Ready To Bring Your Loved One Home From The Hospital? 3 Ways To Keep Them Comfortable While They Recover
The past few weeks have been rough, but your loved one has shown their inner strength. Now that they are returning home, you know the importance of making sure that they have everything in place to avoid a secondary injury or infection. As you begin to prep their home, use these strategies to ensure their comfort while putting everything in place that they need to heal.
Understand What They Need During Recovery
A common mistake many family members make when they are bringing someone home from the hospital is thinking that they can do everything themselves. While it is natural to want to do all that you can for your loved one, you may find that things such as wound care or medication management are too much to do alone. This is especially true if your loved one will require lifting to get them from one place to another. Talk to your loved one's medical team about what will be required for their after care. Then, arrange for in home nursing care to help with the tasks that are too difficult to do alone.
Set Up a Recovery Room
During your loved one's recovery, it is best for them to have a designated area where they can rest comfortably. Ideally, this area should be located near a sink and restroom. If you have arranged for 24 hour live in care, then the room should be accessible to the area where their caregiver will be staying. Once you have decided upon a recovery room, set it up to allow your loved one the greatest amount of independence. For instance, you may set a night table nearby where they can reach a phone or tissues.
Develop a Communication Plan With Other Caregivers
Once you have arranged for 24 hour home care, you will need to meet with your loved one's caregiver and develop a communication plan. This plan simply lets you know how your loved one is doing so that you can adjust their current care plan as needed. For instance, your loved one's professional caregiver may recommend ways to promote independence as they begin to feel better. Typically, care journals, phone calls and emails are used to maintain continuity of care.
Over the next few weeks, your loved one will need a lot of support. By understanding the full scope of their after care instructions and arranging for help, you can make sure that everything is in place for them to have a safe and comfortable recovery. For more information, contact a service such as Baywood Home Care.
