Positioning the person
The following questions are addressed:
- How often should I turn the position in the bed of my family member?
- How should I turn my family member in bed?
- How to identify early pressure ulcer signs?
The following information is complementary to the recommendations provided by the nurse.
Positioning the person means adopting the correct body placement.
The safest and comfortable positions are:
- Supine position (person laying on his/her back)
- Lateral position (right or left side)
- Sims position (patient lies between supine and prone position supported by pillows)
You may use pillows to keep proper body alignment. The person position must be changed according to the specific needs of the dependent person. People with some type of dependency, bedridden or in a wheelchair for most of the time, need to change position usually every 2 hours. During the night, these intervals can be extended allowing rest.