Caring for the elderly does not end after he or she has been discharged from the hospital. In most cases, when seniors return home, they are not yet fully recovered. They are not strong and healthy enough to get through daily life on their own. They still need special care and attention. Seniors need special care after being discharged from the hospital. They need help with their medications, wound care, household chores, errands, and mobility issues, among others. During this period, while awaiting full recovery, seniors are at high risk for infections, falls, complications, and other issues that can eventually lead to their re-hospitalization or worsening of their condition.
There has to be a smooth transition from being discharged from hospital to being taken care of at home. This is especially true for seniors with complex care needs and chronic conditions. Families cannot, and should not, do it on their own. They need the help of professionals like caregivers, home health nurses, discharge planners, or other home care specialists. Home care companies such as At Home Care Service are vital in helping seniors recover after being discharged from the hospital. They help with meal preparation, medication reminders, safe hospital to home transfers, and other complex and specific senior needs. During this time, families need support and planning to take care of their elderly loved ones.
Planning for Hospital Discharge
What happens after hospital discharge should be planned as soon as your senior loved one is admitted. There are hospital planners who will discuss with you and the senior about the care and other things you’ll need after the patient has been discharged from the hospital. They will discuss home health care, follow-up care, pain management, wound care, and other senior support during this stage. At this point, it is important to consider getting professional home care for your elderly loved one. When you inquire about mobility support, prescription schedule, medication, and other things required for the senior’s health and recovery.
Transitioning Home
You need to ensure that your home is already prepared for a smooth transition for your elderly loved one after his or her hospital discharge. Professional home care companies also help modify your home and make the necessary preparation to ensure a smooth transition and easy access. Preparing your home for the transition should be done even before the elderly are discharged from the hospital. Everything needs to be ready by then. Make everything comfortable for your senior loved one. Ensure that everything they need is easily within reach: TV remote, newspaper, phone, hearing aid, eyeglass, a book, and so on. By ensuring that things are ready and within reach, you prevent the senior from reaching and moving about, and in effect, preventing a potential risk of falling or getting injured.
Since you cannot do everything on your own, it is only practical to hire professional caregivers to care for your senior loved one. Caregivers not only take care of seniors at home, but they also transport clients to their medical appointments and reach out to therapists, pharmacists, medical providers, and other health providers. More importantly, they establish a smooth daily routine for the seniors. In sum, these things need to be considered before hospital discharge: medications, transfers and safe mobility, exercise, daily activity, companionship, social and emotional support, and home transitioning, among others. With these, seniors get all the care and support that they need until they can fully recover.