Once your senior is ready to leave the hospital, it’s your job as her caregiver to do what you can to keep her at home instead of heading right back. Here’s how you can do that without hovering over your elderly family member too much.
The Discharge Instructions Are Really Important
The most important thing to pay attention to when your senior is released from the hospital is what the discharge instructions tell you. This paperwork gives you detailed information about what your senior needs to know and do in order to take care of herself at home. She may also have follow-up appointments, too, and these are often included in this paperwork. Remember to ask questions if anything doesn’t make sense so that you can get the answers you need.
She May Need Help Finding Things to Keep Her from Feeling Bored
If your elderly family member is on bed rest or if she needs more time to recover when she gets home, she might find herself getting bored. This is especially true if she’s got some limitations on her activity levels. Take some time and line up some activities and boredom busters that she might enjoy while she’s a little under the weather.
Visitors Might Be a Good Answer, Too
If your elderly family member can have visitors, then you might want to set up a schedule for them. Everyone might sign up for a time slot on a shared calendar, for instance. That gives you a chance to control the flow of visitors and ensure that your senior has some time for herself and time to rest, while still being as social as she wants to be. If she’s not able to have visitors yet, make sure you let folks know that so that they don’t stop by unannounced.
Senior Care Providers Can Be Invaluable
Not everyone can be there for a family member as much as they want to be after a hospital stay. If that describes your situation, then senior care providers are the answer. They can take care of your senior’s needs and ensure that she’s got company while she recovers. They can be instrumental in making sure that she’s following the discharge instructions to the letter, too.
It’s not always fun being in the hospital, so doing what you can to make sure your senior doesn’t have to go back too soon is vital.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING SENIOR CARE IN ZEBULON, NC, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT SENIORS HELPING SENIORS TODAY. CALL (919) 761-5346.