If you have an elderly loved one who has been in the hospital for at least a week or so, getting them to come home safely from the hospital is important. During this transition, your loved one needs to be careful. They need to make sure they don’t end up back in the hospital. According to NCBI, ⅕ of the seniors will end up being re-hospitalized in the 30 days after they are discharged. There are some ways that you and your loved one’s caregivers can make the transition back home smoother.
Managing Medications
One of the most important things that you can do when your loved one comes home from the hospital is to manage their medications. Many elderly adults who come home from the hospital are put on multiple medications. It is difficult for them to remember all the medications they are put on, when to take them, or how much they need to be taking. You and their caregivers can keep track of these medications and make sure they are taking them as prescribed. This way your loved one doesn’t overuse or underuse the medication and end up back in the hospital.
Keeping All Appointments
After leaving the hospital, it is very likely that your loved one’s doctors will want them to have follow-up appointments. Be sure that your elderly loved one keeps all these appointments. They might need to have bloodwork drawn up again to test certain things. Their doctor might need to see how many medications they were given are working. In addition, if something is not going well, your loved one’s doctor needs to see them, so they can make the necessary adjustments to their treatment plan.
Have the Essentials at Home
When your elderly loved one leaves the hospital, you also need to make sure that you have all the essentials they will need at home. You should make sure they have all the medical equipment they need such as oxygen, a walker, a sleep apnea machine, or whatever else it is that they need. You should also make sure you have dressings or bandages if these are things that need to be changed often.
Proper Expectations
Another way to make sure the transition home from the hospital for your elderly loved one goes smoothly is by having proper expectations. If you and your loved one know what to expect with their recovery process and know when a problem is arising, things can go much better once your loved one is home.
These are some of the ways you can help your elderly loved one to come home safely from the hospital. No matter how long your loved one was in the hospital, you always want to know how to keep them safe in the days and months following their stay at the hospital.
If you or a loved one are looking for an experienced Caregiver in Manassas, VA, contact SenCura at 703-880-2547. Providing in-home senior care in Northern Virginia.