By Petrina Wright | Posted: Sunday December 1, 2024
Enliven Southland is excited to be involved in a wound treatment pilot project, one which is expected to be ground-breaking for the country’s aged residential care sector.
Over the next 12 months, Southland Wound Nurse specialist Mandy Pagan and senior Enliven managers in Peacehaven and Vickery Court will identify patients they believe would benefit from pneumatic pump treatment, prescribe and carry out the treatment and compile data around its effectiveness in the care home setting.
Pneumatic compression pumps are electric devices which gently massage a limb for a period of time.
They are used to treat conditions such as oedema (fluid retention), lymphoedema, neurovascular impairments, lipoedema (abnormal fat build up usually in the buttocks, thighs and hips), and the treatment of wounds and ulcers associated with diabetes and other chronic illnesses.
The benefits of the pneumatic pump include faster wound healing, reduced swelling, softening of the skin, improved mobility due to reduced leg pain and swelling, reduced incidence of cellulitis and therefore reduced need for antibiotics, reduced hospitalisations and less nursing time spent on wound care.
Currently, pneumatic pumps are not provided or routinely used by any aged care facility providers in New Zealand.
Enliven director Carol Riddle said an increasing number of people were entering aged care with complex and multiple health concerns requiring a high level of expertise and care. This included an increasing number of presentations of upper and lower leg oedema with complex wounds that were difficult or unable to heal if oedema was not managed effectively.
At present, the use of pneumatic pumps in Southland is prescribed by the specialist wound service. Pumps and sleeves are rented by patients, including a small number of elderly people living in aged care homes, but for many aged care residents, the cost is prohibitive, she said.
Four pump and leg sleeve sets are needed for the pilot, two for Peacehaven and two for Vickery Court. The cost for four pumps and sleeve sets is about $14,500 excluding GST.
Current funding rates mean Enliven needs to fundraise to purchase the sets.
If you would like to support this project, you can donate online at pss.org.nz/get-involved/donate or email fundraising@pss.org.nz.