The skin protects the body against disease causing germs. Any injury to the skin, like a cut or scrape, puts a person at risk for infection. The skin can also be injured from pressure when a person sits or lies in one position for too long.
Protect the skin. When you care for someone at risk for skin injury, take these steps to protect their skin:
- Keep the skin clean and dry
- Properly move or lift the person to avoid friction on the skin
- Remove anything placing pressure on the skin
- Have the person eat a healthy diet.
A serious injury to the skin is a pressure ulcer (once called a bedsore). It is caused by unrelieved, prolonged pressure or pressure and friction. Most pressure ulcers form over bony parts of the body, like the hip, heel or elbow. Healthy persons with limited mobility usually do not get pressure ulcers. The seriously ill and debilitated person is most at risk. If you care for someone at home at risk for a pressure ulcer, prevention is the key.
Here is Felicia's Story:
I live with my father, who is 78 years old. Father had a stroke about 2 years ago, making him partially paralyzed on his left side. He cannot walk any longer but he is able to stand so that we can get him into a wheelchair. Since his stroke, Father has trouble feeling anything he sits on. He often forgets to use his arms to lift up and move his bottom after sitting so long. Three months ago I took him to the doctor and we found he had an ulcer on his tailbone. Oh, I felt so bad; I should have checked his skin more closely. The home health nurse told us it was a pressure ulcer. Fortunately the pressure ulcer was small and with a lot of work it has finally healed. Now we have a schedule for him to follow to move around more. I check his skin regularly now for signs of pressure.