a major disaster with your Occt T who did nothing but stare and get his paper work signed then told us to lift the button on the toilet seat to number 4 a transportation toilet seat and bucket, he should have measured our parent per the Fire Dept who came to help with a flood in bathroom due to the back of the toilet seat unit hitting the flush handle and now the house is flooded, major issue when the insurances claims agent sent these women in the middle of the night who placed to any wet vac and humidifiers in the house and the fire dept had to come back 3 days later and they screamed it is entirely too many units in this house and the house was so hot the computer drive battery burned out and then 8 days later my parent had a major pressure ulcer we then went to a Dermotologist and then a Wound Care Phy Surgeon who let his Physical Therapist debride our parent and she used a scalpel and went too deep which hit a nerve it has been a horrible journey the Wound Care Phy Therapis ordered the wrong type of wheel chair cushion and tried to get us to a spinal center which was really going to order the wrong chair and they all did not know what to do
We went to a Wound Care Surgeon and he and his team took over and the pressure ulcers got better and they took time to explain and train and offered detailed help and the Surgeon was helpful and his team noted what to properly use they specialized in Wound Care and Hyperbaric Chamber wound care
THEY did not advice and were totally against DONUT cushions which cause more pressure damages and we had gotten this expensive gel mattress overlay from the Phy Therapist which never worked but we researched nd found a REAL sheepskin and thought it worked
BUT you must rotate EVERY 2 HOURS for circulation and relieving pressure and keep WEARING GLOVES for treatment of the wounds and always ask for alternative options and positioning in beds, chairs, ask for exercise techniques IF you have in home care
PRAY and PRAY and HOPE and TRUST GOD
do not give up the search for help
THE MIRACLE is JESUS
Read Colossians 1:9-20
Matthew 15:13 Matt 7 ASK SEEK KNOCK
Prayer to all Caregivers taking care of your loved ones
PLEASE GET THE RIGHT type of help
Now for the heels. bandaging will only keep them clean what they need is air. There are special pressure reliving booties that an equipment company can provide with a prescription. Failing that there are small donuts that you can set the heels in you could actually make these yourself. Take a piece of 4" thick foam and cut a square about 8" X 8" and round off the corners. Cut a small circle in the centre of the foam abour 2" across and measure to dad's heels. it should be slightly too small. Now take strips of cloth and wind them round the donut firmly but not so it is really hard. Test for size and make a second one. Place soft pillows lengthways under the legs and rest the heels on the donut. Again if you can get sheepskin a piece of this under the heels is comportable on it's own or over the donut. Getting the sheepskin may be difficult but if you have thrift stores close by they some times have sheepskin coats you can cut up. Fleece is not a good substitute.
As Elena says donuts to the bottom have fallen out of favor because it is thought that the outer edges taking the pressure can cause additional sores.
Don't feel that you are failing because dad has developed sores. they are very common at the end of life whwn nutrition and mobility decline. all you can do is follow the advice you are given to keep clean and change position frequently. if you don't already have hospice now would be a good time to have them come in. they can provide any equipment you may need and a caneer diagnosis is usually sufficient for admission.
But while your dad is on the inflatable donut make sure that you shift his weight every 2 hours while on the donut. A rolled up bath towel works great.
Most important it not even putting bandages, but cleaning/healing those wounds and preventing new ones. Use organic oils to clean and prevent bedsores. I usually put couple drops of Lavender for healing and Purification for preventing infection. Check with Young Living company for the best therapeutic pure grade oils. Do not buy any oils which are not recommended to swallow. That means it's not really pure as advertised.
The nurse could check to determine if Medicare would pay for it; it did for my father.
You might also try a fleece throw; you can get a yard or so of fabric at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, double it over and let him sit on it. Alternately, soft fleece blankets might help as well.
I don't have answers to your other questions, but am also wondering if in his advanced stage of cancer he might be more comfortable in hospice, where these aids could be provided for him.