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If you are caring for someone who is bed-bound keeping them clean and comfortable can be a daunting task. I have talked about bedside bathing and using peri-wash and no rinse soaps before. There are a lot of benefits but it is important to remember that you can't use the no-rinse method of bedside bathing all the time. No matter how great they are, you or your patient will need to be cleaned fully with water on a regular basis. The best part about bathing wipes is how easy they are to use. The …

What Are Absorbent Ileostomy Gel Packets? Absorbent Ileostomy Gel Packs turn liquid output into a uniform gel. The small packets dissolve so you don't have to open them up, just place the packet inside your clean ostomy pouch. When the gel pack comes into contact with liquid output, it will cause the output to form into a gel. This makes the bag easier to drain and it is helps keep the output at the bottom of your bag. When your output is sloshing around inside your bag it can cause leaks becaus …

Wearing a urine leg bag with your foley catheter or if you are a man using an external condom catheter, doesn't have to be uncomfortable. There are lots of options when it comes to leg bag straps and leg bag holders. The long latex straps that come with many leg bags aren't your only option. There are cloth holders that hold the leg bag against your thigh or your calf. These can be very comfortable because they keep the plastic leg bag off of your skin. This is especially helpful in the summer, …

Having allergies doesn't mean you can't enjoy Halloween. There are lots of ways you can host a fun Halloween night without endangering children and adults with food allergies. The best part of Halloween is dressing up and the second best part is getting candy. For many children going door to door and participating in traditional trick or treating can be a problem because they can easily come into contact with something in which they are allergic. By hosting a Halloween event in your home, you …

What is a Foam Dressing?A foam dressing is "non-adherent" which means it doesn't stick to the wound bed, they are also non-linting so lint and debris aren't left in the wound when the dressing is removed. Foam dressings are generally semi-permeable to allow water vapor to reach the wound while keeping out bacteria, dirt, and contaminates. Foam dressings help maintain a moist environment which helps wounds heal and they also absorb excess wound exudate.The absorbent material found in foam dress …

What is a Catheter Leg Bag?Catheter bags are used to collect urine that is drained from the bladder when you are using a condom catheter or a indwelling foley catheter. They can be worn on the thigh or calf depending on what is comfortable to you. They are made of a lot of different materials and come in a wide variety of styles. Generally speaking, the urine bag connects to the catheter by a connector attached directly to the catheter or by using extension tubing that runs between the cathete …

  What is an Ostomy Wafer or Barrier?Ostomy wafers are the same thing as ostomy barriers. The ostomy barrier is the part of the appliance that goes against the skin and has a hole that fits around your stoma. The ostomy barrier is often called a flange, wafer, device, or appliance. An ostomy barrier sticks to the skin around your stoma by using adhesive. The skin around your stoma is called your "peristomal skin" and surrounds your stoma. The ostomy barrier goes around your stoma and protects yo …

What is the Difference Between a Shower Chair and a Transfer Bench?Shower chairs and transfer benches are both used to help people bathe safely. The shower chair sits completely inside the bathtub with all four feet flat on the bottom of the tub itself. A transfer bench is placed straddling the wall of the bathtub so two feet are inside the tub and the other two feet are placed outside of the tub. This allows the person using the transfer bench to gently slide across the bench, lift their legs o …

Rusch or Teleflex?Teleflex is a global provider of medical technologies. Rusch is a brand of catheters made and distributed by Teleflex. Sometimes you will see, "Rusch Teleflex" on the box of catheters, other times it will simply say, "Rusch". There is no difference in quality. Teleflex is a trusted manufacturer of medical supplies and Rusch is a quality brand of catheters that they distribute. Teleflex is home to other brands as well, like Hudson RCI for instance. Rusch makes a wide variety of …

Allergies are not just for spring and summer. Fall might mean Pumpkin Spice Lattes for most of us but for some it means increased allergy symptoms. Allergies can cause nasal and sinus issues but it can also mean breathing and respiratory complaints. Wheezing and asthma flare ups are to be expected when fall allergy symptoms hit. Respiratory care is important all year long but it is even more important when your allergies are active! What can you do to make this allergy season better?Tips to Ma …