Care for a person confined to bed

Check the skin daily

When someone cannot easily change position, prolonged pressure can damage the skin. Check the heels, buttocks, lower back, hips and elbows. Persistent colour changes, pain, unusual warmth, firm areas or blisters need assessment by a healthcare professional even if there is no open wound.

Do not rub or massage reddened areas. Do not wait for damage to deepen. Seek medical advice promptly for discharge, spreading redness, fever or increasing pain.

Positioning and safe transfers

Ask for an individual plan for how often and how to change position. No single schedule suits everyone. Choose the mattress and pillows according to risk and condition; a specialist mattress does not replace other care.

Ask a professional to demonstrate safe turning and transfers. Do not drag the patient across a sheet or lift them alone without training or enough help. Incorrect handling can injure both the patient and the caregiver.

Hygiene and dignity

Keep skin clean and dry, pat gently and change soiled linen promptly. Follow advice on protective products for incontinence. Include mouth, hair and clothing care in the day, explain what you are doing and provide privacy.

Ask which position is comfortable and whether anything hurts. Involve the person in choices whenever possible, even if they need help with almost every activity.

Individual nutrition advice

Food, fluids and eating position must reflect the underlying illness and ability to swallow. Seek medical assessment for coughing, choking or new eating difficulties. Do not follow general fluid-quantity advice in heart or kidney disease without agreement.

Care includes the family

Make time for conversation, favourite music or another enjoyable activity suited to the person’s abilities. Share care among relatives and professionals and plan breaks. Family exhaustion is a real need for support, not a personal failure.