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Ways to reduce a return trip to the hospital

April 5, 2017 By Take My Hand

Going to the hospital is no small matter. But having to go back because of complications related to your first visit? That’s unfortunate.

It’s one reason that the federal government has been penalizing hospitals with high readmittance rates. The Hospital Readmission Reduction Program links what Medicare pays to hospitals to the number of people who have to return within 30 days.

The good news, of course, is that there are simple ways ― both for hospitals and for patients ― to help reduce costly and unnecessary return trips. These are the primary ways that HRR works to reduce readmittance:

  • Improved coordination of care and communication among providers, patients and caregivers.
  • Improved discharge planning, education and follow-up for patients.
  • Improved continuity of care using electronic medical records.

After they leave the hospital, patients need to pay close attention to discharge planning and follow-up care. This can be a lot to manage especially when you’re not feeling well after a procedure or illness. Hiring a caregiver to manage the post-hospital care such as wound dressing, medication management, mobility aid and doctor communication can make all the difference between smooth post-op recovery and a return to the hospital if things go south.

Take wound care, for example: According to a 2015 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, surgical-site infection was the leading cause of unplanned hospital readmission after surgery. Having a trained person at your home to help with wound dressing and care can make a major difference.

Assistance with mobility, too, is key. Because falls ― especially after hip or knee replacement surgery ― can be large factors for readmission, many hospitals encourage patients to have caregivers or family members on hand to help with therapy and to assist in mobility. The protocol encourages patients to move around as soon as possible, but it also asks that they don’t do it without the aid of a nurse or caregiver.

At-home aides also can assist in communication with doctors on therapy plans, fall-prevention programs, medical needs and other important topics, relieving another burden from patients and acting as a critical liaison to reduce misunderstandings or missed information.

Take My Hand At-Home Care provides licensed caregivers who help individuals with post-discharge support throughout Whatcom County, including Lynden, Bellingham, Ferndale, Blaine, Everson, Nooksack, Sumas and Birch Bay. Their hospital discharge planning services help older adults safely return home ― and stay there ― after surgery or illness.

 

Filed Under: Aging in place, Caregiving, Long-term care, Resources for senior citizens Tagged With: Aging-In-Place, at-home care, home health for seniors, post operative caregiving, Whatcom County Eldercare

How to help your parent recover from surgery

June 8, 2016 By Take My Hand

dependent-441408_960_720Surgery can be a challenging and traumatic experience for older adults, but what happens in the days and weeks after the surgery is often challenging.

Picture this: Your mom or dad is at a follow-up appointment but can’t remember what questions to ask. There are piles of medicines at home that they can’t remember to — or don’t want to — take. Around every corner is the possibility of a bad fall. And then they have to remember to cook food that matches post-op dietary needs. Heck, they have to be able to cook food that matches their dietary needs. That’s a lot to worry about.

Related: 6 tips for caregiving at home after a hospital stay

And if you can’t be around to help, post-operative time is probably just as overwhelming for you. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Caregiving, Long-term care, Resources for caregivers Tagged With: hiring a caregiver, Lynden Caregivers, Lynden eldercare, post operative caregiving, Whatcom County Eldercare

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ABOUT US

Sue Sorensen became involved with Whatcom County eldercare and aging-in-place services in 2009. She launched Take My Hand At-Home Care in January 2012 … Read More...

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Recent Posts

  • Five simple ways seniors can lower cholesterol
  • How to identify elder fraud scams — and help those you love
  • How technology can help loved ones with dementia
  • How to spot cognitive decline in a loved one
  • How to practice thankfulness — and how it can improve your life

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