Whether your mom is in the hospital after developing pneumonia or she’s about to have surgery after breaking a bone in a fall, your mom needs support at home. Many doctors will hesitate to release her if she doesn’t have a strong support team ready to help out. How do you know what your mom will need? It starts with a conversation with her doctors, therapists, nurses, and surgeons. Ask them to review the care instructions once she goes home. Find out what care she’s currently getting at the hospital. That helps you understand what to expect and put into place services from a post-hospital care provider.
Help in the Shower
Your mom’s strength is still increasing, so standing in the shower and washing her body is difficult. Stepping out of the tub is risky if your mom’s balance or strength is off. Her caregiver can support her as she gets into the shower, sits down on the shower seat, and washes her body. If she needs a caregiver to wash her hair, that’s possible.
Assistance With Housekeeping
After surgery or an illness that saps her energy, your mom may struggle to keep up with housekeeping. Have someone available to vacuum, sweep, wash dishes, clean counters, make beds, and do the laundry. If sheets need changing due to excessive sweat when a fever breaks, your mom needs someone to change and launder sheets for her.
Your mom also needs to have someone take out the trash and recyclables when needed. She may need her caregiver to get the mail, feed the pets, and tidy up clutter.
Post-Hospital Care Aides Help With Meals
Your mom needs meals that are filled with the nutrients her healing body requires. Post-hospital care aides can cook the recommended meals and snacks for her. Whole grains, antioxidants, lean protein, and dairy are key.
If your mom needs groceries, her caregiver can create a shopping list, order groceries for pick-up or delivery, or take your mom shopping if your mom is up to it. Your mom’s caregiver will carry everything into the home and put it away.
Reminders to Take Medications
Expect your mom’s surgeon to recommend alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen every couple of hours. She may have a hard time remembering which she took last and at what time. Her post-hospital care aide can keep track of it for her.
If your mom has other medications, such as antibiotics, to take while she recovers, her caregiver will track those. When it’s time to take another pill, her caregiver will show her which to take, get her the glass of water or milk that she needs, and make sure she takes it.
Talk to your mom’s medical team to get a better idea of what she should and shouldn’t do once she gets home. Once you know what she cannot do independently, for now, arrange post-hospital care services to cover those tasks.
Post-hospital care will support her during the rest of her recovery. It helps prevent rehospitalization or worsening her health by doing too much too soon.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Post-Hospital Care in Tehachapi CA please contact the caring staff at Purpose Driven Home Health & Home Care. Call (661) 412-9730.
Purpose Driven Home Health & Home Care provides exceptional home care for seniors and families in Bakersfield, Wasco, Shafter, Delano, Lamont, Arvin, Taft, Tehachapi, Frazier Park, McFarland, and surrounding areas.
Purpose Driven Home Health & Home Care provides exceptional home care for seniors and families in Bakersfield, Wasco, Shafter, Delano, Lamont, Arvin, Taft, Tehachapi, Frazier Park, McFarland, and surrounding areas.
- What Is Post-Hospital Care? - September 18, 2023
- Easy Ways For Seniors To Get More Regular Exercise - September 1, 2023
- Make Sure Your Dad Has the Support He Needs to Age in Place - August 14, 2023
