Enhancing Bariatric Hygiene Care

When we think of bariatric care, our thoughts are immediately drawn to a bariatric bed or hoist. However, with over 25% of adults in the UK classed as obese, one area that is often overlooked is hygiene care for plus-sized patients.

Hygiene care is more than just keeping a patient’s skin clean. Opportunities to shower or bathe can play a huge role in improving someone’s general wellbeing and quality of life. However, in the realm of bariatric care, basic hygiene routines can be complex, requiring a combination of specialist care training and correct equipment provision.

As well as the physical difficulties associated with turning, repositioning, transferring, and mobilising plus-sized patients, there is also a requirement for caregivers to provide care with dignity and empathy.

To help make things easier, this blog will take a look at some of the considerations needed to ensure assisted hygiene routines can be delivered in a safe and respectful manner.

Challenges of bariatric hygiene care;

As highlighted in our blog, ‘Automation Advancements in Bariatric Care’, many healthcare facilities are not sufficiently prepared with the appropriate technology or equipment to provide quality bariatric care on a consistent basis.

Bariatric patients are often susceptible to many complications of immobility such as breathing problems and issues around circulation. One of the other major challenges is skin issues, often present on admission due to the individual’s own challenges with bathing in their home environment.

To ensure the maintenance of skin integrity of a bariatric patient, it is advised to shower daily to prevent the complications associated with skinfolds, which can develop behind the neck, under the arms, breasts, abdomen, inner thighs, and under the pannus. However, in acute care areas, this is often not carried out due to a lack of bathing facilities. Staffing levels are another factor, with limited numbers available to carry out hygiene routines, and the fact that patients pass through acute areas into rehabilitation units fairly quickly.

Failure to adhere to these basic hygiene practices can cause skin complications such as candidiasis, intertriginous dermatitis and pressure ulcers. The skin can also be susceptible to shearing force as it sticks to itself.

It is also important to be aware that when hygiene care is delivered at the bedside, usually with a bed bath, there is an increased risk of static overload for the caregiver and subsequent risk of injury.

Wellbeing of plus-sized patients;

Another important challenge for care environments is to preserve a patient’s dignity. Care professionals can easily underestimate the level of vulnerability felt by a patient during assisted bathing procedures.

In the case of bariatric patients, they often feel self-conscious about their size, so any process or procedure where dignity is absent from care, those receiving it feel devalued, lacking control and comfort.

However, by having the correct equipment provision, care environments can help patients feel more in control, giving them the tools to be able to wash themselves or be helped in a way that is far more dignified.

With the help of Future Healthspaces partner, Innova Care Concepts, we’ll now take a look at some of the equipment solutions available to caregivers to help enhance bariatric hygiene care.

Improving assisted bathing for bariatric patients;

Assisted hygiene procedures in care environments often involve either a bed bath, bathtub, shower or a shower trolley.

For a patient of size who has poor mobility, a shower trolley is by far the best option, offering comfort and safety for both the end user and caregiver. However, just like a bariatric bed, there isn’t a one size fits all approach for a bariatric shower trolley.

Not only does a trolley need to have a weight limit that accommodates different patient sizes, it also needs to have features such as height-adjustability, and be wide enough to turn the patient for skin checks, creating a manageable workspace for the caregiver. Other considerations include being easy to use, clean and store, as well as a drainage system that avoids flooding the bathroom floor to improve safety.

Shower trolleys such as the TR 4000 tick those boxes, with the highest working-load limit at 1000 lb (450 kg) for patients and water, and the widest working width at more than 30 inches. In addition, the stretcher can easily be tilted to the “Trendelenburg” position, to alleviate a person in shock, and the height adjusted to a comfortable working height position for the attendant.

Summary;

In the evolving landscape of healthcare, addressing the unique needs of bariatric patients is crucial for providing inclusive and effective care. Bariatric hygiene equipment, particularly the TR 4000 Bariatric Shower Trolley, plays a pivotal role in enhancing the comfort and safety of both patients and caregivers.

By investing in the right equipment provision, hospitals can uphold their commitment to delivering dignified and quality care to all individuals. As obesity levels continues to rise, the integration of such innovative solutions becomes paramount to improving the wellbeing of bariatric patients and promoting a compassionate and inclusive healthcare environment.