Bed sores are open wounds on the body where the skin and tissue are breaking down due to continuous pressure from the bones. These can be found in the hips, tailbone, shoulder blades, elbows, and heels.
Our caregivers providing home healthcare services in Connecticut advised that risk increases if the patient is not turned, positioned correctly, or provided with proper nutrition and skin care.
Bedsores are divided into four stages:
- Stage 1
The area is red and warm to the touch. Darker skin may show a blue or purple tinge. The patient may also say it hurts or itches. Check for a bed sore by seeing if the area “blanches.” If it does, the tissue is still intact.
To test, lightly press the spot. Blanching occurs when a spot turns white and then red again.
- Stage 2
Unmonitored and untreated bed sores will burst the skin and become ulcers. Your elderly relative will feel tender and sore. - Stage 3
It develops a deep hole through the skin and layers of tissue to the subcutaneous fat. Less blood flow means more tissue decay. - Stage 4
A bed sore has advanced to the point where the ulcerous crater penetrates the soft tissue to reveal bone. This tremendous decay is a life-threatening infection risk.
If you’re worried about a potential bed sore, have your senior get a medical exam immediately; sores can worsen within days if necessary healthcare services are not provided.
At Total Assurance Home Healthcare, we have been providing home care services in Brookfield, Connecticut for many years.
If you’re looking for a non-medical home healthcare agency, contact us today and let us help you.