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Sandra88 Asked April 2017

How often should a bed ridden person be turned?

texandaughter May 2017
My brother told me his father-in-law had gotten bed sores and they were very difficult to treat and very painful. So I looked it up and got my dad, who became bedridden last week and this week adjusts his position very seldom, an alternating pressure mattress - there's a very inexpensive, highly-rated one by Vive on Amazon. He was up and running yesterday - we got the hospice to send people in for a lift assist to get it on the bed/him off/on. At first (yesterday) he was really happy with it as it was more comfortable than the hospital bed they installed at home (you put it on top of a mattress) - today it's perhaps not amazing, but given the reviews it should help prevent/allow to heal pressure sores. No flipping the patient around unless they ask for it. Without one, every two hours sounds horrid - you have to interrupt their sleep and your day for it.

worried13 Apr 2017
Speaking from experience granted it's a new learning curve (MIL had latest stroke Dec 2016 making left side immobile) Range of motion is a must, I work her legs and arms 4-5 times a day. Rotating her every 2 hours during the day, but well you have to sleep as well...... So we do every 2 hours during the day, get her comfy at night, then start again in the morning. We have had 1 pressure sore, right over the tail bone, kept it at a L 2, finally healed but it is a Battle to keep it from starting again due to the boughts of diarrhea.. So just do your best, it does not make you a horrible person if one develops just keep your nurses/doctors in the loop and take all the help you can get. The horrible part is insurance will not pay for a pressure sore relieving mattress unless the have 2 stage 3 or 1 stage 4 sore. Baffles the mind that insurance will not help prevent.

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GivingItMyAll Apr 2017
Also do range of motion exercises to prevent painful contractures. You can Google for details.

Shane1124 Apr 2017
Every two hours, cwillie is correct. 

cwillie Apr 2017
If they are totally immobile best practice is to reposition every 2 hours.

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