How Does Home Care Assistance from Visiting Angels Ease Hospital Transitions for Seniors in Naples, FL and Nearby Areas?

With home care assistance from Visiting Angels, seniors in Naples, Marco Island and surrounding cities in Collier County, FL can safely and comfortably return home after being discharged from the hospital

Hospital stays can be challenging for the elderly. Whether it’s an overnight visit or an extended stay, time away from the comforts of home can diminish a senior’s sense of normalcy and well-being. The last thing seniors want is to return to the hospital.

Unfortunately, roughly 20 percent of seniors on Medicare are readmitted within 30 days of a hospital discharge due to preventable factors such as:

• Medication issues – Missing doses of prescribed medications can worsen a senior’s health. In addition, some medication may have side effects that can impact their well-being.
• Falls and accidents – If your loved one slips and falls, they could sustain injuries serious enough to be readmitted.
• Missed medical appointments – Follow-up appointments are a good way for seniors to communicate possible health issues with their doctor and for doctors to check if there are additional factors that are impacting the patient’s health. Skipping these appointments can cause seniors to have a health issue that leads to readmission.
• Disregarding diet recommendations – After being discharged, your loved one’s doctor may recommend a diet to help your loved one manage their health. However, if your loved one doesn’t follow the recommendations, the likelihood or having another health crisis (and having to be readmitted) can increase.

Questions to Ask During Your Loved One’s Hospital Discharge

The hospital discharge process can happen quickly. You may have waited for hours to leave, and suddenly you’re walking down the hospital corridor, heading for your car with new prescriptions to fill and your uneasy loved one in a wheelchair. Get clear instructions before you leave to reduce the odds of hospital readmission.

Learn which questions to ask and consider professional home care assistance from Visiting Angels Naples to help in your transition.

• What should I know about my loved one’s condition?
  Request information from the hospital staff. Understand your loved one’s diagnosis and what kind of care they received in the hospital. Learn which symptoms will require follow-up from a medical professional.
  
• Are there medication changes?
  Medication errors are the main cause of readmittance to the hospital. Ask for a list of prescribed medications. Make sure you understand the dosages and recommended times. Also, confirm which medications your loved one should no longer take.
  
• Are follow-up appointments scheduled?
  Get a list of upcoming medical appointments and mark them on your calendar. Follow-up appointments will ensure recovery is on track and prevent a return trip to the hospital. If possible, attend these appointments with your loved one.
  
• What additional support is needed?
  Many seniors need non-medical support, such as help with mobility, personal hygiene or light housekeeping. Ask hospital staff what kind of home care assistance they recommend for your loved one. Also, find out what tasks they should be able to do on their own. Failure to do these tasks could be a sign of worsening health. Count on Visiting Angels Naples for expert home care assistance if your loved one has trouble with everyday tasks once they’ve returned home.
  
• Request written, step-by-step discharge instructions.
  Make sure to get clear, easy-to-understand documented instructions from the hospital. If you don’t understand the instructions, review them with the staff. Make copies so both you and your loved one have the same information.

How Can Home Care Assistance from Visiting Angels Naples Help My Loved One?

Many family caregivers underestimate the support needed at home for seniors to continue recovering. Although, with proper support and planning, you can reduce the risk of re-hospitalization. For extra assistance, consider enrolling in the Ready-Set-Go Home program from Visiting Angels Naples, which helps seniors in Collier County transition from hospital to home safely.

Our caregivers can help your loved one with:

• Hourly, weekly, overnight and 24-hour care
• Medication reminders and pharmacy pickups
• Monitoring and reporting changes in health condition
• Scheduling and attending medical appointments
• Grocery shopping and nutritious meal preparation

To learn how home care assistance from Visiting Angels Naples can help your loved one recover at home, contact us at 239-561-7600.