This topic is about managing ostomy care when you have to undergo surgery on your dominant hand. The person in this situation will be in a cast for six weeks and will need several months of hand therapy, making it difficult to handle their usual ostomy care routine. They have arranged for some home-health support but feel they might need more help during the day. Their husband has offered to assist, but they are considering whether a neutral caregiver might be better.

Here are some helpful suggestions and insights:

1. **Teach the Spouse**: Many people suggest that the husband could be the most practical caregiver. He can be taught how to help with ostomy care step-by-step, and it might give him a sense of purpose during a challenging time.

2. **One-Hand Technique**:
- Start practicing now to get comfortable with using one hand before the surgery.
- A suggested method involves placing the new pouch on the floor or under something heavy, peeling off the backing with the usable hand, holding the wafer edges, bending slightly, and rolling it onto the stoma from bottom to top.
- Velcro-closure drainable bags are recommended as they are easier to open and close with one hand, though cleaning the outlet might still be tricky.

3. **Switch to Closed-End (Disposable) Pouches**:
- Consider using a one-piece closed-end system that you can discard instead of draining, which limits the need for full changes to every 4-5 days.
- Try different brands and request samples ahead of time to find the easiest one to use with one hand. Be aware that snap-in two-piece systems might be more challenging.

4. **Minimize Professional-Care Costs**:
- If you still want outside help, think about hiring someone privately just for appliance changes. Full-time home-health nurses or temporary nursing-home placements can be costly and are often not covered by insurance.

5. **Emotional Aspect**: Allowing the husband to help might offer him a meaningful and healing activity during a difficult period.