When you were
admitted to the hospital for treatment, have you ever worn something like – Hospital socks? Well, if you haven’t, then rejoice for you’ve never been admitted for
something serious! But, have you opened your grandparent’s or parent’s drawers
and found a couple of what looks like mismatched hand mittens with white rubber
on the outside? If you did, then they’re probably hospital socks! Here’s a look
at a few of the many benefits of using these garments.
They
Help Prevent Accidental Falls
Depending on who you
talked to, hospital socks may be considered a valuable, if not prized
possession. These items could even be considered a hospital memorabilia, or
even a prized possession, or something that the person just can’t seem to throw
into the trash bin.
For starters, one of
the biggest benefits of using hospital socks is that it helps prevent
accidental falls, especially for the elderly, and recovering patients.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
accidental falls are a major area of concern especially in the aging
population.
The CDC adds that
more than a third of adults aged 65 years or older fall each year. Older adults
are also often hospitalized for fall-related injuries 5 times more often than
they are for injuries stemming from other causes.
Of those who fall,
around 20% to 30% suffer moderate to severe injuries which considerably cut
their mobility and independence, and this also increases their risk of
premature death.
Thus, hospitals and
clinics today provide their patients with hospital socks to help prevent or
reduce accidental falls. While the smooth floors of most hospitals and clinics
are perfect for moving beds and walking or running patients around during emergencies,
they are definitely not good for walking patients, especially those who are
prone to falling or slipping.
They
Protect the Patients Feet From Nasty Bacteria & Viruses
Another amazing thing
about using hospital socks is that they help protect the patient’s feet from
dirty, or even deadly, viruses and bacteria. While hospital floors may look
shiny and clean, in truth you won’t know what was there before. So, it would be
best to keep the patient’s sock on.
They
Help Keep the Patient’s Feet Warm
These items are also
very helpful at keeping a patient’s feet warm when it’s cold or freezing in the
hospital. And of course, giving patients a fun set of colors while waiting for
their recovery is also a nice way to keep them happy while still in the hospital.
Like let’s admit it –
colored socks are fun to look at! So, if you get admitted to a hospital (God
forbid though), and your health care facility has different colors of hospital
socks in stock, then you can try to request a certain color, or try different
colors!
They
Provide a Sense of Comfort to Patients
Another truly amazing
benefit of using hospital socks is that they provide a sense of personal
belonging and comfort to patients. While this might be an unintended benefit,
the truth is that it would be so nice to have something that is yours in the
hospital, especially when all you’ve got is an oversized hospital gown.
Think of getting hospital
socks as something like getting a tasty lollipop, cotton candy or balloon after
a visit to your doctor.
Finally, hospital socks go by different terms. For example, some refer to these as non-slip socks while others call it non-skid socks, grip socks, treaded socks, grippy socks or even “grippies”. Who says these materials don’t look and sound cool?
