Also, lying on damp bed linens can cause chilling and skin damage. If your loved one cannot get out of bed, learn how to change the bed linens while he or she is in bed. Of course, this is easier if you have another person helping you. There are more than six thousand different home health agencies some of which provide very specialized services to help you provide home care to your friend or loved one. In addition to helping your loved one maintain good hygiene, you should help him or her maintain some level of physical and mental activity.
Physical activity involves changing body position regularly.
Even at the most minimal level, physical activity that has been designated by a doctor as safe for your loved one is important to speed healing, maintain muscle tone, and to guard against bedsores, pneumonia and blood clots which can be caused by inactivity. If your loved one can get out of bed or move at all without help, encourage as much movement as the doctor will allow. If he or she is unable to turn or move independently, you should change his or her body position every two hours. As a caregiver, you also may need to help your friend or loved one carry out a passive exercise program as prescribed by the doctor or physical therapist. You will be given instructions on how to correctly move your loved one's arms, legs or other body parts so as not to injure stiff joints and fragile bones.