How Helping Hands Can Support You With Your Colostomy
Preparing the Home for Colostomy Care
If you’re living with a stoma and you need additional support at home, why not come to Helping Hands? You need to be confident in looking after your stoma and be sure that the carers supporting you are also confident and experienced. We have our own team of clinical nurses who ensure that our branch teams are trained in colostomy care, meaning that all of our carers are equipped with the skills they need.
We believe that you should be as independent and comfortable as possible in the home you love, which is why it’s important your home contains everything you need for your condition. You will most likely have a community stoma nurse, who your Helping Hands carer will work in collaboration with to ensure you get the very best care.
How a Helping Hands Carer Manages Stoma Care and Ostomy Equipment
Your community stoma nurse normally manages your equipment orders and ongoing specialist support; however, your Helping Hands carer will have day-to-day responsibilities for helping to manage your stoma. They will be aware of the equipment needed, such as the right type of colostomy bags, and will be trained in the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This ensures that your stoma care will always be carried out to the very highest standards of hygiene, infection control, and professionalism.
Complex care needs
We specially train carers to become familiar with the more complex needs of their customers, including all aspects of colostomy care and needs related to your condition
Maintaining your stoma
Colostomy care is a standard part of the clinical support we offer to our customers and is important for maintaining the health of your stoma
Help emptying your bag
If you struggle to empty your own bag or remove it for essential stoma cleaning, our carers can take all of the worry out of living with the results of a colostomy operation
Preventing Complications and Identifying Warning Signs
Because your carer will be with you every day, or as often as you need them, they will be familiar with your stoma and its usual appearance. Therefore, if something doesn’t look right, they will be able to address it for you, whether that’s with the community stoma team, 111, or 999. Having someone visiting every day, or a live-in carer with you around the clock, means that you’ll always have the reassurance you’ll need to live comfortably with your stoma at home.
Tips for Adjusting to Life With a Colostomy
“Adjusting to life after a colostomy can feel overwhelming, but with time, support and the right advice, most people adapt well,” say checkmywellbeing.co.uk. That means taking time to recuperate, and listening to professional advice is essential. It can take a couple of months to recover from a colostomy, and your body will need plenty of rest to do so. Giving yourself time to heal, while slowly starting to get back to normal through gentle activities, is a good approach. Your surgical outpatient team and community nurses will be able to tell you what to do and what to avoid, while your Helping Hands carer will make sure you don’t have to worry about household tasks.
Colostomy Care at Home With Helping Hands
We’ve been supporting people living with ostomies for many years, 36 in fact. Our carers are trained to the very highest standards, meaning they’re confident in their abilities to properly support your stoma care. They’ll work closely with your wider healthcare team and accompany you to appointments if you wish, meaning they’re fully involved in the process. We’ve never believed in one size fits all home care at Helping Hands, and we work hard every day to make sure you receive the most personalised care experience possible.
Everyone who works for us always puts their customers first, making sure you always remain at the centre of your care journey. We’ll help you to design your own care plan meaning that you’ll remain as independent as possible, whether that’s housework, medication, or personal care. And as your requirements change your care plan will too, which we always ensure is flexible. Most importantly, we’ll update the skills of your carers to reflect your increased level of need.
Call us today to find out more or request a callback for a time that suits you.
