Bedsores
By Jeannette Franks, PhD
Family members with someone in long-term care need to be knowledgeable and vigilant about decubitus ulcers-the dreaded bedsores.
Bedsores, also called pressure sores, pressure ulcers, or decubitus ulcers, are skin wounds resulting from prolonged pressure on the skin in contact with a bed or wheelchair. Bedsores are painful, take a long time to heal, and are often a precursor of life-threatening complications such as skin and bone infections.
The human body is designed to be in constant movement, even while we sleep. We constantly shift positions, always unconsciously readjusting ourselves in bed, at the computer station, watching TV, or whatever active or inactive pursuit engages us.
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