Nursing work is much easier when the home is specially tailored to the needs of the person in need of care and appropriate aids are used.
Sick room The sick room should not be too small if possible, be sunny and protected against noise but not be “remote“ so that the patient does not feel isolated. The furnishing should be easy care to make cleaning easier. In particular stablefurniture should be chosen which can also be used as a support as well as non-skid bedside carpets and rugs. An emergency light which soothes the patient has proven to be practical.
Sick bed In case of longer or permanent confinement to bed, it pays to purchase a suitable sick bed. It should be a single bed measuring 100 x 200 cm with a bed height of about 65 cm. Working at this height puts less strain on the back; the patient can get in and out of the bed more easily and can sit comfortably on the edge of the bed.
Home Depending on the type and severity of the patient’s disability, it may be necessary to adapt the other rooms of the home to the changed needs. Small rearrangements are often all that is required:
Rearrange furniture appropriately to make room for a wheelchair
Raise bathroom sinks and toilet seats so that they are handicapped accessible
Install a bathtub seat and handles in the bathroom
Install nonskid floor coverings
Remove sills
Aids The use of diverse rehabilitation aids such as walking frames, eating or dressing aids supports the efforts to enable the patient to become independent of care as quickly as possible. Some aids also make the carer’s work easier. A full range of aids can be found in well-assorted medical supply stores. These stores as well as pharmacies offer a large range of nursing and geriatric care products such as:
Wound dressings
Bandages and dressings
Special products for incontinence and patient hygiene
