Must Have Medical Supplies For Aging Seniors

When caring for aging seniors, various medical supplies are needed to ensure their health remains at its best. Ultimately, the type of supplies you need will vary depending on each person and their health needs.

Having one place to shop for all your must-have medical supplies is ideal for caregivers or those providing short-term care for patients recovering from procedures or out-of-town guests who need medical assistance.

Importance of Preparedness With Senior Care

Caring for a loved one in the comfort of the home requires preparation, including having a well-stocked first-aid kit and other necessary medical supplies. In this blog, we will dive deeper into the must-haves you need to ensure you’re always prepared. This gives both you and your loved one peace of mind when it comes to ensuring they are always cared for and what they need is always on hand.

What Are First Aid Kit Essential Medical Supplies?

The first things considered essentials deal with wound care. Some medical supplies that you should have on hand include:

• Alcohol or Telfa Pads
• Antiseptic ointment or spray
• Bandages
• Blankets
• Calamine Lotion
• Compresses
• Cotton swabs
• Gauze
• Bordered Foam
• ABD & Telfa Pads
• Vinyl, Latex and Nitrile Non-Powdered Gloves
• Hand Sanitizer
• Hydrocolloids (Hydrocortisone cream or Hydrogen Peroxide)
• Scissors
• Silver Ag Care
• Medical tape
• Thermometer

Some other everyday supplies include heating pads, blood pressure, and an O2 saturation monitor. Establish a schedule to evaluate how many supplies you have on hand to restock them quickly before you need them again. Always check with your loved one’s doctor to ensure that the items you’re using in your first-aid kit are safe for their particular health.

Always ensure these items are easy to access so anyone visiting your home can locate and use them when needed. Make sure to dispose of anything that is expired and replace it when needed.

Personal Care Medical Supplies

Proper hygiene is important for healing, but also for quality of life. Maintaining personal hygiene is not just good for one’s health but also helps support their mental health and well-being. Many personal care items are necessary when caring for an aging person.

Adult diapers or briefs, pads or liners, cleansing cloths or wipes, and dry wipes all keep them feeling fresh and clean. Washable or disposable bed pads and mattress liners or covers keep their bed protected and dry. These items can help them to remain clean, remove body odor, and prevent skin infections.

Bedroom Medical Supplies

Maintaining safety while keeping their independence is important for an aging senior’s mental health. This makes having the right supplies a vital component of having a safe place for them to live. Being able to rest and sleep comfortably with the ability to get in and out of bed safely is important. Here are some supplies that can help:

• Hospital Beds & Mattresses
• Egg Crate Pads
• Waterproof sheets
• Mattress Covers
• Lift chairs
• Bed rails including floor or half-bed rails
• Bedside caddy
• Overbed tables
• Bed alarms
• Hospital bed accessories

Bathroom Medical Supplies

When it comes to the bathroom, we all know how dangerous it can be to maneuver in. Remove additional clutter that may get in the way of your senior from moving freely and safely. Some helpful medical supplies for the bathroom include:

• Toilet seat risers
• Grab bars
• Tub or shower benches
• Handheld shower heads

Ultimately, the list of medical supplies that one may need depends on the home they’re residing in, their current medical condition or mobility status, and their preference. Ask them what they think will help them best. Remember you are there to help them and improve their quality of life. By asking them, you’re shoring that you’re honoring their wishes and giving them the freedom to decide for themselves.

Assistive Medical Supplies

Daily aids help aging seniors to keep their independence and pick things up freely and safely. Dressing, eating, and transfer aids can be handy. Also, reachers or grip assist devices keep items in their hands. When eating, bibs & other protective wear may be convenient for the caregiver especially when someone has trouble feeding themselves, especially if they suffer from tremors.

How to Get Medicaid Supplies Through Medicaid

There are specific Medicaid guidelines for each particular piece of medical equipment or medical supply. These guidelines will include what is and what is not included such as how much of each supply you can get at a time. For example, compression stockings are only covered when someone has open venous stasis ulcers.

Get Your Medical Supplies & Medical Equipment From A Professional Supplier Today

At Affordable Medical Supply, we offer different products that help improve the quality of life for aging seniors. With 40 years of experience, our staff is licensed, trained, and knowledgeable and can provide the information you need. Our superior customer service and attention to detail ensure that every customer has personalized assistance, which makes a difference for your family.

Best of all, we also offer a pay-it-forward program where we will pick up your donation, clean and sanitize it, and call a non-profit to give it to a family in need. To learn more about our medical supplies inventory, call our South Florida team at 866-484-7599.

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