What are some good ways to change my bedridden mother's diapers?Hello - My mother was recently placed on palliative home hospice care. We're working with the medical pros to make certain that she is comfortable, happy and at peace. My challenge is changing her. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to change her diapers? She has very fragile and has very little mobility so we must do pretty much everything, we try to be gentle, efficient and fast, but it's stressful for her so of course it's stressful for us. Any suggestions on a fast and effective way to accomplish this. By the way we have a hospital bed so i hope this will make it easier. Any and all insight will be appreciated. Best wishes with your senior loved onesRelated QuestionsHow can I deal with smell from commode while cleaning it?My very stubborn hubby won't take off urine soaked clothing. How to get the smell of urine out of sheets and clothing?Send To Your E-Mail Your Name Send Email 13 easy ways to clean the air inside your home
As many know, with fall comes allergies, itchy eyes and runny noses. But experts stress, not all of these symptoms are caused by pollen. In fact, it could be the air quality indoors that's causing these annoying ailments. Did you know that the EPA says indoor air is generally more polluted than outdoor air? Thankfully, cleaning the air isn't complicated. Here with the answers are environmental scientist Dr. Ted Myatt and indoor air quality expert Dr. Elliott Horner, who's with UL, an independent safety science company. Before you run out and buy an air purifier, Dr. Horner explains that “In order for a room air cleaner to have a chance of reducing the levels of particulate matter (PM) in a room, all sources of PM that can be removed should be removed.” 1. Remove carpets, drapes and plush toys or anything with a fuzzy surface. 2. Dust frequently and minimize dust-gathering clutter. 3. Vacuum floors and carpets often, using a vac with a HEPA filter. 4. Vacuum mattresses every two weeks, use allergy-proof mattress covers, and wash all bedding in hot water every week.
RELATED: 3 indoor plants that actually clean the air 5. If pet dander bothers you, keep pets out of the bedroom. 6. Limit the amount of burning candles and wood fires in the home. 7. The top air polluter in the home is cooking with natural gas or at high temperatures in the oven or range, says Dr. Horner, so always use exhaust fans that vent to the outside in the kitchen (also in the bath and laundry areas). Open a window and use a small fan to move air outdoors. 8. Don't smoke indoors. RELATED: How often you should clean your dryer — and the right way to do it 9. Run the fan in the ‘auto’ mode when using the AC. Continuous ‘on’ operation of the fan will raise the humidity and may lead to mold growth. 10. Don't store chemicals, solvents, glues or pesticides near your living quarters. 11. Provide good ventilation by opening windows occasionally in rooms with electronic gadgets (TV, toaster, computer, etc.) According to Dr. Horner, the heat they generate reacts with adhesives and plastics inside the product and can release toxic chemicals.
12. Allow new foam pillows, mattresses or mattress toppers to off-gas in a well-ventilated room per manufacturer’s instructions. Upholstered furniture and carpet/rugs that are treated with a flame retardant also require extra ventilation. 13. Depending on one’s sensitivity to cleaning products, consider switching to certified low-emitting cleaners or make your own using non-toxic ingredients like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice. Another option is using steam vapor cleaners. They clean and disinfect using only water. (Make sure cleaned items are promptly and adequately dried.) RELATED: 14 things you can throw out of your kitchen right now After taking these proactive steps, you can use an air purifier to remove much of the remaining pollutants. Dr. Ted Myatt offers the following advice. Who needs an air purifier? Traditionally, they were for people with allergies and asthma. However, recent research shows they’re good for the rest of us, too.
If there’s dust on the furniture, it’s also in the air you’re breathing. “The way I see it,” says Dr. Myatt, “it’s better to have an air purifier — and not your lungs — remove pollutants.” RELATED: How often you should clean vent covers — and how to do it How do air purifiers work? “Air cleaners only capture particulate matter when it’s in the air,” explains Dr. Horner, not after it settles on a surface. “Cat allergen stays aloft long enough for an air cleaner to have a shot of capturing it. Pollen or dust mite/roach allergens settle too quickly for air cleaners to reduce the levels much.” What options are there for air purifiers? Whole-House Air Purifiers work with the HVAC system to filter air. They range in cost from $1100 to several thousand dollars, depending on the size of the HVAC unit. HEPA filters in your home’s HVAC system is a less expensive but effective alternative. These should be replaced seasonally or when dirty.
Filtrete HEPA filters run $20 each for a 20 X 20 filter on Amazon. Portable air purifiers are easy to move and weigh less than ten pounds. They target smaller areas of the house and should be size-appropriate for the room, says Dr. Myatt. Since they take an hour or so to be most effective in a room, it’s a good idea to keep them in rooms that are frequently used (bedrooms, office, TV room) and in rooms where pollutants are produced (kitchens, hobby rooms). For maximum effectiveness, close the door to the room, if possible. Points to consider when buying a portable air purifier: Cost: Prices range from $50 - $850, depending on size and options like programmable timers, fragrance-added, oscillation and change filter indicators. CADR, or clean-air delivery rate, is a measure of the unit’s effectiveness. There are separate CADR numbers for tobacco smoke, pollen and dust. The CADR should equal 2/3 of the square footage of the room, explains Dr. Myatt. If the room has high ceilings, it needs a higher CADR.
MERV, minimum efficiency reporting value, is another measurement method, with 7 or lower being least efficient and over 17 most efficient. Noise is a factor when using air purifiers. According to Dr. Myatt, most well-known brands of air purifiers, like Honeywell and Febreze, have addressed this issue. However, there are still significant differences between products. For rooms where noise level is important, instead of running a smaller unit on high, consider using a larger unit and running it on low speed. RELATED: Suffering from sneezing? 4 cleaning tips to help fight allergies HEPA filters are the gold standard, says Dr. Myatt. There are permanent washable HEPA filters and replaceable HEPA filters. Replaceable filters can be expensive, so take that into consideration before buying a unit. Electronic filters are another washable alternative. While they do produce small amounts of ozone, Dr. Myatt states that these amounts are insignificant and not a cause for concern.