Recover With Comfort Keepers Post-Hospital Care in Durham, NC

Comfort Keepers can help with post-hospital care in Durham, NC, and the surrounding areas

No matter how much you want to be the one to fill the role of transitional post-hospital care specialist for your loved one, to do so, you will need plenty of help. The help you need can come from family members, their medical care team, and a senior caregiver from Comfort Keepers post-hospital care team in Durham, NC. Between everyone in this group, you should be able to create a working long-term care plan for your loved one. Give us a call at (919) 338-2044 to learn more!

Your Loved One Will Benefit

As your loved one's transitional home healthcare specialist, it is up to you to contact their medical care team on the day before they are discharged. The team should be able to provide you with a rundown on your responsibilities and any resources to support you as you support your loved one. Your main role is to help make the transition from the hospital to home seamless.

It's not unusual for a family member to take on this role for an elderly loved one. However, few realize the toll doing so can take in terms of time, energy, and the need for education. At Comfort Keepers, the caregiver we can provide you with is already an expert in post-hospital care. Along with providing your loved one with various home health aide services, they will also help teach you more about the role you have chosen to fill.

Helping to Reduce the Risks of Readmission

According to medical experts, most readmissions for seniors occur within the first 180 days after being released from the hospital. Although this percentage is much lower than in years past, it is still higher than it should be.

Many issues can lead to readmission, including:

• Medications – concerning taking a 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 post-hospital 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.

Important Statistics About Readmission

• The readmission cost to the U.S. healthcare system is over $17 billion, not including those from urgent-care facilities and emergency rooms.
• One in five seniors will be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days.
• 75% of these readmissions can be prevented.
• 25% of seniors discharged to nursing homes have a higher risk of readmission within 30 days.

One Thing You Must Do

One thing you must do while caring for your loved one is to create your version of the medical records chart used in the hospital. This is a task our caregivers can help you with. Your medical records chart should include space to write down notes and:

• A list of appointments, what was discussed, and what, if anything, was done.
• A schedule that includes all family caregivers, when they will be there, and what they need to do.
• A record of all medications, when they must be taken, and the correct dosage.
• Contact information includes caregivers and emergency contacts.

Contact Us

To learn more about Comfort Keepers post-hospital care in Durham, NC, and the surrounding areas, click one of the buttons below or call (919) 338-2044 for more information.