Bed sores are a common occurrence among people who are bedridden, and unfortunately, most people do not realize the seriousness of the problem. If not treated properly, bed sores can lead to complications that are serious enough to cause death. Since your mother has a bad bed sore, it is advisable to keep her in the nursing home for a little longer, till the bed sore is considerably better. A lot of the treatment that is needed for a bed sore cannot be provided at home, unless you are planning to keep a nurse for your mother. Therefore, if you really must take her home right now, make sure that you employ a nurse for at least the next couple of weeks.
Bed sores are caused by a variety of factors: among the main factors is pressure on a certain part of the body for a prolonged time. In addition, other factors such as friction, temperature, moisture, and even age play a role in the development of bed sores. These factors must of course be addressed to whatever extent is possible, but in addition, proper treatment is needed, especially for what are known as stage III and stage IV bed sores. In the initial stages, when a bed sore is just starting to form, it is possible to manage it on your own. The patient should avoid putting pressure on the affected area for more than a few minutes at a time, only a few times a day. The area should also be washed frequently with soap and water, but apart from this, it is extremely important that the area be kept dry. In order to minimize the risk of infection, appropriate antiseptic and antimicrobial treatments also need to be applied locally. All these can of course be done at home by a family member. However, in the later stages, complex medical procedures such as debridement – the removal of dead tissue from a wound – are needed. Dressing and disinfecting a wound may also be more difficult at this stage, and may need expert handling. The patient’s diet may also need to be carefully monitored so as to strike a balance between what intake the body can handle and the amount of nutrition required to facilitate wound healing.
The best thing for you would be to take the opinion of the doctor who is treating your mother. Find out how bad the bed sore is and what is needed to treat it, and if you are taking her home, whether a nurse is needed, and also learn how to treat the bed sore yourself.
answered by G M