Being comfortable in your chair or bed is just as important as being comfortable in your shoes. It can help you sleep soundly or help reduce back, knee or other aches and pains from incorrect positioning. Take a look
at some of the ideas we have to
help with comfort care around the home.
SEATING
Seat positioning and comfort are very important. Proper support helps to ease back pain or coccyx discomfort, and may aid in reducing the possibility of pressure sores and ulcers. Seating supports come in many shapes and styles. Some of the simplest back supports are rolls that are "D" shaped or round. Other back seating supports are cushions that can be narrow or wide backed, form fitting or have adjustable air bladders that can be soft or firm for each person's individual comfort.
SEAT CUSHIONS are available in many styles such as ergonomic liquid cell seating pads, orthopedic s-cushions (with wedge-shapes cut out near the coccyx) that help with seating for long periods of time. Some cushions can be easily moved from seat to seat or can even be used in a wheelchair.
Due to long-term sitting in a wheelchair, cushions are even more important to help with pressure reduction. Special wheelchair cushions come in many choices to help with comfort and to reduce the possibility of pressure sores. An inexpensive cushion is a convoluted (egg crate) cushion. If a more sophisticated cushion is needed the choices are foam, gel, foam/gel combinations, contour polyurethane, coccyx posturing cushions, wedge cushions, flofoam flotation systems, high or low profile, air mass alternating pressure cushions and air cell cushions.
BED COMFORT
Being in a comfortable bed can make a lot of difference in how well one sleeps. Good sleep affects just about everything you do. Here are a few suggestions that may help with the minor aches and pains from improper positioning, increase comfort during sleep and therefore provide a better night's rest.
Pillows in many shapes and sizes are available to help. Head and neck pillows can be obtained in multiple styles from memory foam, posture neck pillows, roll and even a yoga pillow. Some have gel core or can be filled with water to the firmness desired.
Leg spacer pillows are designed to help relieve pressure and strain on the lower back, knees and ankles. Body pillows (10 feet long) are great for total relaxation and can be folded for all kinds of support.
Bed wedges can be useful for positioning clients that require elevation of the head or chest or for reducing lower back strain or leg pain. Knee elevator wedges raise the knees which helps improve circulation and relax the spine.
MATTRESSES can also be an issue when talking about comfort and sleep. From replacing the entire mattress to getting an overlay there are many options to change the surface, improve the comfort and reduce pressure. Often the overlay is the best solution and can be very affordable. Overlays come in egg crate type mattresses, gel overlays, low air loss, alternating pressure mattress (simple and complex) or foam mattresses with individual sections that adjust separately for uniform weight distribution.
Softness is not always the solution to eliminating discomfort. Often someone may want their bed more firm. This can be achieved with an extended care mattress that has a firm base and a foam top.
BLANKET SUPPORTS can also help in making beds more comfortable. A simple blanket support at the base of the bed to hold blankets off the feet can greatly increase foot comfort.
HOT/COLD THERAPY can be helpful for some aches and pains. Moist heat packs are good for back pain, arthritis, TMJ, joint pain and muscle spasms. These packs come in different sizes and shapes.
BATH spas can be a great benefit for comfort and to ease pain. Transform a regular bath to bubbling bliss with a spa mat that sends air through a soft mat that fills the tub with thousands of bubbles. Jet bath spas are more powerful and have multidirectional bubble and water jets and can fit right into the tub!
Caregifters Caregiver Tips
• Use heel and ankle protectors to minimize or prevent skin breakdown in these areas
• Suggest breathable incontinent products
• Observe sleeping patterns to see if a pillow wedge is needed
• Observe walking for change in stance that could indicate a need for more comfortable stockings or footwear
• Check the water temperature to prevent burns and scalding
• Use seat cushions made from foam or gel to increase the ability to sit
• Use plastic, break resistant glassware
• Suggest special pillows in the tub for those who enjoy a tub bath but have difficulty sitting
• Recognize that loose natural fiber clothing without zippers and buttons that bind might be more comfortable
• Use electric toothbrushes, dental floss holders and tube squeezers for those with arthritic hand
