Getting Catheter Care for Your Elderly Loved One

Unfortunately, catheters can be quite the pain. If your elderly loved one needs to have a catheter in while they are at home, it may be a good idea to have 24-hour home care providers there to help your elderly loved one. Your senior can have help around-the-clock to manage their needs.

Changing the Catheter

Depending on how long your elderly loved one’s doctor says they need to have the catheter, they may need to have it changed with a new one from time to time. If you or your elderly loved one have never done this, it may be quite the challenge. It would be a good idea to hire medical professionals to do this task. That way, you can ensure it is done correctly and reduce the risk of your elderly loved one getting an infection during the change out.

Prevention of Infection

As just noted, it is important to lower the risk of your elderly loved one getting an infection when they have a catheter. There are various things that can cause the infection such as not changing the catheter when needed, getting germs in the ureter during the change out, and not putting a clean catheter in. In order to help to prevent infections while your elderly loved one has a catheter, be sure not to do these things. If your elderly loved one does display signs of an infection, be sure that you or their 24-hour home care providers take them to see a doctor.

Ensure it is Working Correctly

If your elderly loved one does need to have a catheter in at home, it is crucial to make sure that it is working properly. There are times when catheters have kinks or cracks in them. If that happens, it can make a mess and cause issues with your elderly loved one’s urinary tract, too. If it important for someone to check on the state of the catheter regularly. If you can’t be around to do this daily or every other day, it would be a good idea to hire 24-hour home care providers who can stay with your elderly loved one. They can check to see if there are issues with the catheter and if there are, they can contact the doctor to see what needs to be done.

Hire 24-Hour Home Care Providers

These are some of the things that you may need or want to know about getting the proper catheter care for your elderly loved one. If they do have a catheter or are going to be getting one, hopefully, these tips will help to ensure they don’t get an infection and that the catheter continues working as it should. If there are any issues, make sure that you or their 24-hour home care provider contact their doctor to see what needs to be done immediately.

Sources: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000140.htm

If you or an aging loved one are considering 24-Hour Home Care Services in Murfreesboro TN, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts at Home. Serving Middle Tennessee (Nashville, Brentwood, Belle Meade, Franklin, Spring Hill, Columbia, Pulaski, and more!) Call today: 629-203-7925.

You may also like: