by Catalogs.com Info Guru Oliver Vandervoort

If you or someone you know have ever worked as a home health caregiver, you know there are always a few items you wish you had with you when you were giving that care.

Sometimes it’s something you’re shocked you don’t have in the house already. Other times it stuff you never would have thought of if someone hadn’t warned you. Whatever the circumstances are, there are always a couple of items that would fall into a list for the top ten lifesavers for home health caregivers if you had your druthers. We’ve put that list together in order to save you the next time you go into this kind of situation.

10. Bite Block Sticks

The Bite Block stick is exactly what you think it might be. These can be used to put in a person’s mouth while you are performing oral hygiene if the patient has an altered level of consciousness. This will keep your fingers nice and safe.

9. Wet Wipes

There are few things you’ll be happier you had with you than a package of wet wipes. These all purpose cleaners can be used to clean up all kinds of messes and if you get the flushable kind, they’re easy to clean up as well.

8. Toilet Arm Support

Support railings around the toilet are going to make your patient going to the bathroom themselves that much easier. They will be able to lift themselves and steady themselves once they’re up.

7. Blood Pressure Monitor

When you are home alone and your patient seems like they’re acting a bit off, you’re going to be glad you have a tool like a blood pressure monitor handy in order to see if something is up there.

6. Stethoscope

People see doctors and nurses wearing these all the time for a reason. There’s no quicker way to check and see if something is wrong with a patient’s heart that by using a stethoscope.

5. Pen Light

Having something like a pen light handy is going to be a life saver if you need to see something tiny in a rather dark space, or if you need to check out the pupil size of your patient. Of course, the best feature of this tool is that it’s quite small and easy to tote around.

4. Walkers

Helping your patient get around the house is always going to be easier if you have a walker at your disposal. Just what kind of walker you want to use is completely up to you and your patient but there are plenty of varieties to choose from including ones that have wheels for easier mobility.

3. Shower Chair

When using shower chairs are used, your senior will be able to take a shower without the fear of slipping and falling.

2. Bed Pads

When you are using bed pads, you are able to make sure that your patient won’t cause irreparable harm to their mattresses and beds if they are suffering from incontinence. These pads go on under the sheets and are meant to catch liquid that comes out when the patient cannot control toileting.

1. Vaseline

There are few things that Vaseline can’t help a home health caregiver in a pinch. The jelly is something that will help if your patient has a small cut. It can also be a lubricant in a number of tight places on the body that might have been chafed. Best of all, there are all kinds of things in the house you can use the jelly on for a quick and easy fix — such as the refrigerator door not staying shut.