When your loved one resides at Allegro Assisted Living, you can rest assured that the staff is following a therapeutic careplan to ensure that the resident’s skin stays healthy. Compromised skin integrity can be caused by a number of factors, including urinary and fecal incontinence, limited mobility, nutritional status, and circulatory problems. Here are some interventions that the staff will implement to make sure that your loved one’s skin stays intact and healthy:
Turn And Reposition
When assisted living residents become ill or immobile, they may be unable to reposition themselves in bed, which may raise the risk for skin breakdown. At Allegro Assisted Living, your loved one will be turned and repositioned as needed, to help ensure that pressure is relieved on the bony prominences of the body.
The most common areas susceptible to skin breakdown include the sacral area, elbows, hips, ankles, and heels. In addition to repositioning the resident, the staff may also gently massage pressure points to help enhance circulation and blood flow.
When blood flow to the pressure points and bony prominences is brisk, skin breakdown is less likely to develop. Massage also helps relieve anxiety, while promoting restorative sleep patterns.
Also, when the staff turns and repositions the resident, they will visually inspect the skin so that early changes can be recognized and reported to the physician. Skin changes may include redness, blisters, bruising, and skin tears. If skin changes or abnormalities are discovered, the physician will recommend a treatment plan, depending upon the cause.
Anticipate Incontinent Episodes
If your loved one is incontinent of urine or stool, the assisted living staff will make sure that he or she is cleaned up quickly. Urine and feces is very irritating to the sensitive skin of the perineal area, and if the area is not washed with warm soapy water promptly, skin redness or excoriation may quickly develop.
The assisted living staff will also follow a toileting schedule that will ensure that the residents are taken to the bathroom or changed every couple of hours, after meals, and as needed. Neurological deficits, dementia, infections, bladder problems, and diuretic medications can cause incontinence, and if the development of incontinence is new, the nurse will call the physician.
If you have questions or concerns about your loved one’s skin condition, the staff will gladly help you, however, if you still need clarity, you may be referred to the resident’s physician.
