The Ministry of Health is urging families and communities in Fiji’s maritime and rural areas to strengthen home-based care for bedridden elderly, with a particular focus on those living with diabetes, following a recent assessment on Lakeba in the Lau group. Health officials said the visit exposed how poor management at home can quickly lead to serious, sometimes life‑threatening complications.
Staff at Lakeba Subdivisional Hospital told Ministry teams that immobile patients are at heightened risk of developing pressure sores, secondary infections and uncontrolled blood glucose levels when basic care needs are missed. The Ministry flagged pressure injuries and infected wounds as frequent problems among bedridden seniors — concerns that can escalate rapidly in remote settings where access to clinical care is limited.
Physiotherapist Mereseini Banuve, part of the visiting team, stressed the importance of routine foot checks for bedridden diabetic patients, noting that even small wounds can deteriorate quickly in people with poor circulation or neuropathy. Banuve said early detection of skin breakdown and prompt attention to wounds are essential to prevent complications that may require evacuation to larger hospitals.
To reduce risks, Ministry advisers outlined a package of practical home-care measures. These include regular repositioning of immobile patients to relieve pressure points, strict hygiene to reduce infection, attention to nutrition and hydration to support healing, and consistent adherence to prescribed medications and blood glucose monitoring. Officials said these basic interventions can prevent many avoidable deteriorations and ease the burden on overstretched health services.
As part of the response, the Ministry has begun training village aides to support families who are the primary carers of bedridden elders. The training is designed to equip local aides with basic skills — such as assistance with repositioning, recognising early signs of pressure sores or infection, and reinforcing medication and nutritional plans — so that families have practical help between routine clinic visits.
The push for strengthened home-based care in Lau comes amid broader efforts to shore up health services in remote parts of the country. In recent months other centres in the Lau group have seen targeted deliveries of supplies and attention to local capacity, and Ministry officials said community-based support is a critical complement to these service improvements. Authorities framed the initiative as both a patient-safety measure and a dignity-preserving approach for older people who prefer to remain at home.
Ministry of Health representatives said training of village aides will continue as teams visit other maritime communities, and they encouraged families caring for bedridden relatives to liaise with local health facilities for guidance. The Lakeba visit has prompted the Ministry to prioritise practical, community-level support to prevent avoidable complications among Fiji’s growing cohort of elderly people living with chronic conditions such as diabetes.
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