Health
How to Make the Transition from Hospital to Home Successful
August 30, 2022
Most hospital patients aren’t fully recovered when they leave — especially after surgery or a complex procedure. Although having them back at home is comforting and relieving, the transition period can be overwhelming. Your loved one’s recovery from hospital discharge to home is crucial, but they will need to adjust to certain factors such as environment, people, and routine.
As a result, you and your family need to understand and prepare ahead of time. Here are some tips that will help you or your loved have a successful post-surgery recovery.
Make sure you understand the hospital discharge process
As the expert on your loved one, you play a crucial role in their post-surgery care. Make sure to be prepared and do some research beforehand, finding this article means you are on the right track! Understanding why your loved one was hospitalized can also help you understand what symptoms to look out for once you are home, along with what to expect in the future. When your loved one is given his or her discharge paperwork, review the summary and make sure you don’t have additional questions. Be sure to meet with the discharge planners during the discharge process. Discharge planners are dedicated professionals who help hospitals plan for a safe discharge.
Understand the medication, symptoms and side effects
Having a clear understanding of how long it will take for symptoms to improve, what types of setbacks are typical, and when you should reengage medical attention is crucial. To be able to take good care of yourself or your loved one–properly and accurately, you need to be aware and understand every single detail in regards to their medication. This can be considered the most important factor to keep in mind when you get to bring your loved one back home.
Ensure your loved one’s space is well prepared and comfortable before they arrive
Hospitals are known to be clean, well-sanitized, and comfortable. It will be much easier for you or your loved one to adjust if the surroundings are similar. Before your loved one heads home, make any necessary changes, so you will feel more prepared and the house will seem calmer. A clean and comfortable environment will help your loved one recover physically and emotionally.
Be ready to provide extra care or need extra care
When someone has been hospitalized, you can always assume that they will need extra assistance and supervision following their discharge. Even in the best-case scenario, older adults usually require time and patience to return to their routine. If you are welcoming a family member to your home, make sure that anyone else living with you is ready for new adjustments and willing to help out.
If your loved one usually lives alone, plan on having someone stay with him or her for at least the first week. If you need help finding someone, contact us today to find a post-hospital caregiver that fits you or your loved one.
Look for a post-operative caregiver if you are not sure you can do it alone
In order to take proper care of your loved one, you must consider looking for a reliable caregiver. This will help you make things easier and more comfortable for your loved one. Some doctors recommend families to look for professional caregivers especially when the family has no medical background. Just Like Family Home Care has nurses available to offer superior care directly in your home or temporary accommodation setting. Our flexible hours are designed to meet the needs of our clients following surgery, as we understand how difficult it may be to anticipate how much care you may require. To learn more about daily care, extended hours, and post-operative care, click here.
Make sure to arrange a follow-up check up with a primary-care doctor
To make sure the transition and recovery process is going well and smoothly, it is recommended to set an appointment with a doctor after a couple weeks of staying at home. In this case, you will be aware if you or your loved one is in need of treatment or extra medication or if they are doing pretty well.
Taking home a former hospital patient might be challenging at first. Surgery is a major decision that requires a lot of research and planning. Post-operative care is just as important. Just Like Family is tailored to those who are seeking the best in nursing care and know the peace of mind that comes with having assistance following surgery.
Chronic Pain Assistance at Home: Helping Seniors Manage Pain
December 13, 2021
Did you know it’s estimated that 20.4% of adults in the United States live with chronic pain? Managing chronic pain on your own can be difficult enough, but it’s even trickier for people trying to assist in pain management for their elderly loved ones.
Chronic pain in older adults is a serious issue, but it’s one that doesn’t get a lot of attention. Chronic pain assistance at home is possible for your beloved seniors, you just have to know the right ways to handle it.
If you’re interested in the best pain control for seniors, we have some tips that can help ensure that your loved one is getting the help that they need.
Keep a Journal
You and your loved one won’t have trouble remembering tomorrow just how bad today’s pain was. Unfortunately, your memory when you visit the doctor in 3 weeks may not be as sharp.
For doctors to treat chronic pain, they need as much information about what’s happening as possible. Get in the habit of keeping a health journal that helps answer all of the doctor’s most pressing questions.
When you’re writing a health journal there’s no such thing as being too detailed. You can include nearly anything you want in yours, but be sure that you cover a few important areas:
- Time of day pain occurs
- Diet and exercise routine
- Current and past prescribed medications
- Time of day medication is taken
- Severity of pain
Stay in the Know
Get out of the habit of just organizing and giving out medication if you want to be an effective caretaker for your loved one. Take the time to educate yourself on what each medication is for and how it could affect them.
When you have a complete understanding of everything your loved one takes and how they’re meant to work, you’re able to make better-informed health care choices.
People tend to mistakenly believe that doctors are in constant communication with each other about their patients. Most of the time, doctors won’t know if any major change has occurred unless they hear it from the patients themselves.
See Signs of Pain
Pain doesn’t look or feel the same way for everyone. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your loved one is going to experience pain the same way each time.
Sometimes pain can be quick and come on in an intense sharp feeling. Other times it can feel like a dull ache that comes and goes. It’s even possible that your loved one may not be experiencing “pain”, but may have other signs that show their pain is getting worse like tingling or numbness.
Your loved one may try to hide how much pain they’re in. They may not want to concern you and be worried about putting on a brave face for their friends and family.
Look for signs of discomfort in your loved one. Heavy or shallow breathing, frequent movement or readjusting in a sitting position, or small sounds like whimpers and grunts can be a sign that they’re in pain.
Don’t be afraid to ask your loved one how they’re feeling if you see signs of pain. Once they see that you notice how they’re acting they may feel comfortable being honest about how they’re feeling.
Don’t Ignore Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can play an important role in healing from injuries and managing chronic pain. Despite its importance, it can often be one of the first things patients tend to ignore.
Since patients are in pain they’re reluctant to do any physical work, even though it plays an important role in healing. Others may not want to travel to physical therapy centers or could worry about the cost of treatments.
Talk to your loved one’s doctor about physical therapy exercises that can be done at home. Making sure your loved one is doing the right exercises at home can help keep them happy and healthy.
Remember, it’s okay to try new forms of physical therapy if your loved one doesn’t like the routine they already have. Yoga, swimming, and even walking can be helpful physical therapy.
Think About Pain Management Alternatives
People tend to look at medication and alternative pain management as an either/or situation. The truth is that both methods should be used together. Using both together can lead to much better outcomes than using one or the other.
Talk to your loved one and their doctor about alternative pain management techniques. Chiropractors, acupuncture, meditation, and other stress-reduction techniques can do wonders for pain management.
Also, be sure to talk to a doctor about the best way to weave alternative pain management into their medication regiment. They may recommend that you change the time your loved one takes medication or could adjust the dosage.
Chronic Pain Assistance at Home the Right Way
When you’re looking for ways to manage chronic pain assistance at home, staying organized and in the know is important. Tracking symptoms, staying active, and identifying signs of trouble all play a critical role in managing pain.
Managing chronic pain can be a lot for patients and their loved ones to handle. Don’t hesitate to bring in outside help if you think you could benefit from it. Home health aides can help your loved one with taking medication, doing physical therapy, and more.
Do you want to find home health help for your loved one? Are you wondering if home help is right for you? Do you have other questions about pain management in seniors? Contact our reps so we can answer all of your important senior health questions.
Boost Immune System Health in Elderly Seniors
November 1, 2021
As we age, our immune response capability becomes reduced, making us prone to more infections and life-threatening diseases. Respiratory infections, including, influenza, COVID-19 and pneumonia are a leading cause of death in people over 65. It is extremely important, now more than ever, to protect and boost our immune system by choosing a healthy lifestyle. Schedule a yearly checkup and speak to your doctor about different supplements and habits to keep a strong immune system. Every part of our body, including our immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and strengthen by healthy-living habits.
We’ve put together a few habitual tips to help us naturally keep our immune system working properly:
1. Be active every day
Physical activity is an immune system booster. The more you move, the more your body is able to fight inflammation and infections. Fresh air and sunshine can go a long way, put on your shoes and head out for a walk. At-home workouts are effective too. Read our blog post about effective at-home workouts to learn more.
2. Eat a well-balanced diet
There appears to be a connection between nutrition and immunity in the elderly. Seniors tend to eat less and often have less variety in their diets. Eating essential vitamins and trace minerals boosts our immune system. Brightly colored foods are full of antioxidants that improve health and keep our system strong. Consuming foods that contain probiotic bacteria such as yogurt, certain milks and cheeses, are reported to enhance the immune system as well.
3. Get adequate sleep
Not only can sleep reduce our stress levels, but sleep is how our body repairs itself. When we are running on a little or no sleep our systems tend to weaken, impacting our overall health. Sleep is also important as we get older because it can improve memory and concentration. Aim for at least seven and a half to nine hours of sleep per night.
4. Reduce Stress
Chronic stress increases our body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol. Too much cortisol can disrupt different functions in your body, weakening our system with time. To reduce stress, increase physical and social activities, get plenty of sleep, explore relaxing and meditating. Learn more about senior anxiety and stress here.
5. Take steps to avoid infection
Wash your hands frequently and cook meats thoroughly. The most effective steps individuals can take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses is to keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others, open windows to improve ventilation, avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces, cough or sneeze into a bent elbow or tissue, and consider getting vaccinated.
If you are ready to incorporate these habits and will love some support, Just Like Family Home Care’s recommended services in Lee County and Collier County will help you stay engaged and healthy. Allow caregivers to accompany and drive you or your loved one to the grocery store, a doctor’s appointment, go for a walk, or a social event. Caregivers can also engage with clients through mentally stimulating board games, cards, or puzzles. Learn more about our services here.