When bed mobility is a concern, measures should be implemented to try and improve it in any way possible.
This is one of the goals of the physical therapy team at Universal Home Care. People living at home who spend all or much of their time in bed may have problems with their mobility. However, the ability to adjust one's position independently in bed, or to be able to get out of bed, is key to preserving health and preventing conditions like bedsores.
There are various ways that this can be approached. In some cases, physical therapy and exercise may be able to increase a patient's bed mobility. Universal Home Care can help train patients and caregivers in exercises that can provide a patient with more strength and the ability to move independently when that is a medical reality.
In other cases, an evaluation may conclude that the use of an assistive device may be able to provide the patient with some kind of added mobility. For patients with some upper body strength, the use of an assistive device can be helpful for moving from a lying to a sitting position. In others, a bed with automatic controls may be required to adjust that position.
There are many muscle groups that need to be worked on in order to improve bed mobility. These exercises may include those designed to improve strength, or to improve range of motion and flexibility. Arms, legs, hips, back and especially the core must be strong and supple enough to help assist a patient in bed mobility.
There are also specific techniques that people can be taught by experienced bed mobility experts like those at Universal Home Care that can assist them with getting out of bed. For instance, there is a method of rolling to the side and propping themselves up with an elbow that allows the patient to use gravity to help them get out of bed.
Bathing is an important task for overall independent living and if a patient needs a certified home health aide, we will offer that service to them. It is also possible that some patients who are undergoing treatment or physical therapy may need assistance bathing at one point in time, but will outgrow the need for such a service as their therapy as they regain independence as time goes on.
