After recently experiencing a serious fall, your elderly mother will be coming home from the hospital soon. Now the real work begins as your family discusses ways to keep Mom safe and comfortable during her recovery after a fall. Supporting a loved one who’s recuperating after a serious fall takes planning and perseverance. If you’ve never done it before, using the following tips should ensure that all your loved one’s needs get met long after they come home.
Falls Often Cause Hospital Readmissions
In an average year, over 800,000 elderly Americans are hospitalized after falling. Many undergo extended hospital stays due to hip fractures, broken bones, and head trauma. Sadly, an untold number of those seniors suffer subsequent falls soon after returning home.
Even worse, some lose their independence permanently as a result. As a family caregiver, fall prevention must be a priority once your loved one leaves the hospital.
In addition to falling again, these are other common reasons why older adults get readmitted to the hospital:
- Medication errors
- A failure to keep follow-up medical appointments
- Unsafe home environment
- An inability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs)
Transitional Care Tips for Family Caregivers
Whether it’s recovering after an operation, serious illness, or a fall, returning home from the hospital can be an emotionally trying time for everyone involved.
Here’s how to ensure that your recovering loved one gets the transitional care they deserve:
Patiently offer love and support
Adjustments that accompany a recovery can be notably hard for seniors. As a family caregiver, go in with an open mind, patiently communicate and listen, and remain as empathetic as possible. Although your loved one might be angry, frustrated, depressed, or anxious, don’t allow those negative emotions to keep you from giving them the love and support they need.
Be their care advocate
You may be asked for at least the first few weeks to help coordinate tasks like home health care visits, doctor’s appointments, therapy sessions, and medication refills. Based on your loved one’s ability to complete ADLs, you might need to assist them with bathing, housekeeping, laundry, food shopping, cooking meals, and other responsibilities.
As your loved one’s biggest supporter, it’s also imperative that you offer them constant encouragement and emotional support.
Use a team approach
Although the period after a hospital stay can feel like a whirlwind, allow plenty of time to consult with your senior doctors, surgeons, and other healthcare specialists. Numerous post-hospitalization tasks may need to be managed, like housekeeping, meals, rehab appointments, medication reminders, etc. Develop a schedule based on those needs, and don’t be afraid to involve other trusted family members and friends in the process.
Complete any home modifications
While recovering after a fall, your loved one may have difficulty getting around, or they could be experiencing pain, medication side effects, or noticeable changes to their hearing or eyesight. At that point, falling again becomes a real possibility. Create a safer home environment by moving furniture out of walking paths, adding more lighting, and installing grab bars in the bathroom.
If they will be required to use a wheelchair or walker for a while, install wheelchair ramps at the front and back entrances. Also, be sure the pantry and fridge are well stocked and that all your loved one’s health needs are on hand, including hearing aids, vision aids, and medications.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Although it’s highly gratifying, serving as a primary caregiver during a loved one’s recovery can also be physically and emotionally draining. Avoid caregiver burnout by enlisting an extra pair of hands from sources like:
- Family members, neighbors, and friends
- Community volunteers that work with the aging
- A meal delivery service
- A professional in-home caregiver from a reputable provider
A Reliable Part of Your Transitional Care Team
Helping a loved one recover at home after a fall can be hard when you’re busy or live far away. At Assisting Hands Home Care, our professional in-home senior care services allow clients in Bedford, MA, and the greater Northwestern Boston area to remain safely and comfortably in their own homes. Our trained, dependable caregivers and personal assistants can help your family overcome its eldercare challenges while making your loved one’s home an even better place to be.
Our turnkey home care services include everything from companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, and transportation to light housekeeping, laundry, and personal care assistance with bathing and dressing. From a few hours a day to around-the-clock care, our customized in-home care solutions have got your family covered. Click here now to learn more about Assisting Hands Home Care or schedule a free consultation for a senior in Bedford, MA, or the greater Northwest Boston area.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
