Any time that your elderly family member has to spend time in the hospital can be scary. It’s wonderful when she can come home, but what happens if she ends up having to go back to the hospital right away? This is called hospital readmission and it is usually bad news for your senior’s health now and in the long run. Reducing hospital readmission is important, and it turns out that there are things you can do to help.
Read the Discharge Instructions Carefully
Discharge instructions contain a lot of really important information about your senior’s care after she leaves the hospital. They can be complicated to understand, however, especially if you’re not in the best mental or emotional state at that moment to retain that vital information. Don’t feel bad about asking the nurses to walk you through the discharge instructions if necessary so that you feel confident about what needs to happen.
Address Possible Fall Hazards in the Home
Before your elderly family member comes home, do what you can to address any possible fall hazards in her home. That might involve clearing the floors and even rearranging some furniture, if necessary. If she’s going to need something like a walker or a wheelchair, make sure that there is plenty of room for whatever assistive devices she’ll be using.
Start Putting Together a Plan for Medication Management
Will your elderly family member be taking any medications that are new to her? If so, now is the time to put a plan together. Try to become familiar with the new medications and make note of any special instructions related to how she needs to take that medication. It can also help to have home health care professionals managing medications for her.
Put Follow-up Appointments on the Calendar Now
Chances are very good that your elderly family member is going to have at least one or two follow-up appointments with either a specialist or her regular doctor. Try to go through and put those appointments in your calendar and your senior’s calendar now. If you know already that you’re going to need to make any special arrangements in order to get her to those appointments, it’s best to start planning for that now.
Arrange for Post-hospital Care Right After Discharge
Post-hospital care is there for your aging family member when she comes home from the hospital. This type of care ensures that she’s getting the help that she needs to safely and easily transition home from a stay in the hospital. Skilled nurses are there to monitor symptoms and address any healthcare-related issues that your senior might need. They can also help her to get to her follow-up appointments and help your senior to address any questions she has once she’s home.
What is most important is that your aging family member is able to come home to a safe and comfortable environment and be supported in her recovery. Having help from post-hospital care services can make that job a lot easier for everyone who cares about your senior.
Home Care Matters Provides Award-Winning, Trusted Home Care in Bibb, Butts, Crawford, Henry, Houston, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Spalding, and Upson Counties. Call today: (478)-994-9535.
We serve the towns of Forsyth, Macon, McDonough, Griffin, Jonesboro, Roberta, Barnesville, Gray, Thomaston, and Jackson.
Valerie has the unique experience with home care as she has experienced it from both ends of the spectrum, as a caregiver and as needing care herself as a cancer survivor. Valerie says, “Taking care of someone you love is a physically, mentally and demanding labor of love.Taking care of my mom was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has given me an insight and perspective not many people understand unless you are doing it or have done it.I loved taking care of my mom.I love helping others take care of their love ones too.And now that I’ve been sick, it’s given me a whole new level of empathy and understanding for those who are sick and need help.”
Valerie’s schedule varies daily, but she loves visiting with our clients, families, caregivers, our network partners and being in the office.Says Valerie, “Every day is different, but I wake up excited about what we do, inspired by our team, clients and caregivers.I strive to be a resource to the community.I love my team and I love what we do every day. I like to think my mom would be proud.”
You can reach Valerie by email (Valerie@homecarematters.com) or in our office (770.965.4004).
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