A bedridden person's diaper should be checked every 3 hours and changed whenever it is soiled with urine or feces, to increase comfort and prevent the appearance of diaper rash. Thus, it is possible that at least 4 diapers are used per day due to urine.
Usually, the geriatric diaper, which is easily found in pharmacies and supermarkets, should only be used in bedridden people who cannot control the urge to urinate or defecate, such as after a stroke, for example. In other cases, it is recommended to always try to take the person to the bathroom first or use a bedpan so that sphincter control is not lost over time.
To prevent the person from falling out of bed during the diaper change, it is recommended that the change be made by two people or that the bed is against the wall. Then, you must:
- Peel off the diaper and clean the genital area with gauze or wet wipes, removing most of the dirt from the genital area towards the anus, to prevent urinary infections; Fold the diaper so that the outside is clean and facing upwards; Flip the person to one side of the bed. See a simple way to turn on a bedridden person; Clean the butt and anal area again with another gauze moistened with soap and water or with wet wipes, removing the feces with a movement of the genital region towards the anus; Remove the dirty diaper and place a clean one on the bed, leaning against the butt. Dry the genital and anal regions with a dry gauze, towel or cotton diaper; Apply an ointment for diaper rash, such as Hipoglós or B-panthenol, to avoid the appearance of skin irritation; Turn the person on top of the clean diaper and close the diaper, taking care not to get too tight.
If the bed is articulated, it is advisable that it is raised to the level of the caregiver's hip and completely horizontal, to facilitate diaper change.
Material needed to change the diaper
The material needed to change a bedridden person's diaper that must be on hand at the time of changing includes:
- 1 clean and dry diaper, 1 basin with warm, soapy water, clean and dry gazes, towel or cotton diaper.
An alternative to gauze soaked in warm soapy water is the use of baby wipes, such as Pamper's or Johnson's, which can be purchased at any pharmacy or supermarket, for an average price of 8 reais per package.
