If your senior loved one is facing a hospital stay or procedure, planning for safe transitional care following discharge is critical.
Depending on the nature and severity of the illness or surgery, a patient may need to go to a skilled nursing facility for continued medical treatment, a rehab facility for physical rehabilitation or home care for rest and recovery.
If returning to the comfort of home, supportive transitional care can help prevent health complications and hospital readmissions. In fact, patients that receive transitional care are 1.7 times less likely to be readmitted to the hospital. Professional caregivers can also help the patient adapt to new challenges.
Questions to ask regarding in-home health care
Research shows that a successful discharge from a hospital to home requires honest communication between clinicians, patients and their families. Everyone needs to understand what is required to recover at home, including:
- Level of care. Can family members manage what’s needed or would home care be a better choice? Is care needed around-the-clock?
- Type of care. Will the patient need physical therapy? What kinds of exercises need to be done and are family members capable of overseeing the exercises? How should family or caregivers take care of wounds or incisions? Will the patient need help with Activities of Daily Living such as eating, bathing or going to the bathroom?
- Tools for recovery. Will the patient need equipment, such as crutches or oxygen? What medications does the patient need to take, how much/how often should they be taken and what are the potential side effects?
- Things to avoid. Are there foods or beverages the patient needs to avoid? What about activities, such as driving, lifting or climbing stairs?
- Safety. Do adjustments need to be made to the home environment to prevent falls or help with daily activities? How will the patient get to follow-up appointments in a safe and timely manner? Will they require assistance getting in and out of vehicles?
In-home senior care near you
If you’ve decided that in-home services could help your loved one you may be wondering, “How can I find qualified Atlanta caregivers who are knowledgeable about transitional care?” We welcome you to learn more about Kadan Homecare’s transitional care program which includes:
- Help with discharge planning and coordination of care with health providers
- Transportation between care settings, such as moving the patient from hospital to home
- Home follow-up, including monitoring vital signs, medication review and oversight, nutrition oversight and transportation to medical appointments
- Assistance with physical activities and gentle exercises that increase mobility. Transition care specialists can also help families learn to use devices and equipment.
Hospitalization can be stressful and difficult for seniors and their families, but there’s no reason to go through it alone. Kadan Homecare would be pleased to create a personalized transitional care plan for your loved one that gives him or her the best possible chance for stabilization and full recovery. Contact us for a complimentary in-home evaluation at 770-396-8997.
