An ostomy surgery can be overwhelming foryour elderly parent, especially during the healing and recovery process. In-homeostomy care services become very important in the interim and long term. Thereare roughly between 725,000 and one million people in theUnited States who have undergone some form of ostomy procedure. Approximately100,000 procedures are performed each year, where a part of the urinarytract or digestive system requires partial removal due to disease.

Once the affected area is removed, anopening is created to connect the ureter or bowel to a stoma or opening. Thisprocedure also requires an extension or part of the intestine, which acts likea bridge for the purpose of holding waste. Helping your loved one getaccustomed to their ostomy bag and regular care plays a significant role inpreventing infections and complications, while supporting your senior parent'shealthy, independent living. This article covers some insightful ostomy caretips that you should know as a family caregiver.

1. Set a Routine for EverydayCare

Does your loved one already have a routinefor daily tasks and self-care? Integrating ostomy care as a part of yourelderly parent's everyday care is vital in making sure they get used tocleaning, drying, and inspecting the area. Keeping the skin around this areahealthy can help prevent complications. Here are a few ostomy care tips to helpyou get started:

●      Gently clean the area, orperistomal skin, using warm water and natural, oil-free soap. Oils andointments can cause issues with the pouch and should be avoided, as they caninterfere with healing and keeping the stoma area clean.

●      After the ostomy area iscleaned, it should be thoroughly dried carefully to prevent moisture.

●      Regularly inspect the area tosee if there are signs of damage, infection, or irritation. When you notice achange or any pain or discomfort, check with your physician. This will help youprevent complications from infection.

2. Maintain Consistency forOstomy Pouch Changes

How comfortable is your elderly parent withchanging their pouch? It's important to discuss with your loved one how theyfeel about having a Registered Nurse (RN) assist them with in-home ostomycare services, especially changing their pouch, to ensure they feel at easeand maintain their dignity. You may find that this is a sensitive matter todiscuss with some senior parents. Over time, following post-op care, thisprocess may look different, as your parent becomes more comfortable withchanging their pouch, or having their caregiver or RN help them. Ostomy bagstypically need to be changed every 3 to 7 days. Instead of waiting till theostomy bag is completely full, empty it when it’s ⅓ or half full.

3. Promote and Support aHealthy Diet

Eating healthy, consistently, is essential,but it's also important to keep your loved one's diet practical and easy tofollow. Too many restrictions can be difficult to follow and unnecessary. Yourostomy care tips should include promoting a healthy diet that is easy tofollow:

●      Hydration is essential andshould be a priority above all food choices. It's also easy to follow by makingsure there's a water bottle at hand and available at all times.

●      Read nutrition labels andchoose foods that are low in sodium, without added sugar, and also low insaturated fat.

●      Choose foods with a good amountof protein, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, and grains.

●      Keep the number of calorieswithin a reasonable range so that your loved one feels satisfied withoutovereating.

●      Take note of any foods that aredifficult to digest or cause blockage and other side effects, and limit oravoid them as much as possible.

It's also a good idea to choose the rightfoods based on your elderly parent's weight, level of physical activity,dietary needs, and other health conditions. This includes considering heartdisease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as allergies and medications that mayrestrict certain types of food.

4. Prepare a “To Go” Kit forOutings

When you help your loved one prepare for aday trip, shopping, or running errands, it's essential to have a “to go” kitready. This kit would include basic ostomy care supplies and contactinformation. This approach covers routine as well as special outings. Ideally,two kits could be arranged: a small one for regular outings, and a larger, morecomprehensive kit with more supplies for special outings and emergencies.

What should be added to your seniorparent's ostomy care kit?

●      Take an inventory and keep agood stock of all the supplies needed, including ostomy bags and hygienesupplies.

●      The contact number of thephysician, supplier, and other related information

●      A bottle of water and cleanwipes, with mild, oil-free soap

●      Medication, and instructionsabout all medical needs, if urgent care becomes necessary

It's also a great idea to discuss whichadditional items your loved one should include in their outing kit. Aprofessional caregiver can assess which items are essential, and whetheradditional, helpful items may be worth including in the “to go” kit. It'salways a good idea to keep or stock up on extra supplies, so there's no risk ofrunning out and additional supplies are available if an unexpected trip orouting is required.

5. Proper Skincare IsEssential

Maintaining a proper skincare routine willhelp keep your loved one's ostomy care easier. When preparing to take a shower,your loved one can choose to wear the ostomy bag or remove it, depending ontheir preference. It's also important to make sure that no water or soap entersthe stoma area to avoid infection and discomfort. When you help your loved onechoose a skin barrier, it's best to consider their comfort level and individualneeds.

Following the first few months of surgery,your elderly parent's care routine and stoma care will change, as they heal andtheir collection needs change. An expert can determine what your parent needs,using a stoma sizer, and considering which type of ostomy bag works best forthem. Proper skincare can go a long way to helping prevent rashes andcomplications. Changes in your loved one's ostomy bag sizing and type alsodepend on weight gain or loss, lifestyle changes, physical activity, andillnesses.

Choose a Registered Nurse (RN)with Nurse Next Door McLean

As you prepare to assist your loved onewith all their needs, consider Northern Virginia Nurse NextDoor for all your caregiving needs, including in-home ostomy care services.Besides following these ostomy care tips, it is important to choose the right,trained, and experienced Registered Nurse (RN) with the expertise to managedifferent types of ostomies. Let our team of experts work with you and yourfamily to discuss and develop the best way to keep your loved one comfortableand supported with dignity. Nurse Next Door McLean matches you with the mostsuitable RN who can provide various ostomy-related services, includingmonitoring the skin for infections and changing and replacing ostomy bags. Callus today at (703) 774-9421 for a free Caring Consult.