Does anyone know a person or an agency that just makes 30 minute house calls daily to change a stoma bag and do vitals? I have a dear friend that can’t use one of her arms to help her change her bag and the location is difficult for her to use one arm only to do this. Agencies want 2-4 hrs daily for care but she only needs this one service done. She lives in a retirement community that doesn’t offer these services. I appreciate any suggestions.
Thank you
I agree re OT working with her to give her tips on how to change the bag. Usually the bag and stoma care are changed as needed &/or every 3 days as that’s the interval used to figure out how to order monthly supplies.
Is it a colostomy or ileostomy? Speaking from a nurses’ view, Ileostomies require much more care than a colostomy because of where it is anatomically. Ileostomies are done in the small intestine and stool is pretty much fluid like in consistency. If the enzymes in the bowel fluid ooze around the stoma they can cause major skin breakdown. The stool is more formed with a colonoscopy because a colostomy is a conduit for the large intestine and it is in the large intestine that the stool gets more formed due to absorption of water in the large intestine.
Your friend may have access to an “ostomy “ nurse who can work with her to review her technique and and have the person teach back the procedure, as well as access to new technology that may be available to work around her disability.
Good luck to you and your friend.
Maybe her doctor can order homecare.