If your senior parent has to go to the hospital, all the emotional stress can make it difficult to focus. However, most caregivers still have quite a few responsibilities to handle while their family members are hospitalized. To make sure your parent is properly cared for, here are a few things you need to do.
Provide the Hospital with Your Parent’s Healthcare Information
At the hospital, make sure the healthcare team knows about any conditions your parent has, medications he or she takes, and symptoms he or she has been experiencing. Provide contact information for your parent’s primary care physician and any specialists he or she is seeing. This will streamline care for your parent.
Make an Overnight Bag for Your Parent
If your loved one is going to be in the hospital for more than a few hours, pack a bag to ensure your loved one has what he or she will need for an overnight stay. Depending on his or her condition, you may also want to bring along a book, knitting project, or something similar to keep your parent’s mind busy.
Ideally, you should be prepared in advance for the possibility your parent may have to go to the hospital. 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 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.
Connect with Hospital Staff
Take the time to try and meet with the hospital staff members who are caring for your parent. Let them know you’re your parent’s caregiver, and provide them with your contact information. Alerting the staff to the fact that you care for your parent can ensure you’re not kept out of major decisions.
If your loved one is living with cognitive challenges due to dementia, you may be required to communicate with medical personnel on his or behalf. Aging in place can present a few challenges for seniors living with dementia. However, they can still live independently at home with the help of professional dementia care. Montgomery families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide their elderly loved ones with mental and social stimulation, timely medication reminders, assistance with meal prep, and much more. Our caregivers are available around the clock to help your loved one live a happier and healthier life.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
Many people feel intimidated in hospitals, so they don’t like to speak up. However, it’s important to fully understand what’s wrong with your parent and how potential treatments will work. If you’re confused by anything a doctor says, ask follow-up questions. You can also find a quiet time when nursing staff seem less busy and ask questions about how to care for your parent in the future.
Keep a List of Care Recommendations
Throughout your parent’s stay, you’ll get a lot of information on the type of care your parent needs after leaving the hospital. Keeping track of all of this information can be challenging, so write it down. Take notes about medication dosages and times along with any other important information. This will keep you from second-guessing yourself as you help your parent recover.
Reassess Your Parent’s Future Care Needs
For most seniors, everything doesn’t immediately go back to normal following a stay in the hospital. Therefore, you’ll need to think about whether your parent might require additional care following the hospitalization. This can help you plan for things like hiring a caregiver, moving your parent into your home, or installing grab bars and chairlifts in your loved one’s home.
After your loved one returns home, keeping track of his or her conditions and medications may be challenging, and a home caregiver 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 Montgomery 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. For reliable in-home care services, contact us at (334) 593-3988 today.