When it comes to taking care of older loved ones, you may have heard the terms ‘transitional care’ and ‘respite care.’ Both types of elder care involve short term assistance and are beneficial to older people and their families, but in different ways.
What is Transitional Care?
Transitional care helps someone who has been in the hospital or had surgery to continue healing after they return home. If your senior loved one is facing a hospital stay or procedure, planning for safe transitional care following discharge is critical, especially if they are receiving home care for rest and recovery instead of going to skilled nursing or rehabilitation.
One study found that nearly 20% of patients experience adverse events within three weeks of discharge, most of which were preventable. Supportive transitional care can help prevent negative outcomes. Medicare beneficiaries who receive transitional care following a short-term acute care hospital stay are less likely to be readmitted to the hospital, and studies have found significantly reduced costs and mortality in the month after transitional care was provided.
How is Transitional Care Different from Respite Care?
Respite care aims to provide temporary relief for family caregivers who are assisting the senior with their healthcare needs at home. There could be some overlap between transitional care and respite care; when a senior arrives home from the hospital, family members often take on the task of caregiving while the patient heals and adapts to a new routine. However, caregiver burnout is common as family members try to both care for the loved one and take care of their own needs. Respite care is beneficial not only for family caregivers whose loved one has been in the hospital; it can provide relief for families coping with a dementia diagnosis and other chronic illnesses.
In-Home Support for Transitional and Respite Care
If you recognize the need to find a qualified caregiver in the Atlanta area to provide transitional care or respite care, Kadan Homecare offers:
- Help with discharge planning and coordination of care with health providers following a hospital stay.
- Transportation between care settings, such as moving the patient from hospital to home or going to medical appointments.
- Home follow-up, including monitoring vital signs, medication oversight, help using devices and equipment and nutrition oversight.
- Help with light housekeeping, preparing nutritious meals and errands.
- Assistance with physical activities and gentle exercises that increase mobility.
Kadan Homecare would be pleased to create a personalized care plan for your family that improves the quality of life for your loved one and alleviates stress on family caregivers. Contact us for a complimentary in-home evaluation at 770-396-8997.
