According to one estimate, catheter use is one of the most dangerous things when it comes to senior care regarding infection. Catheters and catheter use accounted for about 25 percent of all infections that occurred within a hospital setting.
The research was conducted at the University of Michigan.
Catheters are one of the most widely used types of medical equipment in senior care. The fact that they are so widely used likely accounts for why so many instances of infection occur. They are disproportionately used in the hospital, so it makes sense that more infection will occur because of them.
And although the statistics of the situation makes a lot more sense when looked at in this light, it also points to danger outside of the hospital. If these infections are taking place in the safe setting of a hospital, there’s an even higher likelihood that they will occur outside of a hospital. That goes for family members and professional caregivers that assist a loved one in the use of their catheter.
Anytime something is inside of the body that is not naturally supposed to be there, the risk of infection goes up dramatically. That’s why it is so important that those who are helping with this have the proper training to help your family minimize the risk of becoming ill because of their physical limitations. Although inserting and removing a catheter might seem like a small and even simple task, the ramifications of a job poorly done can be detrimental to the person who is supposed to be helped.
This is even more important because of another recent study that indicates that urinary tract and other types of infections can increase the risk of different types of stroke. This is based on new research that was overseen by the American Heart Association. Because of the tendency for elderly individuals to be at a greater risk of stroke, the impact here is huge. The proper use of catheters can have a big impact in other areas of our loved ones’ health.
Isn’t that what senior care is all about? One of the primary goals of care, regardless of what type you decide is best for your family, is to help improve the quality of life that your elderly loved one is able to experience. This can be done in many ways, but one of the most obvious is to improve physical health. By knowing the risks of common things associated with senior care, we can observe and speak up as advocates for our loved ones. The use of catheters is just one tiny part of this. There are countless things in the realm of senior care where we can act to help our loved ones live better lives.
What can you do today to help your loved one have a better care experience? Sometimes, just being more aware of health issues can be of big benefit. If you have questions about how to improve the care of an elderly loved one, please check out our website for more resources. And if you have questions that aren’t answered here, one of our trained caregivers is only a phone call or email away.
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