Bedsores, or pressure sores, are ulcerations that can develop on bedridden individuals from not bedsore causesbeing re-positioned properly. Bedsores develop on areas of the skin over bony prominences. However, bedsore causes can include many different factors influencing an elderly care patient’s health.  Bedsore causes are often rooted in the stationary area of the patient. The most common areas of bedsore causes are a mattress, chair or wheelchair. Sometimes other health conditions are also a factor in bedsore causes.

Bedsores are the result of prolonged pressure being applied to the area over a long period of time. Bedsore causes are also related to the lack of blood flow being carried to blood vessels in the areas being affected by pressure. As the problem develops, tissue distortion causes obstructed lymphatic flow and accumulation of metabolic waste products from proteins and enzymes causes necrosis to the area.

Bedsore Causes from Furniture

People with healthy mobility are very unlikely to develop bedsores since their bodies will automatically make hundreds of movements to prevent any pressure from building up on the body. For instance, while people are asleep they will shift positions about 20 times a night. This number is probably much higher for people if they are trying to sleep on an uncomfortable surface. The softness of a bed is another reason why most people never develop bedsores.

However, it is more difficult for an elderly care patient to avoid these bedsore causes. The first reason is because they are not as mobile as a result of their age. The other main factor in bedsore causes is the comfort level of their beds and chairs. Beds at an elderly care facility may not be a high enough quality for elderly care patients to avoid bedsore causes.

Wheelchairs are also a very likely area for a person to develop bedsores. If a person is wheelchair bound, they have little choice in where they can reside in comfort. They are forced to spend a large portion of their days getting around with their wheelchair. There is usually inadequate cushioning on a wheelchair. This makes wheelchairs one of the most common bedsore causes.

Avoiding Bedsore Causes

One of the most common bedsore causes is improper hydration of the skin. Moisture on an area of the skin with excessive pressure is prone to developing bedsores over time. Nutrition is also a factor in preventing inadequate moisture content of the skin.

If the elderly care patient is at risk of developing bedsores then it is necessary to frequently reposition the patient to help avoid bedsore causes. Support devices should be applied as necessary to maintain the comfort of the elderly care patient and relieve pressure on sensitive areas.

Posture misalignment is also one of the most common bedsore causes. Caregivers must pay special attention to proper weight distribution, balance, and stability of vulnerable patients. If the patient is susceptible to bedsore causes, pressure relief should be a main concern when positioning them onto wheelchairs. Avoiding friction from these medical devices is necessary to reduce the risk of bedsore causes.

Negligent Elderly Care

Bedsores are a preventable condition so in many cases bedsore causes are from neglect. In order to avoid bedsore causes, careful attention must be paid to the elderly care patient’s condition. Caregivers should make note of the elderly care patient’s risk of developing bedsores by assessing their level of mobility. These risk assessments should be made on a routine basis since there is a high likelihood of risk development.

If an elderly care patient is developing bedsores, it is important to check that the care staff is not responsible for the bedsore causes. Avoiding bedsore causes requires direct attention and it is largely the responsibility of the staff to help avoid these issues. Bedsore causes can be the result of elderly care negligence or elderly abuse. Caregivers must be considerate of the elderly care patient as a priority for avoiding bedsore causes.

 

Sources:

“Bed Sores — The Basics.” Bed Sores Organization. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Sep 2013. <http://www.bedsores.org/>.

Gebhardt, Krzysztof. “Causes of pressure ulcers.” Nursing Times. 98.11 (2002): 41. Web. 9 Sep. 2013. <http://www.nursingtimes.net/part-1-causes-of-pressure-ulcers/206473.article>.

“Pressure ulcers – Causes.” . N.p., 09 Oct 2012. Web. 9 Sep 2013. <http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pressure-ulcers/Pages/Causes.asp&xgt;.