Aging with Attitude … with Dorie Sugay: Take the stress away from homecoming after a hospital or rehab stay

Don’t forget little touches that could make loved-ones smile

By Dorie Sugay

Dorie Sugay

According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the hospital average re-admission rate in the United States is 14.56 percent and 25 percent of all readmissions are preventable. To help prevent readmission, the family must have a plan for the transition from a medical facility to the residence, and a plan for care. Failure to follow discharge instructions, a fall, overdoing it and medication errors are some of the reasons an individual ends up back in the hospital.

The news that a loved one will be coming home should be received with elation, not stress. In this column, you will find some tips to help you plan for your loved one’s homecoming.

• Be in-the-know.

• Gather information way before the release. Some hospitals and rehab facilities are not able to give you a lot of time to prepare for the release — it is up to you to acquire the information you need to plan and be ready.

• Hospitals and rehab facilities are set up differently. As soon as your loved one is admitted, find out who your go-to people will be (the doctor and the discharge planner or case manager?) Medically, what did the doctors find? How might these findings affect your loved one’s lifestyle? How are they doing in physical therapy and occupational therapy? Do they think your loved one will need special items? (hospital bed, lift equipment, etc.) If so—– who will help you secure them? The answers to these questions will change as they heal or get better. Get updates. The information will help you plan for the release.

• Be proactive.

• If they will need special equipment, find out from the discharge planner or case worker if they will be ordering them for you.

• The house may need to be re-arranged, especially if your loved one’s bedroom is upstairs and climbing stairs is an issue.

• If your loved one has long-term care insurance, you need to call them as soon as he/she is admitted to the hospital because insurance companies have a process to follow as well.

• If he/she will need home care, find out when the medical providers think they can give you an idea what type of coverage he/she might need. (Half days? Full days? How many times a week? Do they need full care – bathing, dressing, toileting, etc.? Will you just need an in-home care agency or will you need in-home care and a hospice agency (to handle medical needs).

It may take time to identify the home care agency and/or hospice agency you wish to work with.  Health care agencies are facing a serious shortage of caregivers — the search for an agency you like that has a caregiver for the case may take longer than usual. If there is a possibility you will need many hours of care and money is an issue, have a conversation with family members and concerned friends to find out who can cover what time of the day to figure out when you need paid caregivers.

• If your loved one lives alone or with someone who will need help planning for the release, don’t forget to determine what is needed — do they need groceries? Will you need to get rid of old prescription medications to avoid confusion? Will the house need to be cleaned and sanitized? Would the refrigerator need to be cleaned and stocked? Should the bed sheets be changed? Does he/she need a pill box to help avoid medication errors?

• Hospitals and rehab facilities will meet with family to provide discharge instructions. Make sure you ask about the following if not discussed:

• Should they stop any of their old prescriptions?

• What lifestyle changes will you see in the immediate future? Approximate time frame that there may be change/improvement?

• Follow-up appointments?

• How quickly should they schedule PT and/or OT?

• Are they allowed visitors?

Your loved one is likely to be eager to go home; after all, there is no place like home. Many forget that little things can mean a lot. Don’t forget that little touch that could make them smile, whether it be a simple welcome card signed by the whole family, flowers by their bedside, a favorite dessert they are allowed to have, or a home that smells welcoming. Last but not the least — don’t forget to do something to reward yourself for doing what it takes to welcome your loved one home!

Dorie Sugay is the executive director of Visiting Angel and involved with senior issues in Morgan Hill. She can be reached at (408) 846-2988 or email her at [email protected].