Senior Care News

Five Challenges Seniors Face When Coming Home from the Hospital

Hospital to Home Transition Care in Lincoln NE
Hospital to Home Transition Care in Lincoln NE

Transitioning home can be a challenging time for your loved one. A general rule of thumb is that it takes one week to recover for each day you spend in the hospital. Other reasons that the transition home is difficult: the bathroom is further away, the bed and furniture are lower, difficulties moving on carpet, they need to do more activities on their own that the facility had been doing for them (like showering), there is an increase in confusion, there are medication adjustments, and they have loss strength from each day of hospitalization.

An increased level of care and safety is often needed, this makes transitioning home more unpredictable. Our hospital to home transition care can support  families, by providing a plan that might include home preparation, bathing, dressing, transferring assistance, medication reminders, meal preparation, light housekeeping, transportation, and safety supervision. These are just a few of the services that we can provide during these transitions. This will help ensure the best possible outcome and reduces the chance of a preventable re-hospitalization.  Healthcare team follow-up provided to confirm safety and health, and the availability of adequate supplies and medication in the home. 

Communication Breakdowns

Communication breakdowns are bound to happen when there are a variety of different healthcare providers, therapists, social workers, and other important specialists involved.

Families are overwhelmed with all the different appointments and visitors, they need  a service manager or care manager to coordinate the entire care team and keep everyone on the same page.  Hospital to home transition care helps to streamline communication, making sure that loved ones have the support they need to continue to recover at home successfully.

Resources needed in the home

Our team does a free home safety evaluation prior to your discharge  so that we can make sure everything gets done when you need it, that includes arranging needed medical supplies and equipment. This may include recommending safety adaptations or modifications in the bathroom such as needed grab bars, toilet risers, shower chairs, handrails, etc.

Medication Management Troubles

Managing medication can  be a problem for loved ones, especially after a trip to the hospital. There are new medications and changes to existing medications. Allowing help with managing medication correctly is a critical part of helping loved ones get home and stay home (hospital readmission prevention).

Follow-up Care and Therapy

Follow-up care, including appointments and therapy sessions, are also essential parts of the recovery puzzle. Our loved ones may not have the ability to drive to appointments, for instance, making it difficult to get to appointments and get the therapies that they need. Hospital to home transition care can make it easier to access tools like home health rehab with therapy that comes to you. They can also support recovery with a daily restorative home exercise program that your caregivers will do with you daily. This support will keep you out of the hospital or nursing home for as long as possible.

Caregiver Stress

Hospital stays aren’t just stressful for your loved one.  They can also wear on family caregivers, causing them to experience more stress than usual.  Loved ones typically have increased care needs, and that can feel like a situation that is beyond what family caregivers can handle. Hospital to home transition care providers can help families get the support and tools they need at the time they need it most.

Our loved ones need proactive support when they’re coming home from the hospital. It’s vital that this support is planned before they come home for a successful recovery.  Hospital to home transition care gives them the continuum of care as they need it with options of 24/7 care upon a discharge then reduced down to a few hours a day as they become more independent.

If your loved one is considering hospital to home transition care in Lincoln, NE, please contact the caring staff at Home Care Partners today at (402) 780-1211.

Home Care Partners is a top provider of care management services in Lincoln, NE and Lancaster County.

Home Care Partners Staff

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