How to Create a Comfortable Room for Bedridden Seniors

Home Care Skokie IL - How to Create a Comfortable Room for Bedridden Seniors

When your senior loved one is confined to their bed for medical reasons, it can be frustrating news. Whether it’s due to an illness or recovering from a medical procedure, being bedridden isn’t fun for long. Family caregivers like you can help your senior loved one to feel more comfortable and pass the time in a more fulfilling way when you take the time to properly prepare the room. 

​Appearance 

If someone is going to be bedridden in one room for the majority of the time, it should be a bright and clean space where they can enjoy a positive atmosphere. While you might not have time or resources for a fresh coat of paint, you can definitely spend time scrubbing the room from top to bottom, including walls, baseboards, window sills and the floor.  
 
Consider adding some new décor or bringing in some of your senior loved one’s favorite décor from elsewhere in the house. Small touches like new curtains, a few houseplants and beloved items like family pictures can transform a ho-hum room to a comfortable space. 
 
Comfort 
 
Because your senior loved one will be spending a lot of time in bed, you need to make sure that it is a quality mattress that will provide the support they need. Additional comfort items include body wedges to help them sit better, an over bed table or lap desk for writing and eating, and a spacious side table that they can easily access.  
 
You should be able to regulate the room’s temperature easily. Assess it carefully and make plans to deal with a particularly sunny window or a vent that blows directly down onto your loved one’s head. Don’t forget to include a nice chair or two that can be pulled out when visitors come to spend time with your bedridden loved one. 
 
Health 
 
Your senior loved one needs to have all the necessary accessories that can keep them healthy and safe, even though they are bedridden. Many family caregivers invest in an alert system so that the senior can summon assistance from family members or a home care aide. Bed rails, bed rope ladder, transfer discs and more can make things easier for you and your loved one while they must remain in bed. 
 
Entertainment 
 
While most people think of television as the only entertainment for bedridden seniors, there are lots of other things to do. Family caregivers can set up a bird feeder or two just outside the window for bird watching. Video gaming systems are growing in popularity among seniors, and it’s a fun way to spend a few hours. Reading tablets bring almost any book ever written right to their fingertips, providing lots of opportunities to read.  
 
Remember that television can get rather boring after a while, so family caregivers and their senior loved ones can think outside the box on how to stay entertained all day. Consider taking up a new hobby like cross-stitching, starting language lessons, building a model or writing poetry. Make sure that any new items are within easy reach of a bedridden senior so they can stop and start as they feel like it. 
 
Bedridden senior loved ones are going to need a lot of support during this time, and preparing a comfortable room for them will definitely help them endure with the best possible outlook. 
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Source:http://blog.allegromedical.com/bedridden-products-for-caregivers-and-bed-confined-patients-2025.html 

​​If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Care Services in Skokie IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

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