Going to the hospital can be a difficult experience for anyone, but it can be especially challenging if your elderly loved one has Parkinson’s disease. To ensure your loved one receives the best possible care, it’s important to prepare for both planned and emergency hospital stays. Here are a few tips to keep your loved one’s hospital visit safe.
Keep a Medication Record
Hospital team members need to know what medications your loved one is taking and when they need to be taken. Your loved one should keep a medication record with him or her at all times to ensure he or she receives the proper medication when you aren’t there. Family members and caregivers should also have copies of the medication record, constantly updating it to make certain it’s current in case of an emergency hospital visit.
Keeping track of your loved one’s conditions and medications can be challenging, and a caregiver with expertise in Parkinson’s care can be a fantastic source of support. Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted senior home care provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide. Home Care Assistance is here to help.
Inform the Primary Care Physician of the Visit
If your loved one has a scheduled hospital visit, notify your parent’s primary doctor beforehand. The doctor will be able to provide the hospital staff with medication information and answer any questions. In the event of an emergency hospital visit, ask the hospital staff to contact your loved one’s Parkinson’s specialist and provide updates about your loved one’s hospital stay. Even if the hospital stay isn’t related to Parkinson’s, it’s important your loved one’s primary doctor remains informed.
Caring for a senior loved one can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Montgomery Home Care Assistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care.
Prepare Extra Medication
Seniors with Parkinson’s should have extra supplies of medication for unexpected hospital visits. Even if a hospital trip is scheduled, your loved one should bring more medication than necessary. Sometimes hospital stays can last longer than expected, and it’s important your loved one always has access to his or her Parkinson’s medication.
After your loved one returns home from the hospital, he or she may need help with the tasks of daily living. For some families, caring for a senior loved one can be overwhelming at times. Luckily, they can rely on professional respite care. Montgomery, AL, Home Care Assistance is a trusted name in respite and hourly care. Our caregivers are available around the clock to assist seniors with bathing, transportation, medication reminders, exercise, and much more, allowing families the time they need to focus on other important responsibilities or just take a break. For compassionate, reliable in-home care, trust the experienced professionals from Home Care Assistance. Reach out to one of our dedicated Care Managers today at (334) 593-3988 to learn about the high quality of our in-home care services.