Post-Hospital Care in Rochester, NY, and our surrounding areas
Let Comfort Keepers of Rochester, NY help you provide outstanding support when your senior loved one comes home from the hospital
While your entire family might be ready to celebrate your loved one's return home from the hospital, for you, it means the challenge of caring for them will be starting. After your loved one is discharged from the hospital and comes home, the real work of providing them with much-needed post-hospital care services begins. To make it work, you will need the help of your family, their doctor, and a Comfort Keepers caregiver. Our caregivers are trained in transitional care and willing to impart their knowledge to you.
Seniors in the US suffer very high readmission rates.
- The cost of readmission to the U.S. healthcare system is over $17 billion, not including those coming from urgent-care facilities and emergency rooms.
- One in five seniors will be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days.
- 25% of seniors discharged to nursing homes have a higher risk of readmission within 30 days.
75% of these readmissions can be prevented.
Most Family Caregivers Have No Idea
It's true; most family caregivers have no idea how much hard work goes into caring for a senior loved one. They jump in with both feet thinking it should be easy, only to find out the task involves far more work than they dreamed of. This is where a caregiver from Comfort Keepers can help keep your head above water and give you time to think.
More Than Pretty Faces
Our caregivers are far more than just another person who is there to provide the minimum help. Along with helping you to offer transitional senior home care services for your loved one, our caregivers can also help with the following:
- Personal care services include bathing, grooming, mobility assistance, incontinence support, etc.).
- Homemaking services (decluttering, light house cleaning, laundry, dishes, meal planning & cooking, etc.).
- Transportation to appointments and taking care of numerous errands.
- Continuous health monitoring and communication between the family, doctors, rehabilitation specialists, etc.
- Companionship and emotional support throughout their recovery journey.
Readmission Are All Too Common
The first 180 days post-discharge offer the highest risk to seniors for readmission. There are several reasons for this. The most common of these are:
- Medications – concerning the taking of new medication that causes adverse side effects and those who do not take their medication as instructed, resulting in adverse side effects.
- Limited Access to Appropriate Post Hospital Care – covering those with limited transportation to appointments, picking up needed medications, and having the daily support they need.
- Severity and Type of Medical Condition – covering those in the late stages of a medical condition or suffering from a chronic condition such as heart disease or Alzheimer's.
- Lack of Education by Medical Team – covers those who did not receive the proper transition home care education by the patient's medical care team before they came home.
- Secondary Diagnoses – covering those patients who develop a medical condition or display severe symptoms not seen during hospitalization.
Keeping Records Is Very Important
If possible, you should try to obtain a copy of your loved one's medical records from their hospital stay. Not only do they contain a wealth of important information, but you can use them to design your record-keeping system as part of your transitional senior home care services. This is something our caregivers can help you with. Keeping accurate records can make a massive difference if the time comes when you need to contact your doctor. Your records should include the following:
- A schedule that includes all family caregivers, when they will be there, and what they need to do.
- A list of appointments, what was discussed, and what, if anything, was done.
- A record of all medications, when they need to be taken, and the correct dosage.
- Contact information, including caregivers and emergency contacts.
Creating a Safe Place for Your Loved One to Recover In
Before your loved one comes home, your role in providing care starts with ensuring your loved one has a safe, clean home to recover in. Your Comfort Keepers caregiver can assist you by helping to:
- Make sure the house is clean and disinfected, eliminating allergens and bacteria.
- Introduce your loved one to their transitional home care provider before they are discharged.
- Make sure furniture is arranged to make room for any mobility equipment.
- Create a care plan schedule that lets your loved ones know who will be with them and when.
- Place items that are used daily within easy reach.
- Install any needed safety equipment.
Not Sure What Care You Need?
To learn more about providing your loved one with the transitional senior home care services they need to enjoy a swift recovery or to arrange for a skilled caregiver, contact us online at Comfort Keepers of Rochester, NY at (585) 249-0100. We offer a free care consultation with a knowledgeable senior advisor to talk about your loved one and their needs before working together to create a post-hospital care plan.
