Post-Stroke Recovery: 3 Ways To Prevent A Hospital Readmission For Your Loved One
Surviving a stroke often means a long road to recovery, yet getting discharged from the hospital represents the first step toward your loved one regaining their independence. Unfortunately, trying to do too much too soon is a common cause of hospital readmissions. For this reason, you will want to take these three steps to keep your loved one safe while they recover at home.
Understand the Discharge Instructions
The discharge process involves the physicians and nurses providing you and your loved one with a lot of instructions during a short period of time. This information may include instructions for follow-up visits, medications, and therapeutic exercises that will keep your loved one healthy as they regain their abilities. Make sure to ask questions if any information is provided that you do not understand, and get the instructions down in writing so that you can refer back to them later.
Arrange For Health Care Help
It is normal to feel frazzled during the first few days at home after leaving the hospital. As your loved one's caregiver, you may be tired, confused, and worried3all at the same time. Feeling this way makes it harder to tend to your loved one's health, and medication mishaps are more likely to occur when you are over-stressed. Arrange for home health services from a company like Staff Mates Homecare during your loved one's first few weeks at home. This will take the stress load off of you and help prevent things such as a medication mix-up that could lead to another trip back to the hospital.
Fall-Proof Their Home
After a stroke, an unsteady gait is common. Your loved one may also experience side effects from their medication, such as dizziness. In addition to medication mix-ups, falls are another common cause of hospital readmissions. Spend some time walking through the house and remove items that increase the risk of slip-and-fall injuries such as rugs and furniture in the walkways. Then, add grab bars and non-skid mats in the bathroom so your loved one is safer while taking care of their needs.
There is nothing worse than finding yourself back at the hospital after finally getting to go home. Fortunately, the majority of hospital readmissions can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions before your loved one returns home. By making sure that you have a professional health caregiver available and prepping your loved one's home, you can prevent medical mishaps that slow down recovery.
