After putting your aging parent into an Oregon nursing home, you became suspicious of how the staff treated residents. You noticed evidence of bedsores on your loved one, indicating possible neglect.
Mayo Clinic explains bed sore treatment methods. While exploring your legal case, help your mother or father heal.
Minimize pressure
Focus on reducing the friction and pressure that cause bedsores. Protect your loved one’s skin with cushions and other supporting surfaces. Shifting positions also eases pressure, so reposition your parent’s body occasionally.
Address damaged tissue
Bedsores heal better with a clean wound site free of infected, harmed or dead tissue. Medical professionals use water and special equipment to get rid of damaged tissue.
Sterilize and dress the wound
Wash unbroken skin with water and a gentle cleanser. Use either water or a saline solution for open wounds before changing the bandage. Dressings help keep wounds from drying out and protect bedsores from infection. Use bandages such as gels, films, gauzes, treated bandages and foams.
Surgical treatment
Bedsores that do not clear up may require surgery. Health care providers could suggest a flap surgery, which involves using tissue, muscle or skin pads to seal the wound and protect bone.
Additional treatments
Make sure your loved one eats a healthy diet packed with nutrients and vitamins that support healing. Speak with your parent’s primary physician about over-the-counter medication that controls pain. Examples include naproxen sodium and ibuprofen. To protect the wound, apply a topical pain medication.
Just as your aging parent deserves proper care in a nursing home, she or he also deserves proper medical care to address bedsores.
