Many seniors and their families face it every day.
They find themselves in the hospital with an emergency. They spend hours, days, adjusting to surgeries, new routines, new realities. And then just as quickly, the time comes for the patient to be discharged.
Yet returning home won’t be easy. Studies show that many seniors simply aren’t ready nor capable of moving back home with new conditions in place. They are being discharged without adequate home support, and in many cases find themselves on a return trip to the hospital because of problems caused by not being able to properly care for themselves.
Doctors, support staff and hospital admin are picking up the slack, finding new ways to determine the right path for each patient at the time of discharge.
But it’s just as important for family caregivers to help make sure they are adequately covered as well. Many things need to be in place.
Care coordination – Following doctor’s instructions can be challenging. They are often given to you at rapid speed, at a time when you are at anything but your best. Patients are often overwhelmed and confused by the amount of information they receive, right at a time when it’s most critical to make follow-up appointments, have rehabilitation sessions and follow medicinal orders. This is when its most important to have an extra set of ears, eyes and hands to make sure everything runs smoothly and according to plans.
Medication reminders – When most seniors end up in the hospital for an emergency situation, they are already taking a number of prescription and over the counter drugs to manage health conditions. Then they must add and change prescriptions they bring home from the hospital. It becomes easy to forget what to change, what to take, when to take it. This leads to dangerous side effects and potential problems. Having a caregiver handy can help make adjustments and incorporate new regiments into place easily.
Personal care – Many everyday tasks are difficult for an elderly family member. Add in the effects of an illness, injury or surgery, and it can change life drastically. This is a time when things can be ignored, falling to the wayside. It’s important to keep daily tasks running smooth. This can be for everything from laundry and housekeeping, to morning walks, to lunch out with friends, to helping choose the right foods for healthy living. This is especially important as additional changes are made, such as living with new dietary orders and guidelines.
Sudden illness, injury or surgeries can leave a patient overwhelmed. But they’re not the only one. Overwhelm may also be hitting you equally as hard trying to keep up with your new reality.
This is the time to bring in extra help. In home care can provide you with quality care and peace of mind at a time when you need it most. Are you ready for a complimentary consultation?
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