Time to Make the Donuts

…not really, but I just call it that

“Time to make the donuts”

“Fred the Baker” for Dunkin’ Donuts

“Time to make the donuts” is one of the most famous of TV commercial catch-phrases, thanks to the performance of Michael Vale (“3–2–1- Contact”) as Fred the Baker for Dunkin’ Donuts. From 1981 to 1997, Fred would get up before the crack of dawn to get those donuts done.

Many of you will remember that tag line.

In case you don’t know of Fred the Baker, let me refresh your memory…

So, what AM I doing when I say it’s “time to make the donuts?”

…

…

…

I’m changing my father’s diapers.

Most of the time, when someone says they’re going to change someone’s diapers, you think of this…

Either its a sweet angelic face staring up at you…

Or this is what you are dealing with…

Yes, this is Dora the Explorer as an infant crying. But you get the idea.

There is even a explanatory way of changing a diaper.

• Lay your baby on his back. Remove any clothing that inhibits access to the diaper. At this age, rompers are popular clothing items; they contain snaps for easy diaper access.
• Remove the soiled diaper. For disposable diapers, pull up the sticky tabs. For reusable cloth diapers, remove the diaper cover and snaps or Velcro from around your baby’s waist.
• Lift your baby up gently so you can scoot the diaper out from under his bottom.
• Use wipes to clean your baby’s diaper region. Always wipe from front to back to avoid infection, especially for girls.
• If the area is red or inflamed, soothe it with diaper ointment.
• Wait for your baby’s skin to dry before putting on a fresh diaper.
• Take a fresh diaper and place it under your baby. Bring the front part up on your baby’s stomach and fasten the tabs to secure the diaper on his waist.
• Replace any clothing over the new diaper.

Pretty simple, right?

Those directions change drastically when you’re changing the diaper of an elderly person who can’t take directions or even understand the English language.

Everything changes.

Logistically, its a nightmare, especially if it’s only you changing the diaper. Now you’re dealing with an ADULT, with an adult body weight and adult sensibilities, who does act like an INFANT. And what this does to a caregivers psyche is devastating.

You’re lucky if you can get the elderly person to roll over to their side, so that their diaper can be changed.

But sometimes it’s only YOU.

Here is how the situation changes…

What You Will Need

Disposable medical gloves

A clean adult diaper

A plastic grocery bag

Pre-moistened wipes (such as baby wipes or wet wipes) or skin cleanser and disposable cloths

Barrier cream

Enlisting the help of another able-bodied adult will help with this process. Consider acquiring a hospital bed if you don’t have one already. It makes caring for the bedridden person easier and might make him feel more comfortable.

How to Change a Bedridden Patient’s Adult Diaper

• Wash and dry your hands thoroughly and put on a pair of disposable medical gloves.
• If the patient’s bed is adjustable, raise the entire bed to a comfortable height (usually slightly lower than your hips). Lower the head of the bed as far down to horizontal as he can tolerate.
• With the patient resting on his or her back, unfasten the straps, Velcro, or adhesive tape of the adult diaper and then tuck the side farthest from you under the person’s hip.
• With one hand on the patient’s hip and the other on his shoulder, roll him away from you onto his side. You might find this easier with the help of another able-bodied person, who can then hold the patient on his side while you work.
• If you tucked the diaper far enough under his hip, you should now be able to pull the adult diaper toward you and out from under him. Roll the used diaper inward as you remove it to contain any mess.
• Place the soiled adult diaper into a plastic grocery bag for disposal (but do not seal the bag yet).
• Using pre-moistened wipes, or skin cleanser and disposable cloths, clean the person’s diaper area, front and back, as thoroughly as possible. Avoid pressing or rubbing the skin too hard. You might need to roll the patient onto his back or other side to thoroughly clean areas you cannot reach. Place used wipes or cloths in the plastic grocery bag.
• With the person still on his side, check the skin for pressure sores, which are also known as bedsores or pressure ulcers. It is important to check the skin daily for any early signs that a pressure sore has begun.
• Apply barrier cream to the patient’s perineum to moisturize and protect the skin.
• After allowing the patient’s skin to thoroughly dry, roll up one side of the new adult diaper and tuck it under his side. Flatten and position the rest of the diaper on the bed.
• Roll the person back toward you onto the diaper and then pull out the rolled-up side of the diaper. Remove any wrinkles and fasten the adult diaper as directed by the manufacturer. Again, this process is easier with two people.
• Remove your disposable medical gloves and place them in the plastic grocery bag before tying it closed.
• Wash and dry your hands thoroughly.
• If the patient’s bed is adjustable, return it to the desired height and raise the head of the bed to the desired level. Cover the person with a clean sheet or blanket(s) if desired.
• Finally, make sure you understand how to properly position a bed-bound patient. This can help prevent the development of bedsores and keep your loved one more comfortable.

So, to change a baby’s diaper? Eight bullet points.

To change the diaper of an adult that has taken on the characteristics of an infant?

Fifteen bullet points.

Fifteen.

Imagine doing this at least eight to nine times A DAY.

Its exhausting.

You’re tired.

Your nerves are frayed.

Days run into one another, there is no difference between weekdays and weekends.

Sometimes days become nights and vice versa.

And for those who have never walked this path, they truly believe this elderly person will get better, and become a human to them again. They will learn to walk and talk again. They will become their old selves.

But I know better.

I know better.

Well, I gotta go.

Its been nice visiting with my old friends again.

Hey, what day is it?

Sigh…

“Time to make the donuts.”

P.S. I’m sure some of you have noticed that I stuck a PayPal account on my profile. I really didn’t want to do this, however, I cannot access the members only function on my iPad, the function that allows me to earn monies for my writing. This function helped me to keep my membership fees up to date. I actually got ahold of Medium, to see if they could fix the members only function at their end, but I was told that at this time, iPads cannot accommodate the “get paid for writing”. I’ve gotten a part-time job, in addition to caring for my father, so I could save up for a laptop, but I’m hoping that whatever you can give, everyone’s couple of bucks can help keep my membership fees in effect for awhile…

Thanks for listening…