Everlasting Place
  • Home
  • One way
    • Proof
  • Sadie Sparrow
    • Sadie Sparrow Excerpt
    • Author Chat
    • Articles
    • Book Reviews
  • Memoir
    • Memoir Excerpts
    • Reviews, interviews & endorsements
  • Blogs
    • Eternal eyes: a blog about forever
    • Golden years: a blog about the elderly
  • Old folks
    • Planting tips for Christians
  • Messages from Chris Carrillo
  • Library
  • Bookstore
  • Contact

A simple way to prevent bedsores?

11/23/2013

2 Comments

 
Picture
If you have a bed-ridden loved one, take note: preventing painful and deadly bedsores may be as simple as switching to a foam mattress, according to a new study reported on recently at Health.com.

Of course, these mattresses are much more expensive than conventional mattresses, but when you consider the pain and suffering they can apparently prevent, not to mention the care and treatment costs that could be slashed, it seems like there'd be a huge return on this investment.

Take a look at Health.com's report:

"Nursing home residents whose beds have newer high-density foam mattresses may not have to be turned every two hours to prevent bedsores, according to a new study.

"The two-hour standard, which has been used for more than 50 years, was necessary because older mattresses that had spring coils and were covered in thick plastic put more pressure on residents’ bodies than the newer high-density foam mattresses, the researchers explained.

"Their study included 960 nursing home residents in 29 facilities in the United States and Canada who had a moderate to high risk of developing bedsores (also called pressure sores) and had high-density foam mattresses on their beds. The participants were randomly assigned to be turned at intervals of two, three or four hours.

"After three weeks, none of the residents had developed serious bedsores, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health-funded study recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

“'We are very interested in preventing pressure ulcers. It’s a serious health
problem. Also, we’re interested in improving care for nursing home residents.
Turning residents every two hours throughout the night awakens them, and many people can’t go back to sleep, therefore decreasing their quality of life,' 
study leader Nancy Bergstrom, associate dean at the University of Texas Health
Science Center at Houston School of Nursing, said in a center news release.


"'The study findings show 'that turning residents every two hours may no longer be necessary when high-density mattresses are in place and nursing time can be used to attend to other resident needs, such as feeding, assisted mobility and ultimately develop a stronger relationship with their residents,' study co-leader Susan Horn, of the Institute for Clinical Outcomes Research, said in the news release.

"More information

 "The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about bedsores."

Thank you, Health.com, for reporting on a study that could ultimately make a huge difference to many people!

2 Comments
Brenda Thimke
12/29/2013 10:56:14 am

A solution to the long-time problem of agonizing bedsores would be wonderful. While a student in college, I worked in a nursing home and saw people who had holes inches deep in their bodies - all the result of bed sores. Let people know about this product!

Reply
Kitty Foth-Regner link
12/29/2013 11:20:15 am

And I don't know that there has been much improvement in recent decades. I hope that this study opens some eyes. But the trouble is, the only incentive for making the switch is compassion -- not the easiest motive to justify if your facility is already losing money on individual patients day after day. But maybe fund-raising efforts could be launched, or perhaps those who end up paying for treating bedsores (insurers and the feds) could be coaxed into underwriting their purchase.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Kitty
    Foth-Regner

    I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, a freelance copywriter, a nursing-home volunteer, and the author of books both in-process and published -- including
    Heaven Without Her.

    Archives

    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    December 2023
    September 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Care to subscribe?

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos from Anas Qtiesh, quinn.anya, skippyjon, gagilas, ulrichkarljoho, Schleeo, djpoblete09, 00alexx, NathanPeck, Riccardo Palazzani, MaartenEyskens, jfinnirwin, romana klee, bundesinnung_ha, theglobalpanorama, Street Photography Addict, StockMonkeys.com, Robert Agthe, Genista, Neillwphoto, frankieleon, RamónP, National Eye Institute, Pink Dispatcher, Tony Webster, quinn.anya, Peter23394, anna gutermuth, neovain, Keith Allison, lewisha1990, Phú Thịnh Co, byzantiumbooks, avlxyz, eastmidtown, 593D ESC, simpleinsomnia, mcohen.chromiste, Pictures by Ann, Stampendous, loop_oh, tedeytan, TipsForComputer.Com, ssilberman, pedrosimoes7, forayinto35mm, Never Edit, GlasgowAmateur, weiss_paarz_photos, Borya, The Graphic Details, robynejay, allenthepostman, quinn.anya, u.hopper, fallingwater123, Alyssa L. Miller, Vincent Albanese, homethods, ponyQ, Braiu, CNE CNA C6F, oakenroad, Tim Evanson, medisave, irinaraquel, Steve Ganz, Nieve44/Luz, roscoland2, One Way Stock, Film Star Vintage, shixart1985 (CC BY 2.0), ulrichkarljoho, anieto2k, meaduva, Homini:), campbelj45ca, Nicolas Alejandro Street Photography, Hades2k, wuestenigel (CC BY 2.0), Alyssa L. Miller, Carlos Ebert, @Tuncay, kms1167, Petful.com, m01229, jonrawlinson, Brian Smithson (Old Geordie), Blogging Dagger, fechi fajardo, wuestenigel (CC BY 2.0), SurfaceWarriors, Leah Abernathy, evans.photo, brianna.lehman, mikecogh, Ejuice, christine.gleason, Free Grunge Textures - www.freestock.ca, Derek Bridges, ulrichkarljoho, One Way Stock, Matt Cunnelly, nandadevieast, cathyse97, quinn.anya, faungg's photo, Lars Plougmann, C Jill Reed, johnthoward1961, mcohen.chromiste, hardeep.singh, physiognomist, ulrichkarljoho, 401(K) 2013, Very Quiet, BromfordGroup, garryknight, Official U.S. Navy Imagery, acasasola, mrbillt6, simpleinsomnia, johanSisno, GollyGforce, Jo Jakeman, Mire de rien, Chris Mower, lotopspin, Marlene Rybka Visualizing & Photography, RLHyde, jez.atkinson, orionpozo, quinn.anya, global.quiz, Public Places, alubavin, drs2biz, espensorvik, ♔ Georgie R, h.koppdelaney, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Images_of_Money, ttarasiuk, TheArches, tlillis4, verchmarco, Sogn og Fjordane fylkeskommune, lookcatalog, Matt Preston, h.koppdelaney, ChodHound, JarleR, Savio Sebastian, Anne Worner, Salem State Archives, WeVe1, Mel B., Mr Moss, cattan2011, Bryan Pocius, smilygrl, CMFRIESE, Rosmarie Voegtli, Tim & Selena Middleton, Robb North, Steven Pisano, x1klima, Go-tea 郭天, inkknife_2000 (9.5 million views), chamko rani, MattX27, Leonard J Matthews, Brett Jordan, Waiting For The Word, suzannelong, rossomoto, danielsteuri, Carlos Ebert, Pintanescu, blondinrikard, adeleblancsec2015, photomaticographer, speciaali, dumbledad, LuxFactory, Pascal Volk, sarahstierch, kenteegardin, mripp, Pictures by Ann, alh1, CthulhuWho1 (Will Hart), Sthetic, My Buffo, Un ragazzo chiamato Bi, WVTROUT, CasparGirl, x1klima, andrey_zharkikh, Robert's Life in Colour, Clare Storry, Monique Broekhuisen, unicoletti, ThoroughlyReviewed, vmiramontes, Pictures by Ann, simpleinsomnia, pj_vanf, DPP Business and Tax, h.koppdelaney, REM Photo, Sebastian Cabuyales, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, cdsessums, Miguel Discart (Photos Vrac), Artist in doing nothing., Bhavishya Goel, RichardJames1990, y_egan, campbelj45ca, Mobilus In Mobili, shixart1985, Pontalain, manoftaste.de, The Random Hiccup, Arian Zwegers, mac_ivan, cod_gabriel, simpleinsomnia, ulrichkarljoho, rawpixel.com, Ian @ ThePaperboy.com, Rennett Stowe, shixart1985, Elvert Barnes, marc falardeau, wuestenigel, USACE HQ, greger.ravik, Gunnshots, Bhumi Finding Herself, F L I R S T - Palk Clap, archer10 (Dennis) 133M Views, Clonadamas, Leonard J Matthews, kinglear55, Kurayba, Damian Gadal, investmentzen, fechi fajardo, MilitaryHealth, illustir, Laurel L. Russwurm, Phillip Pessar, Jim Makos, wuestenigel, romanboed, Ben Taylor55, quinn.anya, Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, foundin_a_attic, Isengardt, chenines, Deni Williams, ulrichkarljoho, alberto.biscalchin, UAV Filming, Double--M, StoryTravelers, jimjarmo, KellyReeves, Robert Couse-Baker, gurdonark, A_Peach (offline until Xmas)