My Mom, 78, was diagnosed with colon cancer last year, 2018. She had surgery to remove her colon and as a result has an ostomy bag and cancer free. Mom and Dad live in their home and take care of of themselves. I have been doing the driving for errands, shopping, laundry and appointments. (Mom will be getting her license back shortly). My husband and I would like to take a working vacation to get our retirement home set up. All I need is someone who would be able to change Moms' ostomy bag 3 times a week while we are gone. (I can check on them via telephone daily). Where can I get the assistance for this? Please help. Thank you.
Your mother can use a hand held mirror or stand in front of the mirror in her bathroom to do it.
Visiting Nurse probably won’t come out without it being private pay as Homecare nurses only come in the beginning to teach the family how to change the ostomy bag and skincare which is covered by Medicare or whatever insurance they had when the colostomy was created.
I would teach your father how to change it and have your mother assist. It’s just a matter of getting all the supplies ready, tissues if the stoma leaks or has stool coming out when changing it, etc. Begin to teach him now under your supervision until he gets proficient enough to do it solo. It would be wise to teach someone in your family as a back up for you if something happens that you are not available.
You can try your Visiting Nurses’ association (it’s worth a try even if it’s private pay but they will still need a doctors order to perform the care) or maybe your mother’s GI Doctor has an Ostomy nurse that may give you respite for a week.