Senior Health: How to Help a Senior Recover from Surgery

Posted in Senior Health, Surgery Recovery |

April 2, 2021

| by

Senior Health: Recovering from surgery is a big deal.

Your senior’s body has been through a traumatic event, even if it was a necessary surgery for her to have. Being prepared in advance for her to come home and to have her needs met is easier to do when you think through what she might need and want while she’s recovering.

 

 

Homecare in Daleville AL: Surgery Recovery

Homecare in Daleville AL: Surgery Recovery

Make Sure Her House Is Ready for Her to Come Home

It’s a good idea to make sure that your senior’s home is ready for her to come back. If she’s got a two-story home, she might need to temporarily relocate to the first floor while she recovers. Make sure that you check for any obstacles and that she’s got somewhere comfortable to rest. You might need to rearrange some things in order to make her home as safe as possible.

 

Run Errands and Prep Meals Before She Comes Home

If there are any prescriptions or durable medical equipment that your senior might need, see if you’ll be able to run those errands before your senior comes home. That helps to ensure that you’re not doing those things while your senior waits in the car or at home. Also, try to prepare some of her favorite meals and snacks in advance, so that it’s easier for both of you to help her to eat.

 

Think Ahead about What She’ll Need

You can’t possibly account for every single possibility but try to think ahead a little bit about what your senior might need. Is she going to have follow-up appointments or physical therapy? How will she get to those appointments? Will, she need help with mobility, bathing, and other tasks? If so, hiring elderly care providers is probably an excellent way to make sure that she’s got what she needs, when she needs it, for her senior health to be great.

 

Senior Health: Sometimes You Just Need to Be Supportive Emotionally

Don’t forget to support your senior emotionally as much as you can. Surgeries can take a mental and emotional toll on everyone involved. Your senior may need you to just be a shoulder and an ear for a little while. That’s something that is a lot easier to do than some of the other things she might need as she recovers.

Talk to your senior’s doctor about what all she should expect from recovery and your senior’s health. It’s always best to have as few surprises as possible when it comes to something like surgery.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in Daleville, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

Senior Scams – Top Ten Financial Scams for Seniors

Posted in Senior Safety, Senior Scams |

March 22, 2021

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Senior Care in Hartford AL: Senior Scams

Senior Care in Hartford AL: Senior Scams

 

Senior Scams:

As a caregiver, you not only have to help your parent enjoy life to the fullest mentally, physically, and emotionally, but you also need to protect her from those who may desire to harm her – especially financially.
Financial senior scams against the elderly are now considered the crime of the 21st century as criminals try to find ways to access your parent’s finances, whether she has $1 to her name or $1 million.

 

Here are the top ten senior scams that you and your parent will want to be aware of so that she isn’t lured into giving away secure information or her money to a scam artist – whether it’s a complete stranger, or sadly, even someone in her family.

 

1. Grandparent Scams

In this scam, a person calls claiming to be a grandchild. They may not even know the grandchild’s name but will start the conversation with “guess who this is?” or “this is your favorite grandson calling.” They then tell a story of woe and how they need some cash fast to fix it and ask your parent to send them money through some online means before anyone has a chance to stop her.

2. Sweepstakes Scams

An unexpected check is sent to your parent as “winnings” and all they have to do is cover the processing fees in order to claim it. Remind your parent that if she hasn’t entered a contest, she’s not going to win anything.

3. Homeowner Scams

If your parent is asked to provide money for a report to be generated or is requested to make a payment on something she didn’t sign up with her home, have her check the sources before that check is cut because it easily could be another scammer.

4. Investment Scams

If your parent is asked to invest in someone’s business, check out the business closely before she puts any money into it, even if it’s a business by a family member. Pyramid senior scams are all over the place and unfortunately, distant relatives sometimes like to take advantage of your parent’s retirement funds.

5. Internet Scams

One of the most important internet lessons your parent can learn is to never click on an unknown link, no matter how official the sender seems to be. A virus could be let loose on her computer, grabbing passwords and bank account or credit card information.

6. Charity Scams

Especially common after natural disasters, scam artists will call and ask for funds to help the victims of whatever natural disaster just happened. If your parent’s heart is moved to give money to help those in need, have her connect with well-known and established charities.

7.Anti-aging  Senior Scams 

Fraudulent products that produce no results are the basis of this scam. Your parent could spend copious amounts of cash on a product that costs pennies to produce and has no results. Always check reviews of a product before buying too much of it.

8. Medicare/Insurance Senior Scams

The perpetrator will get personal information from your parent and then use that information to create fake medical bills to send to the insurance and pocket the payments.

9. Funeral  Senior Scams

Watch out for funeral homes that require prepayment and then bill for only the most expensive and lavish products.

10. Prescription Scams

Finally, while hunting for the best prescription price is good, in this senior scam, people will provide prescriptions that are not approved or accurate – and a very dangerous game for your parent. Keeping her on approved prescription sites is best for her safety, even when the prices seem ludicrous.

 

Usually, the best bet for scams is to ask someone else what they think or Google the resource requesting the information or money. Almost all things can wait until they are verified so encourage your parent to never simply trust someone or something she receives. She should check with you or any other caregiver in her life first.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care in Hartford, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

What Should You Do if Your Senior Isn’t a Safe Driver?

Posted in Home Care Services in Hartford AL, Senior Care in Hartford AL |

March 4, 2021

| by

When you first realize that your elderly family member might not be safe behind the wheel of her car, you might be tempted to make some rash decisions. It helps if you stop and think before taking action.

 

Home Care Services in Hartford AL: Safe Driver

Home Care Services in Hartford AL: Safe Driver

 

Make Sure You’re Viewing This from a Safety Standpoint

In some ways, it might be a lot easier for you if your senior couldn’t drive any longer. You might worry less, for instance, and you might know where she is at all times. These aren’t bad reasons, necessarily, but the most important aspect of your senior’s ability to drive is whether it’s safe for her to do so or not. You run the risk of infantilizing her if you approach this from other angles, and that’s not good for either of you.

 

Understand Why This Is Difficult for Your Senior

This conversation is going to be tough, most likely. There are a lot of reasons that it will be complicated, and it’s important that you’re aware of those reasons so that you can help your senior through this. Your elderly family member faces a lot of challenges, especially if her health is not as good as it once was. This is just another area of life in which she’s losing abilities, and that’s not easy to reconcile. Keep that in mind as you talk.

 

Set Aside Some Time for an Honest Talk

This isn’t a conversation that you can have quickly or without both of you being honest with each other. You and your elderly family member need to both have time to explore and to express how you’re feeling and what you think about what’s happening. That might mean that you even revisit the conversation more than once so that you can both get to where you need to be.

 

Ensure Your Senior Has Options

Your elderly family member absolutely needs options with all of this. Just because she’s not able to drive any longer, that doesn’t mean that she should be stuck at home. There are more options available than you and your senior might realize, including the possibility of hiring senior care providers to do the driving for your elderly family member.

Not driving might even be a temporary situation, depending on your senior’s health and other needs. Talk to her about all possible scenarios and help her to find the answers that serve her in the best possible way.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Hartford, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

Is It Just a Cold or RSV?

Posted in Home Care in Headland AL, Homecare in Headland AL |

February 17, 2021

| by

The common cold looks almost identical to a more serious condition called respiratory syncytial virus or RSV, for short.

RSV starts out with typical cold symptoms, especially runny nose, coughing, phlegm, and a low temperature. But, unlike the cold, RSV can progress to pneumonia, congestive heart failure, and even death. Some scientists are saying that RSV is just as dangerous to people over 65 as influenza is.

 

Home Care in Headland AL: Cold or RSV

Home Care in Headland AL: Cold or RSV

 

Yet seniors can be vaccinated against the flu. So far, there is no vaccine for RSV. And the Centers for Disease Control estimate that fourteen thousand people over 65 die because of RSV every year.

 

A Particular Risk For the Elderly

RSV has long been a health problem for the very young. Doctors test babies for RSV if the cold-like symptoms get worse or persist over many days. Of late, scientists and doctors have agreed that RSV represents a danger for people over 65 as well, especially those who have underlying health issues.

Seniors at high risk for RSV complications are those who have:

  • Asthma
  • Heart disease
  • Lung disease
  • A compromised immune system from an auto-immune disorder or use of immunosuppressants.
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

 

Protect Your Senior From Contagion

You can protect your senior from getting RSV through you, by washing your hands before having contact with your senior, cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces in the senior’s home, staying away from sick people, and avoiding contact with your senior if you are sick. If you bring your children to see your parent, be sure that they are not sick, and it’s a good idea to clean and disinfect their toys if your parent is going to handle them while playing with his grandchildren.

Many people recover on their own from RSV. Over-the-counter medications, like decongestants, antihistamines, and NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin and acetaminophen may alleviate pain and congestion.

 

Treatment

If, however, a senior’s symptoms worsen and he struggles to breathe, he will need to go to the hospital. There, treatments include intravenous fluids to keep the patient hydrated, oxygen and other supportive interventions as needed. Because RSV is a virus, antibiotics are not used in treatment.

A hospital setting is the best way to ensure that RSV does not progress to pneumonia; the hospital is also the best place to treat pneumonia when RSV does progress.

Elder care aides can be very helpful in observing the symptoms of a cold. These elder care professionals will let you know if the symptoms worsen or if your parent’s cold now seems to make it difficult to breathe. If called upon to do so, elder care aides can get your parent to the emergency room for treatment.

In conclusion, RSV is a threat to many elderly people, especially those who already have breathing disorders. However, with early detection and hospitalization, it can be successfully treated. The patient has a good chance of making a full recovery. Make sure someone, like a home care provider, is checking on your parent if he or she is living alone, to make sure he or she is maintaining good health.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Headland, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

 

Sources

https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/it-bad-cold-or-rsv

https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/high-risk/older-adults.html

https://www.nfid.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/rsv-report.pdf

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16038573/

Downsizing May Be the Secret to Aging in Place

Posted in Elderly Care in Geneva AL, Home Care Services in Geneva AL |

February 5, 2021

| by

It may come as no surprise that the population of people, age 65 and older, is growing, and will continue to grow. But baby boomers, who are currently entering old age en masse, don’t want to fade away into assisted living facilities.

 

Elderly Care in Geneva AL: Downsizing

Elderly Care in Geneva AL: Downsizing

 

Baby boomers want to age in place. And, if they were previously resistant to the idea of going to a nursing home, the COVID-19 pandemic has solidified that resolution. “Not ending up in that death trap” sums up the feeling of many seniors.

Several writers have noted, however, that the classic two thousand square foot home with a second story and a washing machine in the basement is not the best place to pass your eighties and nineties. And, with medical advancements, there’s a good chance your mom or dad, or both will live that long.

 

Seniors Are Going to Need Help

According to a report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, seventy percent of people alive today are going to need some kind of long-term care once they have passed the age of sixty-five.

Seniors who go to nursing homes should expect to pay six thousand dollars a month or more for what may or may not be life-enhancing or life-prolonging services.

By contrast, home care for seniors is often much more affordable. Many seniors will need help, but possibly only two hours of help a day, starting out. With home care, seniors can opt for exactly the services they need. Perhaps shopping for groceries and doing lawn care has become difficult. With home care, a senior can pay for only those services until she needs more help than that.

Family members often find themselves helping their parents a few hours a week, with laundry, changing light bulbs, and cleaning, for example. However, adult children of seniors have their own jobs and need to prepare for their own retirements. Ideally, a parent or grandparent does not become a full-time job that hurts you financially.

 

Downsizing Makes Aging in Place More Affordable

If your mother still lives in the three-bedroom, two-bath home in which she raised you and your siblings, it could be a good time to discuss downsizing. You can reduce the amount of help a senior needs and minimize her fall risks by helping her move into a smaller home in a convenient location.

A smaller home is less space to clean, which means less maintenance that has to be provided by family or professionals. Utility bills, taxes, and homeowner’s insurance will all be lower on a smaller house.

Condominiums in buildings with elevators can be a good choice. Smaller, single-family homes with few or no stairs can also make a huge difference in mom’s ability to age in place.

 

Things to look for in a smaller home

In addition to obvious things like stairs and other fall risks, homes that feature the following will make it easier for seniors to age in place:

  • Easy access to parking if your senior still drives a car.
  • Safe, walk-in shower or bath with no stairs or dividers that are going to cause trips and falls.
  • Small, but efficient kitchen with built-in microwave and dishwasher.
  • Vinyl or cork floors. The texture is good for deterring falls.
  • Wheelchair compliant sidewalks and easements if your loved one is in a wheelchair.
  • Good location near family members who are providing care, near groceries, pharmacy, and perhaps a senior center.
  • Minimal yard. Rubber mulch instead of grass will make lawn care less of a headache.
  • Combination washer and dryer.

In conclusion, seniors want to age in place, and their adult children want that for them while also keeping them safe. Downsizing is a compromise that parents and children may be able to achieve with tactful conversations. Many seniors enjoy the benefits of a small, efficient home, and such homes make it easier to help and to afford hired help.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Geneva, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

 

Sources

https://www.forbes.com/

https://aspe.hhs.gov/

https://www.seniorliving.org/

https://www.nytimes.com/

Coping With A Paranoid Parent

Posted in Elderly Care in Enterprise AL, Home Care Services in Enterprise AL |

January 21, 2021

| by

It’s perfectly normal to be mistrustful of some people, some of the time. But what do you do if a beloved parent no longer trusts you? What do you do if he thinks his neighbors of twenty years are trying to poison him?

This sounds like a worst-case scenario, and it is. Unfortunately, a percentage of people over 65 do develop signs of psychosis, which may include delusions and paranoia. And this can occur even if a parent has no history of mental illness.

 

Elderly Care in Enterprise AL: Coping with paranoia

Elderly Care in Enterprise AL: Coping With Paranoia

 

Unfortunately, science understands very little about how or why psychosis can turn up, for the very first time, in someone who is very old. What we do know is that there are definite aggravating circumstances such as:

  • Social isolation. It’s been said before, but social isolation is very dangerous for people over 65. Being too alone for too long can lead to paranoia, psychosis, and dementia.
  • Untreated hearing or vision loss. Being unable to see and hear what people are saying makes older people afraid and vulnerable. This can lead down the path of paranoia and delusions.
  • Brain deterioration, especially in the frontal and temporal brain lobes.

 

Rule out treatable causes

Make sure that it’s paranoia and not the truth. Old people do get taken advantage of in many ways, via mail fraud, telephone sales fraud, door to door sales fraud, etc. Look into the accusation to determine if your parent really did get abused or cheated.

A brain tumor can cause what looks like symptoms of mental illness, so a biological source needs to be ruled out. Similarly, symptoms of psychosis can coincide with Parkinson’s disease. And delusions can even be a side effect of certain medications. Paranoia and delusions are often symptoms of dementia, so an accurate diagnosis is critical.

 

How to cope in the moment

  • Don’t contradict or try to logic them out of it. Delusions do not respond to logic, so trying to prove that a parent is wrong is not the way to go.
  • Play along. This is perhaps the hardest thing for adult children to do. But, yes, at the point that a beloved parent is imagining things, you may have to just lie to them. This means pretending to live in the world of their delusions. Otherwise, they may turn their mistrust on you.
  • Don’t take accusations seriously. If a parent is accusing others of stealing or taking advantage of him, it’s likely that, at some point, he will accuse you of something similar.
  • Empathize with their fear. Say things like, “I’m scared too. Yes, that was very frightening.”
  • Offer to help look for lost items.
  • Create a distraction. Fortunately, it might be fairly easy to say, “Okay, we’ll discuss that later (or we’ll look for your hearing aids later). Would you like to make some hot chocolate?”
  • Ask for help. This might sound like, “I really need your help with something. Could you remind me how to bake a chicken?”
  • Hire home care. Dealing with a delusional and/or paranoid parent is extremely tiring. If at all possible, you must share the load. Hiring home care is the best and most obvious choice for many families. Home care aides have specific training and experience in dealing effectively with paranoid and delusional clients.

In conclusion, parents can become severely paranoid and delusional with little warning. It’s important not to neglect your own care and well being in trying to help them. This may not be a job you can do alone. If you have not hired home care, this would be a great time to consider it.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Enterprise, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

 

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

https://www.nia.nih.gov/

https://www.tn-elderlaw.com/

Why Are Falls So Scary for Seniors?

Posted in Elderly Care in Abbeville AL, Home Care Services in Abbeville AL |

January 5, 2021

| by

Falls can be absolutely terrifying for older adults for a great many reasons. Even a “small” fall can change much of your senior’s life as she currently knows it. Doing what you can as her family caregiver to help your elderly family member to avoid a fall is incredibly important.

 

Home Care Services in Abbeville AL: Why Are Falls So Scary

Home Care Services in Abbeville AL: Why Are Falls So Scary

 

Injuries and Long-term Effects of Injuries

Falls are a major cause of injuries in older adults, and often those injuries have long-term impacts. According to the CDC, one out of every five falls causes broken bones or an injury to the head. That can mean that even a seemingly small fall causes your elderly family member to have to spend time in the hospital or worse, have surgery. The recovery time from a fall can take a very long time and that can exacerbate other health issues your senior is already facing.

 

Anxiety and Fear

Whether your elderly family member has fallen already or not, she can have significant anxiety and fear around falling. For many older adults, the fear of falling alone is enough to cause your senior to avoid moving as much as she did in the past. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as your elderly family member loses mobility and muscle tone, ironically making a fall more likely for her.

 

Social Isolation

If your elderly family member becomes fearful enough about her mobility and about falling, she may even start to avoid social interactions. As she spends more time at home, she may find that isolation starts to lead to other issues, like developing depression. Being able to interact with others is important for your elderly family member, so cutting off that contact has serious consequences for her.

 

Losing Independence

Your senior may worry that all of these reasons can cause her to be forced to move from her home or to lose her independence in a variety of ways. If your elderly family member’s main goal as she ages is to continue to do so on her own terms and in her own home, this can be a devastating fear for her. After an injury, your elderly family member may worry that her only option is a nursing home.

Hiring elderly care providers to be there with your senior can alleviate a lot of the fear she has around possibly falling. This can enable her to stay more active, offers her companionship, and shows her that she can still be independent, even with help.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Abbeville, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

Visits with Someone Who Has Dementia

Posted in Elder Care in Daleville AL, Elderly Care in Daleville AL |

December 18, 2020

| by

During and after the holidays, you may have a lot on your plate. While things can be good and exciting, you still have to ensure that everyone is all set.

If you have someone in your life that has dementia, you can help to make visits with them easier, as well. Here are some of the tips that can help to improve visits with someone that has dementia.

 

Home Care Dothan AL

Planning Just Enough

One of the things that you need to do is to plan for the holiday visits with your elderly loved one that has dementia. With this being said, you don’t want to make plans too strict. You should sit down and talk to all the family caregivers and senior care providers that your elderly loved one has. Make sure everyone is in agreement about when others can visit. For instance, if your elderly loved one has other family members, friends, or neighbors that like to visit them for the holidays, make a schedule for when these people can come over. Having too many people over at once could overwhelm your elderly loved one. Do your best to make sure that the environment will be calm for your loved one when people are over, too.

 

Maintaining Routines and Staying Calm

Around the holidays, your elderly loved one is likely to become stressed, especially if there is a lot of chaos. For example, people who have dementia don’t usually do well if their day is all over the place. You should work with their senior care providers and other family caregivers to ensure your elderly loved one has routines. Everyone who is involved in their care should help your elderly loved one to follow these routines. If things do happen to fall off the plan or routine, be sure to stay calm. The more upset or frustrated you or others get, the more this will negatively impact your elderly loved one’s holiday.

 

Building On Traditions

Your elderly loved one likely has traditions they cherish. They have memories from past holidays, as well. One of the mistakes that many family caregivers make is assuming that because their loved one with dementia has memory loss, that they can’t remember their traditions. However, there might be things that your elderly loved one remembers. If this is the case, do your best to help keep these traditions alive. In addition, if your elderly loved one wants to tell you things they remember from holidays in the past, let them do this. It might be good for them to reminisce on the good times they can remember.

 

Conclusion

These are some of the ways that you can make holiday visits better for your elderly loved one that has dementia. This disease is difficult enough. You should do everything you can to ensure your elderly loved one can still have great holidays for as long as possible.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Daleville, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

 

Sources

https://www.nia.nih.gov/

What Are the Key Indicators That Elder Care is Needed?

Posted in Elder Care in Abbeville AL, Home Health Care in Abbeville AL |

December 3, 2020

| by

Pew Research reports that almost 3 out of 10 older adults live alone.
Some live with a spouse or significant other, but there are older adults who share their home with no one else. If something happens, how soon would anyone know?

Elder care services are a supportive way to help older adults age at home. It does pose questions. How are families supposed to know when their parents need elder care? These are the signs families should look for.

 

Home Health Care in Abbeville AL: Elder Care Need Indicators

Home Health Care in Abbeville AL: Elder Care Need Indicators

 

A Messy Home

As mobility and strength change, keeping a house clean and organized becomes harder. Piles of laundry build up because the laundry room is not easily accessible. Stairs are covered in pet fur and dust because it’s hard to vacuum while also carrying the unit up and down the stairs.

An older adult may grow tired of scrubbing a bathtub and let the stains and mildew build up. Keeping a fridge clean and organized may be too hard, so items that are expired remain in place create foul odors.

 

Loneliness

Living alone can be lonely. Someone may be fine for a week and suddenly want to see others. Aging adds to this as people move to new locations after retirement. Some seek a warmer climate, others want to be closer to grandchildren. Some move to new countries for a lower cost of living or cultural experience.

As friends move away, older adults find their social circle shrinks. Soon, there is no one left to socialize with. That impacts health and happiness. Finding new companions is essential. Elder care companionship services make sure seniors have people to talk to.

 

Forgotten Medications

Many older adults are taking at least one prescription medication each day. Some take multiple medications. Add over-the-counter vitamins and supplements to that. It can be hard to keep track of.
A skipped dose every now and then can be detrimental.

 

Isolation

Living alone is isolating. Some do better than others, but you’re still alone. Those who live in a remote area can feel especially isolated. If they no longer drive, it’s worse.

Elder care aides can drive their clients to stores or simply take them on a scenic drive for a change of pace. Transportation services also cover trips to appointments and area stores for grocery shopping and other necessary purchases.

Make arrangements for elder care by picking up the phone. Call a specialist, ask about the range of available services, and decide which help the most when it comes to aging at home.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Abbeville, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

 

Sources:

https://www.pewresearch.org

What Families and Caregivers Should Know about Hospital Discharge Planning

Posted in Home Care in Daleville AL, Home Health Care in Daleville AL |

November 20, 2020

| by

When a senior loved one is admitted to a hospital after an unexpected illness or injury, their families often feel overwhelmed, confused and uncertain how to proceed. Proper planning and communication with the medical team can make all the difference in how smoothly the transition home goes, and the senior’s recovery. Understanding the basic discharge planning process can make this step less intimidating and more successful.

 

Home Health Care in Daleville AL: Hospital Discharge Planning

Home Health Care in Daleville AL: Hospital Discharge Planning

 

Discharge Planning

Discharge planning is a process, defined by Medicare, to determine what a patient needs to smoothly and successfully transition from the hospital back to their home or to another level of care, such as a rehabilitation facility.

The exact process of discharge planning varies from one hospital to the next, but it generally includes the same key features:

  • Evaluation of the patient’s needs
  • Discussion with the patient or representative
  • Determination of any additional support or caregiver training that may be needed
  • Referral to supportive services, such as home care
  • Arrangements for follow-up appointments
  • Planning transportation or other specific steps to get the person home, or to the next facility

 

Patient, Family and Caregiver Discussion

It’s important to be fully present and attentive during the discussion portion of the planning process. This is easier said than done! The entire hospitalization can be stressful, confusing and overwhelming. It may be hard to imagine what life really will be like upon returning home.

Remember to take your time, take notes, and ask lots of questions. Do your best to communicate your situation as fully as possible during this process. Resist any temptation to overestimate what you can do for your loved one. Only then can the medical team accommodate your actual needs, and set you and your loved one up for the best chance of success.

The discussion will include your loved one’s physical needs, both what they were prior to the hospitalization, and what they are likely to be afterward. Your loved one may need physical therapy or new equipment such as a wheelchair or bedside commode. They may need oxygen or other medical treatments. A good discharge planning discussion will include consideration for who will take care of these needs, but also who will be handling other daily needs, such as transportation, cooking and daily chores.

Family caregivers can easily become overwhelmed and exhausted — both mentally and physically — when they try to handle all the daily needs of the household, their loved one and themselves.

Often, family caregivers are urged to hire assistance so that they don’t become overwhelmed. Overwhelm can lead to a number of poor outcomes, including:

  • Trouble with the caregiver’s own health
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Less than ideal recovery
  • Physical complications
  • Challenges with the patient’s or caregiver’s mental or emotional health

Home care services are a popular choice for support because they offer an array of services customized to each individual families’ needs and preferences. Home care aides can come on a customized schedule and perform tasks including:

  • Laundry, dishes or light housework
  • Meal preparation
  • Transportation
  • Shopping or errands
  • Personal care, such as bathing, dressing and assisting with using the toilet
  • Mobility assistance, such as using a wheelchair, walker or safely moving from one chair to another
  • Companionship

These types of services help family caregivers conserve energy and can assist the senior to experience a smooth and successful recovery in the comfort of their own home.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Daleville, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

 

Sources

https://www.caregiver.org/