Caring for a bedridden parent at home safely means covering 8 areas every day: turning and positioning, skin care, toileting, food and fluids, medicines, personal hygiene, joint movement, and emotional wellbeing and communication. Before your parent comes home you should have a bed with an adjustable head section, a pressure-redistributing mattress, positioning pillows, a lifting sheet and toileting supplies. For the first month, think of the budget in 4 parts: caregiving, equipment, consumables and travel to hospital appointments.
Many families start the same way. The hospital says Mum can go home in two days, and a son or daughter with a full-time job has to find a bed and someone to help. Once home, there is still a lot missing, nobody sleeps on the first night, and no one is sure they are doing it right. If that is where you are now, start with the questions to ask the doctor and nurse before bringing your parent home, then use this page as your map for daily care.
Quick answer
- Daily care has 8 areas; the ones that cause problems fastest when missed are turning and skin care
- A Thai medical school's home nursing manual on preventing pressure injuries advises turning at least every 2 hours, with a nurse adjusting the schedule to the skin, comfort and mattress; if you see redness that does not fade when pressed, keep weight off that spot and tell the nurse
- Equipment comes in 3 tiers: needed on day one, useful within the first week, and wait-and-see or on doctor's orders. You do not need to buy everything at once
- Expensive items whose length of use is still uncertain, such as an electric bed and a wheelchair, are usually better rented; personal items and consumables are better bought
- Plan the first-month budget in 4 parts; caregiving is usually the largest, and equipment deposits add to the first month
- If the main carer has gone several nights without enough sleep, or cannot lift your parent alone, it is time to bring in help
1. What care does a bedridden parent need? The 8 areas of daily care
All 8 areas need attention every day. None is difficult once you know what to do and keep a note of when it was done. Below is a short summary of each, with links to detailed guides.
Turning and positioning
A person who cannot move on their own is under prolonged pressure at bony points such as the tailbone, hips and heels. That nursing manual advises turning at least every 2 hours, positioning in a semi-side-lying posture with the hips tilted about 30 degrees to the mattress, placing a pillow between the knees and keeping the heels off the bed. See the full steps in turning and positioning a bedridden parent.
Skin care
Check the whole body at least once a day, especially pressure points. Tell a nurse if you see a red patch that does not fade when pressed, or a purple or bluish patch on darker skin. Keep the skin clean and dry, and do not massage red areas.
Toileting and diapers
Change the diaper every time your parent passes urine or stool, and check the skin in the diaper area at least every 2 hours, as the same manual advises. Note the date of the last bowel movement, because constipation is common in people who lie in bed for long periods. How to choose and change diapers is covered in the adult diaper guide. If your parent comes home with a urinary catheter, read caring for a urinary catheter at home.
Food and fluids
Sit your parent up or raise the head of the bed for every meal, keep that position for about 1 hour afterwards, then lower the head of the bed to about 30 degrees, to reduce the risk of choking and reflux. If your parent chokes easily or has reflux, ask the doctor or nurse whether to keep the head raised for longer. Give fluids in the amount the doctor allows, because some conditions require fluid restriction. If your parent cannot eat by mouth and uses a feeding tube, see tube feeding at home.
Medicines
Medicines after a hospital stay are often numerous, and some differ from before. Keep one medicine list that everyone in the house uses, sort medicines into a pill organiser by mealtime, record every time a medicine is given, and never increase or reduce a medicine yourself. See how to set this up in a home medication system for older adults.
Personal and mouth hygiene
Wipe the face and hands and clean the intimate area every day. Give a full bath or bed bath every other day or as the skin needs, and brush the teeth or clean the mouth morning and evening. Step-by-step instructions are in bathing, washing and shampooing in bed.
Joint movement and sitting up
Joints that are not moved for several days start to stiffen. Gently move the wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees and ankles every day and, if the doctor agrees, help your parent sit on the edge of the bed or in a wheelchair for short periods. A physiotherapist should decide which exercises suit your parent. For techniques that keep both your parent and the carer safe, see transferring safely from bed to wheelchair.
Mood and communication
Lying in one place all day is lonely and boring, and some older adults become so low that they lose their appetite. It helps to open the curtains for daylight, make sure they wear their usual glasses and hearing aids, mention the day and time, talk about things they enjoy, and always say what you are about to do. If your parent suddenly becomes confused and this is new, contact a doctor promptly, as it can be a sign of infection or another problem.
What many families don't know: a single notebook by the bed, recording turning times, toileting, medicines, meals and anything unusual, lets whoever is on duty pick up where the last person left off, and gives the doctor useful information at the next appointment.
2. A sample 24-hour routine
This example suits a parent who eats by mouth and has no tubes or wounds needing special care. Adjust the times to fit their medicines and habits, but keep changing position about every 2 hours, day and night.
- 06:00 Wake up, change the diaper, clean, check the skin at the tailbone and heels
- 07:00 Wipe the face, brush teeth, raise the head of the bed or help them sit up, breakfast and morning medicines
- 09:00–10:00 Bed bath or wash, apply lotion, change clothes and sheets if damp
- 10:00 Joint movements as taught by the physiotherapist, or sit in a wheelchair for a short time
- 12:00 Lunch, medicines and a drink
- 13:00–15:00 Rest, turn from side to side, check the diaper
- 17:00–18:00 Dinner and medicines
- 20:00 Change the diaper, clean before bed, brush teeth, bedtime medicines
- 22:00–06:00 Turn about every 2 hours and check the diaper in the same round; use a dim light instead of a bright one so your parent can fall back asleep
Night-time care like this needs someone awake for every round. A single 24-hour live-in caregiver rests when your parent rests, so cannot do 2-hourly turns all night; if turning is needed throughout the night, arrange a separate night-shift carer or two 12-hour carers.
For people at risk of pressure injuries, the same manual advises sitting in a wheelchair for no more than about 1 hour at a time, and lifting or tilting the hips to relieve pressure every 15 minutes while seated.
3. What equipment does a bedridden parent need? Buy in 3 tiers
You do not need everything on day one. Tier one must be ready before your parent arrives home. Tier two can be added during the first week, once you see where daily care gets stuck. Tier three waits for the doctor's orders or for a clearer picture of how your parent is recovering.
Tier 1: needed from day one
- A bed with adjustable head section and height, so your parent can eat with the head raised and the carer does not have to bend until their back aches
- A pressure-redistributing mattress; the right type depends on your parent's risk, so ask a nurse to assess
- Several positioning pillows to support the back when side-lying, go between the knees and sit under the calves to keep the heels off the bed
- A lifting sheet or draw sheet for moving your parent instead of dragging
- Diapers, absorbent pads, gloves and barrier cream
- A pill organiser, a care notebook and the medicine list from the hospital
- A bedside lamp or night light, plus a bell or phone your parent can use to call someone
If the bed has side rails, read bed rails and preventing falls from bed.
Tier 2: useful within the first week
- An over-bed table so food and belongings are within reach
- A commode or shower chair for a parent who is starting to sit up
- A wheelchair for leaving the room or going to hospital
- An inflatable shampoo basin
- A thermometer, an upper-arm blood pressure monitor and a pulse oximeter, if the doctor wants readings tracked
Tier 3: wait and see, or on doctor's orders
- An oxygen concentrator, only when prescribed and at the flow rate the doctor sets. For real-life use at home, see common problems when using an oxygen concentrator at home
- A bed that lowers very close to the floor, for a parent who starts trying to get up alone at night
- Walking aids or an electric wheelchair, once a physiotherapist judges your parent ready
4. Rent or buy: which items are worth it?
The simple rule: rent expensive items when you do not yet know how long you will need them; buy personal, inexpensive items you will definitely use. In the first month, many families do not yet know whether their parent will recover enough to walk or will need the bed for a long time. Renting lets you change equipment as their condition changes, without a large one-off payment.
- Better rented: electric bed, wheelchair, oxygen concentrator and equipment you may only need during recovery
- Better bought: diapers, pads, pillows, draw sheets, thermometer, blood pressure monitor, shampoo basin and anything used directly on the body
- Once you know it will be long-term: compare rental costs with the purchase price
KIN HomeCare offers hospital beds, wheelchairs and oxygen concentrators for both rental and sale. For sale prices, please call 061-881-9399 (+66 61 881 9399). Rental items and prices are on the equipment rental page.
5. First-month costs: plan the budget in 4 parts
The formula is first-month budget = caregiving + equipment (rent or purchase, including deposits and delivery) + consumables + travel to hospital.
Part 1: caregiving
If the family provides all care, this part costs nothing in cash, but do count the income the main carer gives up. If you hire a KIN HomeCare caregiver (nursing assistant):
- 12-hour shift (08:00–20:00 or 20:00–08:00): THB 1,800 per day, THB 12,000 per week, THB 30,000 per month with 1 day off per week, or THB 36,000 per month including days off
- 24-hour live-in: THB 2,500 per day, THB 16,000 per week, THB 36,000 per month, or THB 41,000 including days off. The caregiver rests when your parent rests; if someone must stay awake all night, you need two 12-hour caregivers
Part 2: equipment
KIN HomeCare monthly rental prices: electric bed set with mattress THB 4,500 (deposit THB 9,000), or bed with pressure-relief foam mattress THB 6,500; over-bed table THB 750; 4-in-1 commode chair THB 3,500; standard wheelchair THB 3,000 (deposit THB 9,400). Delivery is THB 1,200 per trip and free for rentals of 3 months or more.
Part 3: consumables
Diapers, pads, wet wipes, gloves, creams and any supplements the doctor recommends. Prices vary widely by brand, so work from actual use, for example diapers per day × price per piece × 30 days. What many families don't know: older adults who are housebound or bedridden, or who cannot control their bladder or bowels, may receive free adult diapers or pads, up to 3 pieces a day, through the local health security fund. Ask at the nearest sub-district health promoting hospital, local administrative office, municipality or village health volunteer; in Bangkok, contact a BMA public health centre, or call the NHSO hotline 1330.
Part 4: travel to hospital
There is usually a follow-up appointment in the first month. If you cannot take your parent yourself, KIN HomeCare's hospital escort costs THB 1,800 for 8 hours, then THB 200 per extra hour. Transport is charged separately; a KIN ambulance starts at THB 2,000 depending on distance. Medical fees, medicines and parking are not included.
Worked example
A family that hires a day-shift caregiver monthly and rents tier-one and some tier-two equipment:
- 12-hour caregiver, monthly: THB 30,000
- Electric bed set with mattress: THB 4,500
- Over-bed table: THB 750
- Standard wheelchair: THB 3,000
- Total for care and rentals: THB 38,250 per month
- In the first month, add THB 18,400 in deposits for the bed and wheelchair, and THB 1,200 per delivery trip if renting for less than 3 months
- Add consumables using the formula above, plus hospital escort on appointment days
Every family mixes this differently; for example, children cover the daytime and hire only a night shift. See all prices on the pricing page.
6. Caring alone: can you manage?
For a short time, yes, if your parent is not heavy, can help a little and does not need to get up often at night. Caring alone for several weeks is harder than most people expect, because turning continues through the night and the carer never has a day off.
Signs you are reaching your limit:
- Several nights in a row without long, unbroken sleep because you wake for every turn
- Back or shoulder pain that makes lifting your parent awkward
- Forgetting medicines or turns, or seeing red marks on their skin more often
- Becoming irritable, tearful or constantly guilty
If several of these sound familiar, read caregiver burnout: signs and solutions. The answer is not necessarily full-time help. Sharing shifts with siblings, or hiring only a night shift so the main carer can sleep, can help the family keep going for longer.
Common mistakes families make
- Waiting for a wound before turning more often. Pressure injuries start as a red patch that does not fade when pressed, and caring for redness is far easier than caring for a wound. Set times for turning and record every round
- Dragging your parent up the bed. Friction scrapes thin skin. Use a lifting sheet and a second person instead
- Feeding while lying flat, or lowering the head of the bed right after a meal. This raises the risk of choking. Keep the head raised after meals
- Keeping old medicines with new ones. This can lead to giving a medicine the doctor has stopped. Separate old medicines and ask a pharmacist
- One person carrying everything until they fall ill. If the main carer goes down, the whole household struggles more. Plan rest shifts from the first week
When to bring in a professional team
Many families manage well on their own with a clear plan. But if nobody is home during the day, your parent is too heavy for one person to lift, needs to get up several times a night, or has specialised needs such as a feeding tube or a wound, a team can give your parent consistent care and give the family a rest.
- Caregiver at home: all daily care, including bathing, bed baths, feeding and medicines, tube feeding, turning, vital signs and diaper changes. 12-hour shift THB 1,800 per day (minimum 3 days) or 24-hour shift THB 2,500 per day; monthly from THB 30,000. To try first, start with the 3-day minimum, or a week at THB 12,000 (12-hour) or THB 16,000 (24-hour). See elderly care at home
- Specially trained care tasks such as suctioning, tracheostomy care, insulin injections and simple, shallow wound care are done by caregivers trained in that task, under the supervision of our registered-nurse team, at the same price as a standard caregiver
- Registered nurse for nursing procedures such as inserting or changing a feeding tube, changing a urinary catheter, and deep or complex wounds. A nurse home visit to assess the skin and plan care is THB 1,800; procedures start at THB 1,200. See home nursing
- Home physiotherapy: joint movement, sitting practice and teaching the family safe transfers, THB 1,800 per session, first session THB 1,500 until 31 December 2026, or 10 sessions for THB 15,000. See home physiotherapy
- Equipment rental and sale: delivered, set up and demonstrated at home in Bangkok and nearby provinces, disinfected before handover
Frequently asked questions
What does a bedridden patient need on the first day home?
A bed with an adjustable head, a pressure-redistributing mattress, positioning pillows, a lifting sheet, diapers and pads, gloves, barrier cream, a pill organiser and a bedside lamp. Other items can be added in the first week once you see what daily care is missing.
How often should a bedridden patient be turned?
A Thai medical school's home nursing manual on preventing pressure injuries advises at least every 2 hours, and more often if there is redness or your parent seems uncomfortable. Ask a nurse to assess the right frequency for your parent.
How much does it cost to care for a bedridden patient each month?
It depends on whether you hire a caregiver and what you rent. With a monthly day-shift caregiver at THB 30,000 and a bed, over-bed table and wheelchair rented from KIN HomeCare, it comes to about THB 38,250 per month, excluding first-month deposits, consumables and travel to hospital.
Can one person care for a bedridden parent alone?
For a short time, if your parent can help a little and does not need to get up often at night. For several weeks, arrange rest shifts or help at least for the nights, because a sleep-deprived carer makes mistakes more easily.
Can I get free adult diapers?
Possibly. Older adults who are housebound or bedridden, or who cannot control their bladder or bowels, may receive up to 3 adult diapers or pads a day through the local health security fund. Ask at your local health centre, local administration office, municipality or village health volunteer, or call the NHSO hotline 1330.
Talk to the KIN HomeCare team
If you are preparing to bring your parent home, or have been caring for a while and are not sure you are doing it right, tell our team about your parent's condition. We will help you work out which shift you need, which equipment is truly necessary and what can wait.
- Elderly care at home, home nursing, and equipment rental or purchase: 061-881-9399 (+66 61 881 9399)
- Home physiotherapy: 095-767-6307 (+66 95 767 6307)
- LINE @KINHOMECARE
- Free consultation: we help you assess which service fits; home care nationwide, usually starting within 2–3 days, with caregiver profiles to review first
This information is general guidance for families and does not replace advice from your parent's doctor.
Prepared by the KIN HomeCare team · Prices as of September 2026; please confirm with our staff before booking.
