Imagine this happening: your frail, senior mother, who lives alone, fell last weekend, broke her thighbone and forearm, and is currently being released from the hospital. While quickly scanning through her release paperwork before you leave the hospital, you begin to feel overwhelmed by the to-do lists of picking up medications, scheduling and taking her to physical therapy, scheduling and taking her to a medical follow-up in a few weeks, and a long list of symptoms to be aware of that could mean another return to the hospital.
With a full-time job and family of your own to care for, is it possible to make sure she adheres to her home care recovery plan and is kept safe from an additional fall? Nowadays, family members are more often accepting the role of home caregiver for their senior loved ones – as many as 44 million and up, according to the AARP. Also, consider that after a hospitalization, the amount of home care provided often needs to be increased to ensure safety and prevent a return hospital stay. The following tips can help family caregivers keep their loved ones safe and assist in the recovery process at home:
- Find more information. Be sure to ask your family member’s medical team whatever amount of questions necessary to help you better understand how to provide excellent care, including who to call for help and warning signs to watch for that could indicate a potential problem.
- Keep your own care in mind as well. Providing home care for a loved one can be very stressful, and can take an emotional and physical toll on caregivers. Be sure to get plenty of rest, take time for relaxing and enjoyable activities, and eat a balanced diet.
- Connect with others. Family members often feel the need to manage a loved one’s home care needs alone, but it’s in everyone’s best interest to have a list of resources on hand to help: friends, extended family, neighbors, even a caregiving support group.
Think about Heaven at Home Senior Care when considering care needs. We would welcome the opportunity to keep your loved ones safe and to make sure they’re recovering and thriving following a hospitalization. We’ll be there when you need us, and look forward to serving as an essential component of your care team. Call us today at (866) 381-0500.