Providing palliative care at home brings with it the complexity of managing medications, supplies and equipment. The goal of palliative care is to provide relief and comfort outside a hospital setting. Having the right medical supplies and equipment is essential for your loved one for they provide comfort and convenience.
Equipment Needed for Palliative Care at Home
Once one is released from the hospital, your doctor will tell you how to get the equipment and supplies you need. Common medical equipment used in palliative care include the following:
#1. Hospital bed.
Many patients in palliative care have limited mobility and, therefore, may have a difficult time getting in and out of a standard hospital bed. These beds, which are approximately the size of a twin bed, make it significantly safer and easier for the patient to receive care.
- Vive Alternating Pressure Pad – Includes Mattress Pad and Electric Pump System – Quiet, Inflatable Bed Air Topper for Pressure Ulcer Sore Treatment.
Features
- Ultra-Quiet Pump
- Durable & Waterproof Pad
- Easy to Set Up
More reasons why you need Vive Alternating Pressure Pad.
- Durable & waterproof pad.
- Pressure sore and ulcer relief.
- Effective for those that can’t move in the night.
To improve but not a deal breaker.
- The pump breaking down after a year.
- The rate of alternation is not enough for everyone.
#2.Safety bed rails.
Patients who have problems with memory, sleeping, incontinence, pain, uncontrolled body movement, or who get out of bed and walk unsafely without assistance, must be carefully assessed for the best ways to keep them from harm, such as falling. Regulatory agencies, health care organizations, product manufacturers and advocacy groups encourage hospitals, nursing homes and home care providers to assess patients’ needs and to provide safe care without restraints.
- Regalo swing down bed rail guard, with reinforced anchor safety system.
Features.
- Its extra-long and safe 54-inches long (hinge point) and 20-inch tall for added security.
- No tools required to setup.
- It’s secure with anchoring strap that secures the bedrail to the bed.
- Designed with all steel frame.
- It’s fit for use with a twin to queen size bed. Cover is machine washable.
More reasons why you need Regalo swing down bed rail guard.
- Easy to set up.
- Secures the bedrail to the bed.
- No battery required.
Related: Hospice care and its purposes
To improve but not a deal breaker.
- The mesh breaks easily.
- Doesn’t work for all bed sizes.
#3. Bed exit alarms.
Smart Caregiver Wireless and Cordless Weight Sensing Bed Pad – 10” x 30” (Monitor or Alarm Included.
Features.
- Monitor has a 1-year warranty ,Pad has a lifespan of 1 year with daily use
- Complete system includes 1 wireless bed alarm and 1 cordless bed sensor pad. Use this product for fall prevention; know when someone is getting out of bed unattended.
- 10″x30″ bed sensor pad is made of soft vinyl, easy to wipe clean and incontinence resistant.
- The wireless alarm can be placed in a convenient location closer to the caregiver, away from the cordless sensor pad with low, medium, high volume options and a gentle chime alert.
More reasons why you need Smart Caregiver Wireless and Cordless Weight Sensing Bed Pad – 10” x 30”
- You don’t have to be in the same room as patient or loved one.
- Various sound options and alerts.
- Easy to use and effective.
To improve but not a deal breaker.
- There could be a delay between movement and alarm.
- Not latex-free.
#4.Incontinence pads.
- Medline – msc282070lb heavy absorbency underpads.
Bed wetting isn’t limited to youth. Overnight incontinence is particularly common and can be linked to a variety of causes, from hormonal changes to illnesses.
Features.
- Heavy absorbency Medline’s 36 x 36 inch disposable underpads Soft quilted top sheet – Disposable bed pads with a soft diamond quilted top sheet is gentle on sensitive skin.
- Core absorbs fluid and locks away odor.
- Conveniently packaged and can easily fit in a bag.
More reasons why you need Medline – msc282070lb heavy absorbency under-pads.
- Very cost effective.
- The absolute super absorbed.
- Saves on laundry of bedding.
To improve but not a deal breaker.
- Tears easily.
#5. Toilet seat riser.
- Aqua Sense Portable Raised Toilet Seat, White, 4 Inches.
- This raised toilet seat elevates the toilet 4 inches higher than a regular toilet seat.
- Makes it easier to get on and off the toilet and features a seamless, easy to clean, polyethylene construction.
- Aqua Sense raised toilet seats are lightweight and portable.
- Sized to fit most standard commode bowls. Does not fit elongated toilets.
- 400 pounds (181 kilograms) maximum weight capacity.
More reasons why you need Aqua Sense Portable Raised Toilet Seat, White, 4 Inches.
- You can take them with you anywhere.
- Entirely portable.
- They are affordable to buy.
To improve but not a deal breaker.
- It pushes your cheeks together to make bowel movement tricky.
- It’s not easy to keep clean.
#6.Bidet toilet seat.
- Luxe bidet neo 120 – self-cleaning nozzle – fresh water non-electric mechanical bidet toilet attachment (blue and white).
Features.
- Designed with a sleek and high-quality parts, our bidet attachment will give your bathroom a next-level look
- The nozzle automatically retracts behind the guard gate after each wash to ensure it is protected until your next use.
- Easily attaches to and detaches from any standard two-piece toilet.
- Save money (and trees) on toilet paper.
More reasons why you need Luxe bidet neo 120.
- Improves hygiene by removing the struggle of wiping.
- Reduces urinary tract infection risk through improved hygiene.
- Reduces risks of fall, no more bending or twisting to clean up.
To improve but not a deal breaker.
- It’s not easy to install.
#7.Toilet Wiper for Obese.
- Fawner toilet aids tools, long reach comfort wipe, extends your reach over 15″ grips toilet paper or pre-moistened wipes.
Features.
- Designed to help people who find it difficult to bend, turn and reach.
- Essential aid to its strength, this cushioned, flexible end is extremely soft against the skin for added comfort.
- This toilet wiper promotes self-sufficiency doesn’t require someone’s help.
- It’s easy to use few sheets of toilet tissue are inserted or a pre-moistened wipe into the soft, flexible head of the toilet aid.
More reasons why you need Fawner toilet aids tools, long reach comfort wipe, extends your reach over 15″
- Restores dignity and self-sufficiency.
- Easy to use.
- Durable construction.
- Easy to clean.
To improve but not a deal breaker.
- Button to dispel used tissue fails often.
- Bulky construction.
8. Mattress Extender/Wedge
To prevent bed entrapment which has been shown to be a huge cause of hospital bed deaths, you will need to buy a mattress extender block that will fit in snugly in the space between the headboard and the edge of the mattress.
This way, your patient is going to sleep soundly without any risk that they might get entrapped inside this fatal space. At the same time, the bed feels comfy and also good that the patient will not have to struggle getting things from the ground that fell out through this space.
Rounding up equipment needed for palliative care at home.
Medical proficiency, provision of the required equipment is considered essential for high-quality palliative care at home. This gives both the patient and care giver less burden.
“It is important to ensure the patient is as comfortable and safe as possible while receiving care in the home,”Dyanna Johnston, a practitioner with Crossroads Hospice and Palliative Care in Oklahoma City.
Dyanna Johnston
