Health Library

The Health Library is a collection of health and wellness resources created for learning and accessibility. Select a topic below for related health information or search for a topic in the search bar for more information on other medical conditions.

Caregiving

  • A person who is getting care at home may need help with eating. When helping your loved one eat, be patient and give the person plenty of time. And let the person do as much on his or her own as possible. This can help your loved one feel more independent when having meals. You can help by encouraging the person to...

  • Offers tips for people caring for someone chronically ill or disabled. Tips for caregivers include: take care of yourself, let the person do as much as he or she can, and ask for help.

  • Most people who get COVID-19 will recover with time and home care. Here are some things to know if you're caring for someone who's sick. Treat the symptoms. Common symptoms include a fever, coughing, and feeling short of breath. Urge the person to get extra rest and drink plenty of fluids to replace...

  • Learn how to safely turn a person in bed.

  • Learn a little about what to expect and how to prepare yourself and your home for caregiving.

  • Learn how to safely help a person get in and out of a car.

  • A shower helps the person you're caring for feel clean and fresh. It's also a good time to check the skin for sores or rashes. It's a good idea for the person to have a shower at least once a week, if possible. On other days, he or she may just want a bath at the sink. The person may need only a little...

  • Germs and infection can spread easily in the home. This may happen when items around the house become soiled or when you come into contact with body fluids, such as blood or urine. A person's cough or sneeze can spread germs too. Washing your hands often can help you keep germs and infection from spreading...

  • Keeping clothes and bed linens clean can take time, but it's worth the effort. It can help the person you're caring for stay healthy and feel clean. Clothes and bed linens become soiled when they come into contact with things like urine, stool, or vomit. Washing soiled clothes and linens right away can help...

  • Disposable gloves are gloves that you use one time and then throw away. They can protect your health and the health of the person you're caring for. They help keep germs and infection from spreading to you and to the other person. Use gloves whenever you might touch your loved one's body fluids, such as...

  • A sink bath, or basin bath, helps the person you're caring for to stay clean and fresh in between showers. It can be a good choice when your loved one is too tired for a shower or can't move around or walk much. The person may want a sink bath every day or a few times a week. His or her hair may not need to...

  • Adult protective underwear may be helpful for a person who has incontinence. A person who has incontinence has trouble controlling urine or stool. This underwear helps absorb urine and catch stool. There are different types of adult protective underwear. A washable kind may be useful when a loved one has trouble with...

  • As we get older, our skin gets more thin and dry, so it is easier to damage. The chance of skin damage is higher for people who can't move much and who spend most of their time in bed or in a wheelchair. The skin can develop rashes and sores, especially pressure injuries. These sores are caused by constant...

  • Lying in one position for a long time can cause pressure injuries. You can help avoid pressure injuries by helping your loved one turn and change position in bed. This is also helpful when you need to do things like change sheets, help with a bedpan, give a back rub, or change a bandage. When helping someone move in...

  • The groin area needs careful cleaning to prevent rashes and infections. Rashes are most likely to form in moist areas where skin touches skin, such as the folds of the groin, under the breasts, and on the stomach. For a larger-sized person, other areas of concern are the folds on the neck, arms, inner elbows, legs...

  • Shaving facial hair can help your loved one feel clean and well-groomed. It also might help raise self-esteem by connecting the person to a daily routine. Shaving isn't only for men. As women age, it's common to grow excess hair on the upper lip and chin. They may want to shave these areas or remove the hair...

  • Having clean hair that is styled in a way that your loved one likes can help your loved one feel fresh and well-groomed. It may help the person feel good about how he or she looks and feel ready to see visitors. If the person you care for is able to leave the home, ask if he or she would like to go to the salon or...

  • If you are helping a loved one with a bedpan or urinal, try to be relaxed. Helping with a bedpan or urinal can be embarrassing for both of you. This may be especially true if you are caring for someone of the opposite sex. If you are calm and don't seem embarrassed, the person may feel more comfortable. To help...

  • A bedside commode is a portable toilet. If you are helping a loved one use a bedside commode, try to be relaxed. Helping with a commode can be embarrassing for both of you. This may be especially true if you are caring for someone of the opposite sex. If you are calm and don't seem embarrassed, the person may feel...

  • Nail care is important for health and appearance. Your loved one can accidentally scratch himself or herself (or you) if his or her fingernails are too long. Nails that are dirty or too long—especially in a person who usually cared for his or her nails—also can be a sign that a loved one needs more help with personal...

  • Checking the feet and keeping them clean and soft can help prevent cracks and infection in the skin. This is especially important for people who have diabetes. Keeping toenails trimmed—and polished if that's what the person likes—also helps the person feel well-groomed. If the person you care for has diabetes or...

  • Helping someone with personal care involves a lot of daily tasks. If it's been a while since you did day-to-day caregiving—or you've never done it—you might not know all the things you need to do and how to do them. This information gives an overview of the daily or weekly care a person needs. Bathing...

  • Helping or caring for an older adult with diabetes can feel like a lot to take on. There's the challenge of caregiving—because what seems best for someone isn't always what that person wants to do. You may worry about invading your loved one's privacy or free will. There's also the stress of learning how to manage...

  • You can help protect the person in your care by making the home safe. Pad sharp corners on furniture and countertops. Keep objects that are often used within easy reach. Install handrails around the toilet and in the shower. Use a tub mat to prevent slipping. Use a shower chair or bath bench when...

  • This summary is about the roles, needs, and burdens of informal caregivers who are caring for a person with cancer. Caregivers are either formal or informal. An informal caregiver is usually a relative or friend who may or may not live in the same house as the person they are caring for. A formal caregiver, such as a...

  • Amputation is the removal of a body part. This can be done by a doctor in a hospital setting, such as when a foot must be amputated because of diabetes complications. But amputation may also happen during an accident. An amputation may be complete...

  • Talk with doctors, therapists, and counselors about how to help a friend or relative living with heart failure. Most people don't hesitate when they are called upon to help a loved one who is ill. But being a full-time caregiver may be an unfamiliar role for you. It is important to consider the long-term...

  • People in recovery from coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery may need assistance from family members and friends in a variety of ways. You may help your loved one for several weeks during recovery with a number of tasks, including shopping, cleaning, and driving. You can also help support your loved one in making...

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