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My dad is in a nursing home close to me and I go see him about 3x a week. In Jan/Feb of this year, he experienced much grief - first with shingles, then Covid. He spent about a month total between two hospital stays. When he came back the first time to the NH, he had the most awful rash on his backside. This made his second stay in the hospital extremely difficult as he was in extreme pain anytime he was moved (he hardly walks anymore unless maybe during PT). Anyways, this rash has gotten slightly better. He has a wound nurse assigned to him. This his nurse keeps me informed of topical cream changes and the need for my dad to shower more. For a while he was only showering 1x every 10 days. He hates showering and would become defiant with the staff, he was the same way when he lived with me. The nurse has explained countless times (along with myself) to my dad that he has to stop sitting in his wheelchair because the bacteria loves anywhere that will allow for it grow and fester, etc. My dad has some dementia and asks over and over again why he has this rash and I just don’t know what to do. Although he has some dementia, he is still cognitive and can make his own decisions for the most part. He can function, but I know that he’s uncomfortable and it is pretty raw on his backside. I feel that the NH is doing what they can, but it’s either not enough or my dad simply needs more assistance. Can my dad request to go to the hospital and have them help him?

My father has the same situation. He is 95 in a NH. He has a fungal rash due to being in disposable underwear and in a wheelchair. The wound doctor sees him once a week and they try to keep it contained. It apparently cannot be cured. Unfortunately it recently spread.

I am concerned but at this point I am at a loss of what to do about it. I've given it up to the gods because I don't have any control over this. This might be the thing that eventually takes him.

I have become pragmatic -- my father just lost his wife of 71 years three weeks ago, has mild dementia and mobility problems. He is in a NH because he can no longer take care of himself. There is nothing left to fight for. I just want him comfortable and pain free.
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Reply to Hothouseflower
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Has he been seen by a dermatologist or has anyone taken a sample of this rash to a lab to determine what it really is?
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Reply to cwillie
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YES! They need to take a culture of the rash. That involves touching it with a cotton swab and send sample to lab. Find out if it is bacterial or fungal, for the correct medication or topical ointment. What about cornstarch powder to keep it DRY?

Why can't he compromise and lay on his SIDE? I would hate to be on my stomach.
A thick piece of memory foam in his wheelchair to sit on would give some relief.
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Reply to Dawn88
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Try coconut oil. The lactic acid may help it. This is the stuff you buy in the food section 100% organic is the best to get.

Honestly his not showering/bathing is contributing to this rash too.

Also what about diaper cream? I wonder if that would help too.
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Reply to sp196902
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I'm pretty sure a hospital won't admit him for a rash, unless he goes through the ER (and even then I don't recommend this since you will add yet another medical person in the mix). Best he sees one dermatologist consistently, if at all possible.

Is he on Medicaid? This will limit what doctors he is able to be treated by. If he's on just Medicare, and he can't travel to a dermatologist, then maybe set up a video appointment and supply good qualify up close pics of the rash.

There are a multitude of causes for "a rash". They definitely can be painful and/or intensely itchy. Would your Dad be open to having a sitz bath at the NH and then laying on his stomach with his affected skin allowed to "air dry"? Sometimes more treatment isn't helpful, especially if the type of rash is unknown.

Could he be allergic to whatever material is in his disposable briefs? A latex allergy?
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Reply to Geaton777
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These are good questions. I don’t believe that the NH has a bathtub, but perhaps they can do what they can to simulate one with sitz. I’ll have to google what that is. They have told him countless times that he needs to lay on his stomach or in the bed period to get off his tush, he mostly refuses and WILL NOT lie on his stomach. He is on Medicare AND Medicaid. Perhaps a sample of the rash will be necessary, because who knows what he is allergic to in there. Thank you so much, both of you.
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Reply to Cinot7me
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No, but I’m going to be talking to someone today.
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Reply to Cinot7me
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Good thing he has a woundcare nurse. And I think she can request labs to determine what the rash is and make a dermatologist eval appt. I know my daughter was able to have labs run for a resident when the son refused to allow the facility to take her to a surgeon to check stints that were put in her legs to help with circulation to her feet. The labs showed my daughter was right, the stints had collapsed. The report was shown to the son and he allowed the appt.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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Cinot7me Jul 12, 2024
Thank you. His wound care nurse isn’t there today, but I requested for the Director of Nurses call me so we can get this settled once and for all. I should’ve been more proactive by at least month 2 once I noticed that this rash/infection/bacteria (???) wasn’t getting better. I talked to my dad today about it.
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My Mom used to get a yeast infection undervher boobs. There was medicine for it but hard to get rid of. She wore cotton bras. Better to prevent than to cure. Does Dad have a Roho cushion? Its little pockets of air. If not maybe that would help.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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Is it possible you can bring in hospice?
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Reply to RetiredBrain
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