Submitted by Darlene Myles, RN, Lion’s Head
PJ paralysis is a term used in hospitals to describe what happens to patients who stay in gowns and pyjamas during their admission to hospital. The most common complication among elderly patients in hospital is deconditioning. Remaining in bed leads to muscle loss, falls, increased confusion, decreased appetite, poor digestion, weakness and worsening mobility, increased risk of infection and then further decline in health. All of these issues lead to longer stays in hospital, which leads to worsening of the above complications. It becomes a very nasty and vicious cycle!
Patients who remain in bed lose 1 to 5% of their muscle strength every day they are in bed. This affects their ability to carry out routine activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, getting out of bed on their own and walking. Every ten days of bedrest in hospital is equal to ten years of muscle aging in patients over 80 years of age. The good news is that patients who decondition in hospital can regain their strength with movement – and this can start with simple steps like getting up and getting dressed. Staying active while in hospital is not possible for everyone, and must be done safely and with support.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If you have a loved one in hospital, make sure they have comfortable clothes and shoes to wear. Take their clothes home to wash and return. Shoes are better than slippers. Encourage your loved one to get dressed each day. Ensure your loved one has toiletries such as deodorant, toothpaste, hair brush, razors, and any other personal toiletries that are part of daily routines at home. This helps promote a greater sense of well-being.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR NURSE
Expect your nurse to encourage you and assist you to get dressed every day. Expect your nurse to make you get out of bed for all three meals each day. This improves appetite and digestion. Expect your nurse to encourage you to do as much as possible on your own. This helps maintain muscle strength and promotes a positive sense of well-being. Expect your nurse and physiotherapist to make sure you are out of bed and walking.
The goal is to stay active when in hospital, and the best way to start is to get out of your PJs!
