Returning home after a stint in hospital or rehab is a massive step for your older relative. The impact of the rehab stay is huge on the mind and body. No wonder it takes some time for seniors to adjust right after their release. That’s where transition home becomes an anchor.
Clearly, coping with appointments, housework, and all the other family stuff is hard work. Since preparing meals becomes challenging and maintaining morning and evening routines becomes an uphill task, you may want to engage in-home support for a seamless transition.
1. Why the First Days at Home Can Feel Different From Rehab
A rehab facility will have routines in place and staff on-site all day. When the seniors go home, it’s a very familiar environment, but a great deal of the responsibility falls back on the individual and their family. There’s the housework, the cooking, the tidying up, the appointments, etc. All of that will require much more planning than it did before. The family may also be working, have their own kids, etc., and all sorts of other commitments.
The first thing to do is talk about what your loved one’s day will look like once they leave the facility. Go through the discharge instructions with the healthcare professionals and ensure you fully understand the activity restrictions and the level of assistance required. Everyone must have a clear picture of what level of help your loved one will need and which clinical/clinical rehab tasks will remain the sole responsibility of the medical staff.
2. Everyday Tasks to Think Through Before Returning Home
Just take a good look at the day-to-day tasks that you have to deal with and see where you might need some extra help. Don’t just assume that a relative will be there when you need them. Go through the average day and consider each element of it.
Pre-Arrival Planning Checklist:
Meals and hydration:
Who’s going to do the shopping, cook the meals, and ensure we have drinks available throughout the day?
Household duties (laundry, the dishes, tidying up, etc.) that may need a bit of assistance.
Transport:
Arrange for appointments, pharmacy trips and errands.
Companionship:
Do you need to have someone there at certain times of the day?
Family member availability:
Find out who can help in the morning, afternoon, evening, and overnight.
Writing down the list of required services makes it much clearer who in the family will do what and who will need regular help.
3. Preparing the Home and Setting Up Essential Items
Walk through your loved one’s living space and be sure to set up their belongings for success:
Clear path:
Keep the essentials within reach and remove any clutter or furniture that obstructs common walkways.
Lighting and accessibility:
Make sure the lighting is sufficient and can be adjusted, and that the contents of the drawers, cupboards, and cabinets are all well organized for easy access.
Daily essentials:
Make sure your common items (clothing, toiletries, etc.) are within reach and easy to find.
Safety modifications:
Follow all safety advice provided by the healthcare professional (e.g., grab bars and other home modifications).
Central Command Station:
Set up a place near the exit with the paperwork, the list of appointments, the emergency contacts, and the instructions from the medical staff.
Note: Ensure that the medication instructions you provide align with those from your relative’s doctor or pharmacist. Remember, a non-medical carer cannot authorize medical treatment or interpret clinical instructions.
4. Where a Non-Medical Caregiver May Help With Daily Routines
Depending on your senior’s needs, your home care provider may be able to help with the basics, such as dressing, bathing, and grooming. They can also assist with meal preparation, housework, companionship, and the management of routine.
If your loved one needs ongoing help, your provider may also have staff available for scheduled assistance with meals, household chores, companionship, and errands. You should clearly define a care plan including specific times and tasks for each scheduled day. For comprehensive support, such as 24×7 in-home care in Carlsbad, CA, clarify whether it will be provided by rotating caregivers or through scheduled visits, including overnight care.
5. Coordinating Family Members, Appointments and Care Instructions
Designated Lead:
Identify a designated lead in your family who can coordinate schedules, clarify instructions, and provide updates.
Shared communication:
Use a shared calendar for appointments, care visits, family members, and house chores.
Accessibility:
Keep the discharge instructions, appointment details and contact details for the healthcare professionals to hand.
Appointment logistics:
Before any appointments, sort out transport and any assistance required. Make sure you know what practical help is required at each visit.
Handling red flags:
if there are any, discuss how you would raise them with the appropriate healthcare professional. Keep your emergency contacts and instructions close to where the care is being delivered.
If you have any concerns at all about a health condition, then get in touch with your loved one’s healthcare professional straight away. Urgent symptoms require urgent medical attention rather than a change to the home care staff.
Questions to Ask When Arranging In-Home Support
There’s a long list of things to think about if you’re going to be adding home care to your schedule, but a few of the basics are:
Frequently Asked Questions
What can a carer do once the older person has gone home from rehab?
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Non-medical caregivers assist with daily practical tasks like bathing, grooming, dressing, light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders, transportation, and companionship. However, they cannot administer medicine, perform physical therapy, or manage clinical medical equipment. Always ensure the specific caregiver agency can accommodate your individual non-medical needs.
Can non-medical home care assist with meals and the various aspects of daily living?+
Yes, managing meals and day-to-day routines is an everyday task in non-medical home care. The carers can cook up healthy, tasty meals and assist the senior in adhering to a routine so they can continue to maintain the habits they have developed in rehab. Just check with your care provider to see what meal prep services they actually offer.
What should families be preparing for when a senior comes home?+
Families can prepare for a smooth home transition by organizing a functional living space, removing fall hazards, creating a system to track daily appointments and needed chores, and determining who, when, and how family members will pitch in. Consult their medical provider regarding post-discharge care, including medication schedules and dietary restrictions, to ensure non-medical in-home support aligns with doctor recommendations.
When would a family review the home care schedule?+
You should plan to review the care schedule early on when in-home help commences and at any time when the need for care changes (e.g., family schedules change, the senior’s mobility or health changes, or the doctor’s recommendations change).
Making a Simpler Transition Back Home+
A home transition back into your local area will generally work best if you keep your expectations real, work out in advance which of the day-to-day tasks you’ll need support with before the start date, and be very clear about what non-medical care will be used to supplement and what care the clinical team should be managing. With realistic expectations and a clear routine, you’ll have a plan for how to split the family responsibilities whilst still enabling the senior to lead their own choices.
The information above applies to all residents of North County San Diego (Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Marcos, Encinitas, Vista, Solana Beach).
Need Help Navigating a Home Transition?+
Assisting Hands Home Care Carlsbad provides non-medical transitional care for seniors recovering from a hospital or rehab stay. Contact our local care team serving North County—including Oceanside, Carlsbad, San Marcos, Encinitas, Vista, and Solana Beach to get a breakdown of the right types of support to schedule in advance, from part-time visits to 24/7 in-home care in Carlsbad, CA.
Summary:
Transitioning seniors from rehab to home requires proactive planning. Families must adjust living spaces, coordinate schedules, clear paths, and arrange non-medical support for daily tasks like meals, housework, and transportation.
