what should a home care provider really be doing?

what should a home care provider really be doing?

Hospital Homecoming: 4 Tips For A Safe Recovery

Adrian Cano

After returning home from the hospital, your loved one will need a safe environment for a healthy recovery. For this reason, it is important to keep in mind that they will most likely be experiencing fatigue, medication side effects, and a decreased range of motion, which could lead to accidents that interfere with healing. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to set up their home environment that will have a positive impact upon their recovery.

Plan for Meals

Nutrition is important for healing, yet your loved one may not be ready to return to cooking duty for some time. Before they come home, stock their kitchen with pre-cooked meals such as soup and frozen casseroles that can be prepared with minimal effort. If they will be confined to a bed the majority of the time, then make sure to place a tray and eating utensils nearby and arrange for meal services.

Reorganize for Accessibility

After surgery, your loved one will need to minimize stretching and bending movements to avoid opening their wound. Place frequently used objects at waist-height in the home. For example, the U.S. National Library of Medicine recommends that commonly used cups and dishes may need to be relocated to a lower cabinet. It is also important to ensure that a phone is easily accessible should your loved one need to call for help. If your loved one will be needing to use mobility devices, then you may also arrange for a home health care professional to show you how to safely promote independence while your loved one adjusts to their new abilities. 

Eliminate Fall Risks

Injuries due to falls are one of the leading causes of hospital re-admissions. Therefore, you will want to conduct a walk through of your loved one's home to identify potential hazards such as rugs and objects in their walking path that need to be removed. Additionally, you will need to add non-skid mats to slippery areas of the home such as the bathtub and floor in front of all sinks.

Ensure Compliance with Discharge Instructions

Before your loved one leaves home, they will be provided with discharge instructions detailing the treatments they need for a full recovery. Check these instructions and speak with your loved one's physician to determine if they may be eligible for home health care services. Having professional help with rehabilitation exercises, wound care and medication management can allow your loved one to recover at home with the same level of care they would receive in a medical facility.

The first few weeks after a hospitalization are critical for patients who need to take extra precautions to avoid infection and injury. By taking a proactive stance for your loved one's recovery, you can make their hospital homecoming comfortable and safeguard their health. For extra help, consider using home health care services like Neighbors Home Care Services.


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About Me
what should a home care provider really be doing?

If you have a home health care worker in your home, you know very well how helpful he or she can be. What you may not know is what all that worker is supposed to be doing while in your home. Does the service provide general housecleaning services? Should he or she be doing laundry for the one that they are caring for? My blog will show you what services may or may not be offered by home health care services so that you can look further into what the service you have hired is supposed to be doing in your home.