For the most part, that hospital to home transition experience is looked forward to with great anticipation from both the patient and her family. If your elderly loved one has had to spend an extended amount of time in the hospital recently, knowing that she can finally return home is time to breathe a sigh of relief because it means she’s feeling well enough to come home but it’s also a time to feel a tinge of anxiety, knowing that she still needs care as she recovers.
Four Common Fears for Caregivers When Loved Ones Leave the Hospital
Not knowing how to care for the person
As the caregiver, you might be concerned about how to care for your loved one’s needs, whether those are physical needs, medication dosages, or mental health concerns.
Causing additional harm
The goal is to help your loved one continue to recover, but many caregivers may worry about doing more harm than good. They feel that a hospital is better equipped to help their loved one should any emergency medical concerns arise during their recovery time. They may also fear that their loved one won’t be honest about how they are feeling or won’t listen to them when they try to guide them in following the doctor’s orders.
Becoming overwhelmed
Many caregivers have a lot of other responsibilities on their plate as well as helping their loved ones during the hospital to home transition. They may wonder how they will manage to keep everything and everyone in order as they juggle so many responsibilities.
Financial expenses
Providing care for someone after they return either to their own home or to the caregiver’s home, is most likely going to lead to additional expenses as well as a possible temporary loss in income if time has to be taken off work to care for their loved one. The longer the hospital to home transition takes, the more expensive it can become for a caregiver.
Four Steps to a Good Home Recovery
Understand the Medical Care Needed. If possible, attend your loved one’s hospital release meetings so you can ask lots of questions and make sure you understand what your loved one’s needs will be.
Make the Recovery Area Comfortable. From a favorite blanket to things to keep your loved one occupied, a comfortable recovery area can help your loved one feel better sooner.
Provide Plenty of Good and Healthy Food. Treats are great, but make sure your loved one’s overall diet is following the doctor’s recommendation to help her recover.
Keep Spirits Up. Recovery can be long and boring. Ask friends to visit and plan fun indoor activities until she’s fully recovered.
Hospital to Home Transition Can Help You and Your Loved One
If you are feeling overwhelmed at the thought of helping your loved one with an upcoming hospital to home transition, consider employing a hospital to home transition provider to help you with some of the details that may become too overwhelming as you try to balance everything. A hospital to home transition provider can help with household chores, as well as meal prep, and even assist in keeping your loved one’s spirits up as she recovers, providing you with a bit of relief during this transition time.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Hospital to Home Transition Services in Allentown, PA, please get in touch with the caring staff at Extended Family Care Allentown today. Call 610-432-6766
Extended Family Care Allentown is a Trusted Home Care Agency in Allentown, Pennsylvania, including Bethlehem, Easton, Emmaus, Macungie, Whitehall, Schnecksville, Catasauqua, Northampton, and Nazareth.
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