Enteral G Tube Feeding via ekangaroo pump

[cippy1025]

We brought our dad home from Rehab. He is in an advanced stage of Lewy Body Dementia & Parkinson's. No Speech, No Swallowing ability and very little ability to move. He has a G Tube for feeding with an eKangaroo pump with the combo feeding/ flush set. He is on the Jevity Product (1500 ml/2250 calories). His programmed rate for the feed in the pump is 70 ml/Hr for 18 hours with a 50 ml flush every hour. Here are some questions I would request to get your opinion on:

1. He urinates very frequently resulting in his genital area being red all the time despite our applying a moisture barrier cream. Is his fluid intake (50 ml hourly flush + what is in Jevity product) too much? Also, any recommendations on managing the redness in the genital area.

2. At night only my mom is home and she physically cannot change his diaper because of physical limitations. Any recommendation on any special more absorbent diaper to use at night.

3. We have a medical bed at home and we try to keep his upper body at a 30-40 degree angle because of his G Tube feeding. However he gradually keeps slipping down slowly over a few hours. Any recommendations on product we can put under him that would prevent the slide on the bed. We have tried raising the legs a bit and pillow positioning but nothing seems to work.

Thank you so much in advance

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Sorry to hear you are going through that.

1. Would they consider a foley? That is one indication, skin breakdown. Would he be comfortable with an absorbent underpad and no PJ bottoms on? Letting air get to the skin helps immensely.

2. Abena, they can hold 3L, pricey at $2/ diaper, I think we used NorthShoreCare.com. Excellent product.

3. Do the legs gache? Just raising the legs should help. Could tube feedings be adjusted to hours awake only?

Hope this may be of help, good luck on getting the problems straightened out and making life as close to normal as possible.