When people get older and start to become sick, they will need someone to provide them with hospice care to help them get through their days without too much struggle. As embarrassing as it may sound, part of acquiring care is having someone to assist them when using the toilet.
While it looks like an arduous task, if it’s your loved one or someone else experiencing hardships involved, you know you will do anything for them, even if it means facing challenging responsibilities. The compassion and empathy you feel for others have the power to exceed the challenge at hand and allow you to open your heart to help make life easier for them. After all, seeing your parents or grandparents smile and express gratitude for all you do for them is always worth all hardships.
Keep reading below to find out ways you can offer your assistance and care for your loved ones by helping them with their toileting needs.
Preparing for Toileting for Your Loved One
The moment your aging loved one starts to require your assistance to guide them with toileting, you must make some changes at home to accommodate their needs and keep them safe.
You might want to consider installing handrails near the toilet and adding a detachable raised toilet seat. Make sure the environment is clear in case your loved one requires the assistance of a wheelchair or other durable medical equipment. Other beneficial preparations include getting a commode, bedpan, or urinal and positioning it near their bed, buying waterproof mattress pads, and incontinence pads and briefs. It’s important to note that many hospices provide these items, and you should check with the facility to determine what you are expected to provide.
If you want to guarantee you provide proper hospice care at home, you should take your time learning your loved one’s daily routine. When you become familiar with the number of times in a day that your loved one uses the bathroom, you never have to rush every time they need to go—you’ll instead be able to anticipate it. Once a pattern is established, the use of a timer can assist as well. Not only will it be less tiring for them, but you won’t feel pressured to run to their side when they suddenly need to use the toilet.
Helping an Adult During Bathroom Breaks
If you are assigned to provide home care for your loved one, you will need to prioritize their safety and comfort at all times, especially when toileting is involved. It requires equal effort from you and your loved one to ensure the activity becomes successful. You must take great care when initiating the following:
Using the Toilet
Every time you assist your loved one in using the toilet, you should remain patient and learn to communicate with them to make sure they aren’t in pain throughout the procedure. Maintain a slow and sure pace when carrying them off their bed and guiding them to the bathroom or commode. Practice safe assistance techniques such as bending your knees when lifting weight and steadying your loved one’s trunk as they lower themselves down and lift themselves up.
When sitting on the toilet, their hands should be on your forearms, so they can sit down carefully while acquiring the needed support and keep them from losing their balance. If they’re also struggling with cleaning up after themselves, you may need to take care of that to avoid a mess.
Using a Bedpan
During instances where it’s tough for your loved one to get up from bed, they have the option to use a bedpan instead. While they will still have to sit up from their resting position, it will be less of a struggle than going to the toilet.
Make sure your loved one is comfortable throughout the whole process. If they have the strength to lift themselves, place an incontinence pad under them before holding their back for support as you place the bedpan underneath them. But if they can’t get up, you can help them roll to their side and do the same process with the pad and bedpan.
Hospice Care in Atlanta: Golden Rule Hospice
It will take some time for you and your loved one to adjust to the process of helping them with toileting, among other situations that require your care and attention. While there are indeed challenges involved, it is always worth it if it means getting to spend more time with your aging parents or grandparents. If you cannot meet their needs, it may be best to hire a professional offering reliable hospice care to guarantee the people you love receive the best care possible.
Are you looking for hospice care near you for your loved one in need? Golden Rule Hospice provides nursing care, including psychological, spiritual, and social services, for our patients in the metropolitan Atlanta area that require a better quality of living. Get in touch with us today at (470) 395-6567 to schedule a consultation!
We live by the Golden Rule
Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
