by Wendy Owen

Created on: December 16, 2008

Pressure sores are actually damage in the skin from being in one position for too long. The pressure stops the blood from flowing to that part of the body and so therefore the skin in that area will die. I worked at a nursing home for several years and it is an ongoing problem with our elderly due to the fact that most can not move around in bed or they are in a wheelchair. The most common areas are places where they don't have much fat, areas where the bone is closer to the skin like the hips, the heels, the elbows, the knees.

Pressure sores are serious because it can cause a serious infection and an infection in a bedridden person can be a large problem. An infection in an elderly bedridden person can be nearly impossible to get rid of and serious steps need to be taken to treat these sores because they can become infected to the point of causing death in our loved one.

The first thing you want to do is keep pressure off that area. Make sure the person is moved at least every two hours. This is very important. It is easiest to use pillows to prop a person up on one side if the problem is with their hip area. Rotate them often. Never let them lie in one spot for over two hours, the results can be devastating and painful. If the problem area is on the heel of the foot you can put a pillow under the calf of their leg to keep the heel off the bed, if it's an elbow you can prop up the arm etc.

Always make sure to keep the area clean and dry, this is very important, if the skin is breaking down you don't want any moisture bringing on bacteria. Good hygiene is a must and when you go to dry the area make sure you pat it and don't rub it. You could hurt the sore more if you rub it too harshly.

Always make sure you inspect the area they are lying in or sitting on and make sure there are no friction spots like large creases in the sheets etc. When moving the person always try to take care not to put pressure on the sore or tear it, a transfer sheet is always the easiest way to do this.

You need to watch for signs of trouble like the size of the sore and if there is any oozing of puss. Watch the color of the drainage and make sure it's not turning green. Watch the color of the sore and make sure it's not turning black around the area. Check often for a fever and if any of these signs show up or if the sore starts to look worse instead of better please contact your doctor right away.

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