My 90-year-old husband's skin breaks down easily (it's dry and has many bruises from daily doses of baby aspirin.) Right now he has three wounds that need dressings. Recently I read a posting that mentioned arm guards, and I wonder if they might help him. Any info. would be much appreciated.
Hi Mary...this might be more than you ever wanted to know..but very informative re skin tears and how to prevent and treat. http://www.nursingcenter.com/library/static.asp?pageid=727851
mary75, I am 72 and I have skin tears on my arm. I bruise easily and now the skin tears. I saw the dr. because it did not seem to be improving. He told me to use paper tape and gauze. The adhesive was causing more tears. He also said to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I will look into the arm guards, too.
Thanks to both of you for your help!! Sandy, your link is a treasure house of information. I've printed it off and am going to take it, and my husband, over to see his doctor and get started with this routine and some of these products. Sandy, how are you? Often think about you. Blessings on you.
mary75 sorry to hear of DH having more skin issues. i know you just tackled the feet. i hope this time with new products and new techinques it goes easier.! best of luck divvi
Yes, Divvi, and it's the same care facility! Am on wait list for another one - could be another 4 months. Love to you and your husband, and all your wild life. Lucky you, to meet up with Mary and friends a couple of weeks ago!
Not funny at all....but, guess I am not with it and read the title to this thread too quickly...good laugh at myself. When I read the title to this thread my first thought was "Why would someone need arm (armed) guards for an ALZ person"...so of course, I just had to read it to see how awful the problem must be for the caregiver.
I took my husband to the doctor's yesterday, armed with the printout recommended by Sandy, and he took the ball and ran with it. So now we have a substantial Hydrogel pad on each wound, held in place with a cling bandage and taped only on the cling bandage, not the skin, "no tape on the skin" was emphasized by the doctor. He though that any stocking, or mesh, to hold on the Hydrogel pad would be bothersome for h. He nixed the action of the nurses who had been using a Hydocortisone steroid cream on h. arms. and said it made skin thinner, that he had only ordered it for h.'s back. Aveeno moisturizer on arms to be applied daily. Blood work was ordered, including a platelet count. He found that h.'s b.p. was only 80/50 and has asked the nurses to do a daily check of sitting and standing b.p. for one week and fax him the results. (He has already reduced h.'s b.p. medication from 3 to 2 daily, but it looks like it might be reduced further, or med. changed. So all in all, a most worthwhile visit, one I would not have made unless I'd had to get his wounds taken care of properly, but one that picked up a b.p. problem. My mind races ahead: he could have become dizzy, fallen, broken his hip, etc. etc., exit. Thanks, everyone! P.S. JudithKB, I think that I'd like those armed guards to protect h. from a few of the care facility staff.
I am not a gun person, but when I saw "arm protection" I thought it meant meant certain types of guns that we should have for some reason with AD folks. I was eager to learn another thing I "didn't want to know". So, it gave me a laugh when I saw how wrong I was - and relief that I don't need to learn a new skill.
The facility where Charlie is calls them "skin protectors". Some of the ones he wears are a bit worn and sometimes sag a little. I just laugh and tell him his "arm socks" are baggy and pull them up.