July 14, 2016
Think about this possibility: your 90-year-old mother, who lives in her own home alone, fell recently, cracked her pelvis, and is being released from the hospital today. When 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.
While working 40+ hours per week, and with three children to care for, is it feasible that you can also help her with her home care, making sure she follows the medical orders and is protected from an additional tumble? Increasingly more often, family members are donning the role of caregiver for their senior parents – as many as 44 million and expanding, according to the AARP. This is too much stress for anyone to have when home care services from Continuum in St. Louis are available. And don’t forget to take into consideration that after a hospitalization, the level of care provided often needs to be stepped up in order to protect a loved one’s health and prevent a return to the hospital. Check out these bits of advice to help adult children keep their elderly family members safer during recovery after a hospital stay:
- Investigate to get 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 home care, including who to call for help and warning signs to watch for that could indicate a potential problem.
- Take care of yourself. Providing home care for a loved one can be very stressful, and can take an emotional and physical toll on caregivers. Make sure to eat a balanced diet, get plenty of rest, and take time for activities you enjoy.
- Connect. 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.
Continuum can help. We can keep seniors safe and make sure they’re recovering comfortably following hospitalizations. We’re just a phone call away at (314) 863-9912 or (636) 861-3336 and can be an essential part of your caregiving team in St. Louis or St. Charles to supplement family help.