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Four Tips to Help Your Mom Avoid Re-Hospitalization

Post-hospital care services ensure your mom lowers the odds of having to return to the hospital. If she falls again, it could be devastating, so she needs to follow her surgeon's orders.

You’re finalizing the last-minute arrangements to cover your mom’s care needs once she’s home from the hospital. She’s been in for a hip replacement after her fall, and she’s going to need support for several weeks. Post-hospital care services ensure your mom lowers the odds of having to return to the hospital. If she falls again, it could be devastating, so she needs to follow her surgeon’s orders.

How do you ensure she listens to her surgeon and avoids a return trip to the hospital?

Have Post-Hospital Care Aides Available to Run Errands For Her

Post-Hospital Care Marion OH - Four Tips to Help Your Mom Avoid Re-Hospitalization
Post-Hospital Care Marion OH – Four Tips to Help Your Mom Avoid Re-Hospitalization

Someone needs to run errands for your mom. If she has medications to refill, arrange it for her and make sure they’re delivered by the pharmacy. If not, get someone to pick them up. Groceries are another errand she won’t be able to do for a few weeks.

Does your mom have boxes to pick up at the post office? Have someone do it for her. She can’t carry anything right now, so make sure whoever gets items for her carries everything inside.

Keep Her Home Clean and Organized

Your mom shouldn’t be worried about cleaning her home. Stop by and clean it each day if you can. If not, see if any of your cousins, siblings, or family friends can. Your mom needs safe places to walk, and any pet toys or clutter that’s on the floor is hazardous.

Vacuuming and sweeping the floors once a week is okay. You can also stick to laundry being done once a week. Change your mom’s sheets on laundry day. Clutter should be tidied each day. Dishes are also a daily chore.

Each day, you or another family caregiver can cook meals. Eat with your mom to ensure she isn’t eating alone.

Help Her Into the Shower

Bathroom flooring is slippery when your feet are wet. Your mom shouldn’t shower without someone there to help her step in and out of the tub or shower. A shower seat is best for now.

Have Nurses to Help With Pain Management and Physical Therapy Exercises

There are two important reasons to arrange post-hospital care. Your mom is going to have some pain, and she cannot take medications more than is recommended. If the pain medicine her doctor prescribes isn’t working effectively, a nurse will work on what changes to make to the dosage or if a different medicine is best.

If your mom needs IV or injection medications, her nurse can handle that in her home. She won’t have to return to the hospital for them.

It’s important that your mom gets up and walks around regularly. It’s important for her circulation and to prevent blood clots. She might need help remembering how to do the physical therapy exercises her doctor recommended. You can have a physical therapist work with her in her home and ensure she’s strengthening her muscles and improving her balance.

Arrange to have nurses available to help her with incision care, medication management, and routine health assessments to monitor her blood pressure. Call our agency and learn more about post-hospital care and the things nurses can do.

If you are considering hiring Post-Hospital Care Services in Marion OH, call the caring staff at Central Star Home Health at (419) 610-2161.  

Providing services for families in Mansfield, Lexington, Bellville, Crestline, Galion, Shelby, Ashland, Ontario, Bucyrus, Mt. Vernon, Marion, Willard, and the surrounding areas.

Stephen Sternbach

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