Caring for a bedridden individual is challenging enough with the day-to-day routine. Having to buy equipment and supplies can prove to be stressful, especially if the budget and schedule are tight.

Of course, you want the best products for bedridden care. Someone’s life is in your hands and you want to ensure that the products work as described or expected. And naturally, you don’t want to spend money on defective products.

Buy Online

Traditionally, medical products and caregiver supplies are purchased in a physical store. But that has been slowly changing for some time.

Convenience. For any busy individual, driving around town looking for the best deals on the supplies or equipment you need can pose a daunting challenge. Some people do not have that luxury, because their free time does not coincide with the stores’ open hours. Online stores provide a convenient way to get what you need from the comfort of your home or office. And, while brick-and-mortar stores typically have limited hours, websites are usually available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Also, searching through multiple stores is far easier online.

Broad Selection. Compared to some traditional retailers, online stores can have a far wider range of products to choose from. Plus, it’s easy to have multiple websites open at the same time for comparison shopping at the click of your mouse.

More Economical. One reason online businesses have been so successful comes down to lower prices. The online business does not have the overhead of expensive real estate, large utility bills, larger employee payroll and larger inventory. Because of this, online businesses can give phenomenal discounts, but still maintain a sensible profit.

Plan Ahead

The prudent approach to any task is to plan ahead. Look over your area of responsibility and assess your future needs. Because online purchases usually require shipping, you need to allow for that delay in receiving your products. If you buy at the last minute, you would need to expedite shipping and that can prove costly. So, save on shipping costs by ordering far enough in advance that you can allow standard shipping rates. Also, if your planning is good enough, you may be able to purchase enough items to qualify for free shipping, if available.

Compare

When buying anything, it is always good to shop around. Never take the first product you find until you’ve compared it to two or more others. Of course, compare price, but also check for quality, durability, replacement or refund policies, reputation of the online store and of the product manufacturer.

And we’ve done some of your homework for you. Below are some of the online stores supplying bedridden products.

For miscellaneous bedridden products:

http://www.rehabmart.com

http://www.allegromedical.com

http://www.caregiverproducts.com

http://www.win-health.com

http://www.respromedical.com/servlet/StoreFront

For specialized mattresses and pads for the comfort and turning of bedridden patients:

http://www.volkner.com

Anyone who is confined to bed or a wheelchair for an extended period of time is at risk from bed sores. Also called decubitus ulcers, pressure ulcers or pressure sores, these skin injuries are caused by unrelieved pressure, friction or shear (the skin surface being pulled in opposing directions at the same time).

Treatment depends on the severity of the sore and there are four stages.

Stage 1—Most Superficial. Redness, especially on light-skinned patients. May appear bluish or purplish on darker skin tones. They skin may also be hotter or cooler than normal.

Stage 2—Damage to Epidermis. This may extend into the dermis, but no lower. This may look like a blister.

Stage 3—Full Thickness of Skin. Includes some of the subcutaneous tissue layer. Because of poor blood flow, here, this layer is very hard to heal.

Stage 4—Deepest Ulcer. Extends into muscle, tendon and sometimes even bone.

Any instructions on how to treat bed sores will include several warnings. Bed sores should be taken very seriously. If not treated properly, they can become extremely painful and even fatal. A doctor should be involved to monitor and to establish treatments.

Primary Concern

Of utmost concern is that the bed sore not become worse. If not treated promptly, the skin can break and invite infection. And once the skin has broken, treatment becomes measurably more difficult.

If you notice a bed sore becoming worse, notify the doctor immediately.

Simple Maintenance

• Relieve the pressure that caused the bed sore.
• Protect the damaged skin with medicated gauze. The attending physician will recommend the type of dressing to be used depending on the severity of the sore.
• Keep the wound clean.
• Frequently change body position.
• Distribute body weight evenly with special mattresses or other support.
• Wash the sore daily. If stage 1, water and mild soap are okay. For stage 2 and beyond, wash with saline solution. This not only cleans, but it helps to moisten the sore in a way that promotes healing.
• Keep the tissue around the sore clean and dry.

Medical Treatments

• Antibiotics and pain relievers.
• Antibiotic ointments applied directly to the sore to reduce the risk of infection.
• Surgical removal of dead tissue.

Promote Healing

• A healthful diet is essential for proper healing. The patient needs to eat the proper amount of protein daily.

Pain Management

Being confined to a bed or wheelchair is already uncomfortable. A bed sore can prove to be agonizing. To help relieve some of the discomfort doctors recommend anti-inflammatory drugs (nonsteroidal) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.) and naproxen (Aleve, etc.).

Wisdom

Of course, the best “treatment” is prevention. A specialized bed or mattress can help prevent bed sores with minimal effort or hassle.

Benjamin Franklin’s old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” applies doubly to bed sores. This ailment can be extremely serious, especially when not treated with sufficient care.

Bed sores can develop quickly. When blood supply is cut off to the skin for more than 2–3 hours, the skin begins to die. And bed sores can worsen rapidly, if not treated properly with cleaning, dressing and medication.

Bed sores can become extremely difficult to heal. This happens especially when the damage from a bed sore reaches the subcutaneous region. This part of the body does not receive as much blood flow and the flow of blood through a wound is essential for healing.

So by all means, do everything you can to prevent bed sores from ever forming.

1. Relieve Pressure. Changing the person’s position regularly is essential for relieving the pressure which creates bed sores. Two hours is the recommended period for those in bed and hourly, or more frequently, for those in a wheelchair. Pillows can help protect the most common pressure points where bed sores form—under the elbows and heels, the tailbone and buttocks, the back along the spine, at the back of the head and ears, the shoulders and ankles, plus between the knees (where the legs might rub together).

2. Reduce friction and shear. When moving a person, avoid dragging them across the bed sheets. (Shear is the tugging of skin in two opposing directions.) The best approach is to lift a patient, if possible. It is also important to keep the bed free of anything which can rub and irritate the skin like food crumbs. When washing, avoid scrubbing and rubbing the skin.

3. Inspect skin daily. If a bed sore does develop, early detection can help prevent the sore from escalating into something far more serious.

4. Promote good nutrition. This helps to keep the person healthy, but also to heal more quickly if a bed sore should develop. Calcium, zinc, protein, vitamins E and C, plus calories should be well-balanced and in sufficient quantities. Nutritional supplements may be considered, too.

5. Daily exercise. Many bedridden people can perform light stretching or other simple exercises. This helps good blood flow which promotes health and healing.

6. Maintain clean and dry skin. Instead of strong soaps, use saline solution to clean the skin. Mild soap and water are also okay. Drawing moisture away from sensitive areas with absorbent pads is recommended. For the patient who is incontinent, you need to find out ways to limit or otherwise control the leakage of feces and urine. These can exacerbate the problem of preventing bed sores, so ask your doctor.

7. Special bed or mattress. For those who are most at risk, a bed or mattress made especially for the care of bedridden patients may prove critical for preventing bed sores.

Just about every family in America has a relative that’s bedridden for most likely an indefinite period of time. Although this is unfortunate for a number of reasons, the #1 concern for many people is preventing blood clots and bedsores. With daily exercise and proper diet, blood clots can be usually avoided. However, bedsores are a little trickier. Bedsores are basically lesions that form anywhere on the body due to unrelieved pressure, temperature and several other factors.  Fortunately, there are now mattresses specifically manufactured to prevent bedsores from growing.

When the time comes to invest in a proper anti bedsore mattress for your relative, there are 3 important tips that you need to keep in mind:

1.  Find a Quality Mattress within Your Budget

Although this seems like a no-brainer, some believe that in order to have a name brand mattress, they have to make great sacrifices with their finances for the sake of their loved one’s comfort. Don’t fall into this trap. Right now, there are websites that offer affordable alternating pressure mattresses on sale due to clearance or even holiday specials. It’s even possible to find a used one for sale at garage sales or in personal ads. However, if you take this route, make sure that the mattress is sanitary. Also, keep in mind that there are several variations of anti bedsore mattresses that greatly shift in price, which brings us to our next tip.

2. Know Your Bedsores and Mattresses

There are four distinct types of bedsores you need to be aware of. Stages I-II are the beginning stages of bedsores, while stages III-IV are seen as deep wounds. Today, there are mattresses that are customized to heal bedsores in all stages. Mattresses for bedsores in stages I-II are usually 5-8 inches thick and lie on top of a regular mattress. They are the most affordable and are ideal for preventing pressure sores from even forming. Then there are models categorized as stage I-IV bedsore mattresses. They’re more expensive than the stage I-II mattresses, but are an excellent tool for healing bedsores in any stage.

3. Keep the Stage IV Mattress in Mind

The stage IV bedsore mattress is the most expensive model and the most difficult to find. If you can afford the investment, then it’s recommended more than the other models. It’s very powerful, holds more air than the others and has incredible longevity. So, if you want the best for your loved one, the stage IV mattress is what you need. As mentioned earlier, they’re hard to find, but worth the investment.

Bedsores have always been a problem for bedridden individuals. Luckily, there are ways to prevent and treat them. Consider all the types of anti bedsore mattresses mentioned above if you have a relative in this situation – for their assurance and comfort.