Senior Citizens as they age have mobility challenges, and particularly those who are bedridden for a long time have higher chances of experiencing bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers. They experience bedsores more often than any other demographic. Elderly with diabetes, circulation problems, and poor nutrition are also at higher risk. In this article, let’s look at what exactly are bedsores, their causes and simple ways to prevent bedsores.

 

What are bedsores?

Bedsores happen when a person is bedridden for too long or otherwise immobile, unconscious or unable to feel pain. They occur on areas of skin that are under pressure from lying in bed or a wheelchair for a prolonged time. Bedsores happen to be a serious problem among older adults.

 

 It can be related to the affirmation of care a person receives. For example, If an immobile or bedridden person is not properly taken care of, like not turned, positioned comfortably, given good proper skincare, bedsores develop

 

What causes bedsores?

 

Bedsores occur when blood supply to any part of the skin is cut off for more than two to three hours at a stretch. As the blood supply is cut off, the skin dies. It first starts as a painful area and turns purple eventually. If no proper care is given, the skin can break open causing the entire skin area to be infected.

 

Bedsore treatment takes a long time. There are numerous other factors too like, the severity of bedsore, chronic diseases, physical condition, bedsores can take weeks, months, or even years to completely heal.

 

 

Places prone to bedsore

• Buttocks area 

• Near Knees

• Behind head

• Near Shoulder blades

• Heels of the feet

 

What are the symptoms of bedsores?

 

Bedsores develop gradually. Given below are 4 stages through which it develops from simple to severe. They are also termed as bedsore grading stages.

 

Stage 1. The portion of the skin looks slightly red and warm to touch. With darker skin, the portion may have a slight purple or blue tint. The person initially notes that it burns, hurts, or itches.

 

Stage 2. The person begins to feel significant pain in the area and the surrounding skin gets discoloured. The area looks more damaged and may have an open sore or blister.

 

Stage 3. Crater-like appearance forms due to the damage below the skin’s surface.

 

Stage 4. The portion of the skin now is severely damaged and a large wound is present. The muscles and even the bones may be involved. There is a significant risk of infection at this stage.

 

Complications of Bedsore

 

If not treated at the right time and method, bedsore can have some serious results. Once bedsore develops, it can take weeks, months or even years to heal completely. Bedsore once infected can take longer time to heal. In rare cases, this could lead to sepsis, a deadly disease. Bedsore treatment can be done from homes.

 

Steps to prevent Bedsores

 

As in most cases, Prevention is better than cure. This is solemnly true for bedsore. In fact, it isn’t all that hard to prevent it with proper knowledge and a little bit of help. Here are some tips to try: 

 

Get Seniors Moving - Simply moving, turning and repositioning every 2-3 hours can prevent all types of bedsores. Pressure sores easily develop on the tailbone, hips and heels from prolonged sitting, so simply standing up relieves pressure and promotes blood circulation. If you are a caretaker, Make sure the seniors get enough movement throughout the day.

 

Check for symptoms of bedsores often - Since a pressure ulcer may develop in less than a few hours, the prone areas of skin should be checked frequently for any symptoms. For example, while driving for more than an hour or two, you would tend to experience soreness and redness on your buttocks. This is stage one of bedsore, but since you were able to recognize that and adjust your position, you prevented it from developing.

 

Use materials designed to reduce pressure - Depending on the needs of the person different materials can be used. Like pressure-relieving mattresses, which are designed to relieve pressure and prevent bedsores from forming. Cushioned paddings, heel protectors can also be used. Equipments like these can be hard to find in good quality, especially suited for seniors.