Hospital readmissions are common among older adults, resulting in higher costs and more health issues. Family caregivers need to take steps to help their loved ones recover successfully while receiving care in the comfort of home. Here are some tips for helping a senior loved one transition from the hospital to home after experiencing an illness or having a surgical procedure.
1. Go Over Discharge Information
Staying informed is one of the best ways to help older adults transition from the hospital to their homes. During the discharge process, ask your parent’s medical advisors for tips and advice pertaining to treatment. Make sure you understand what you need to do and what you must avoid in terms of meals, medications, and activities to prevent your loved one from being readmitted to the hospital.
If your senior loved one needs help managing an illness or assistance with daily tasks, make sure you choose a top-rated provider of elder care. Waterloo Home Care Assistance is here to help your loved one live a happier and healthier life in the golden years. From the mentally stimulating activities in our Cognitive Therapeutics Method to our friendly Care Managers who are available to answer your questions 24 hours a day, we offer a wide array of high-quality at-home care services.
2. Make Changes to the Home
Research steps you can take to make the transition easier for your loved one. Ask your parent’s medical providers for tips on how to senior-proof the home, which may include rearranging furniture, adding more lights to the home, using higher voltage light bulbs, installing grab bars, or switching bedrooms. Making these changes could help your loved one move around the home with less difficulty and enjoy a smoother transition and recovery process.
3. Understand Triggers
Learning about your loved one’s condition allows you to customize care based on his or her needs. For example, if having too many people around leads to disorientation and high stress levels, you’ll need to set visiting hours and schedules while your loved one recovers. Being overwhelmed and exerting too much energy could trigger relapses.
Recuperating seniors often require assistance with a wide variety of daily activities. If your aging loved one needs occasional help with bathing, grooming, cooking, or other basic household tasks, or if you need time to attend to important personal matters, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of live-in and respite care. Waterloo seniors can maintain their independence while living at home with the help of our reliable respite caregivers.
4. Schedule Follow-Up Appointments
Failing to go see the doctor could disrupt the recovery process. During checkups, your loved one can give feedback on his or her medications. If something is making your parent feel ill or uncomfortable, the doctor can evaluate the current prescriptions and provide an alternative treatment plan. A primary care physician or specialist can conduct exams to determine if more health conditions exist. Develop a schedule that includes follow-up appointments. You and your siblings can take turns driving your parent to the hospital, making sure he or she gets the necessary treatment to prevent a readmission.
5. Hire an In-Home Caregiver
Your loved one’s care needs may change after having surgery, experiencing an accident, or receiving treatment for an illness. As a result, the care plan needs to change. Make sure your parent receives high-quality care from the moment he or she comes home. In-home caregivers are professionally trained to ease the transition, prevent a relapse, and assist with the recovery process. As your loved one gets better, you can change the amount of in-home care he or she receives.
Older adults who are recovering from an injury, surgery, or illness can benefit from professional in-home care. In Waterloo, elder care agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Home Care Assistance, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. We offer a revolutionary program called the Balanced Care Method, which encourages seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy. To learn about our high-quality in-home care options, give us a call at (519) 954-2111 today.