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A shower can increase a person's sense of comfort and well-being. And it's also a good time to check their skin for sores or rashes. How often a person bathes can depend on their condition and their wishes. If you can, try to let the person choose when they bathe.
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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...
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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...
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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 body fluids,...
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A sink bath, or basin bath, can be a safe choice for a person who can't move around or walk much. And it's a good time to check their skin for sores or rashes. The person may want a sink bath every day or a few times a week. Their...
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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 underwear. A washable type may be useful when a person has trouble using...
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What is neutropenia? Neutropenia (say "noo-truh-PEE-nee-uh") means that your blood has too few white blood cells called neutrophils. White blood cells are an important part of your body's immune system. Neutrophils help protect your body from infection by killing bacteria. What causes it? Neutropenia is often caused by...
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Combination pills are used to prevent pregnancy. Most people call them "the pill." Combination pills release a regular dose of two hormones, estrogen and progestin. They prevent pregnancy in a few ways. They thicken the mucus in the cervix. This makes it hard for sperm to travel into the uterus.
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Mini-pills are used to prevent pregnancy. They release a regular dose of a hormone called progestin. They are different from regular combination birth control pills. Those contain progestin and another hormone called estrogen. Progestin prevents pregnancy in a few ways. It thickens the mucus in the cervix. This makes it...
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The patch is used to prevent pregnancy. It looks like a bandage. You put it on the skin of your belly, rear end (buttocks), upper arm, or upper body (but not on a breast). The patch releases a regular dose of the hormones estrogen and progestin. These hormones prevent pregnancy...