Hospital Discharge May Not Mean Ready For Home!
Hospitalized loved ones are READY TO GO HOME after a long hospital stay. They are ready for their own beds and their favorite foods. They are tired of needle sticks, being awaken in the middle of the night, being told what to do and are just ready to get back to their “normal life”. But some of them are just too weak and don’t realize that they are a “hand full” and what they are asking is too much on their families. They may be too caught up in all the things that went wrong or were bad about their hospital stay to be objective about their situation. Then again, they may not realize how weak they are and not quite understand that they are not the same, that they can not do the things they have done before. And families often don’t have a clue because they may have not seen their loved one out of bed at the hospital or haven’t received any information from the hospital on what is going on. So in comes the discharge planner at the last minute to say, “We think that your Mom (Dad) needs to go to the NURSING HOME for therapy!”
Well, guess what? All ears in the room or on the phone went deaf and heard nothing else after the words NURSING HOME. The tears have started to flood in, the panicking and shortness of breath has started and the sky has fallen. And immediately its a big “NO WAY, I PROMISED MY PARENTS/SPOUSE THAT I WOULD NEVER PUT THEM INTO A NURSING HOME”! But before you get too worked up, please listen and understand that you are not technically putting them into the nursing home. The option available is to be placed on a skilled nursing unit housed inside of the nursing home. Listen to Episode 3: Should Mom(Dad) come home or to the Skilled Nursing Unit?
So yes, it’s true, it is located in a nursing home. The smells are not always great, the people are overworked and it can be very depressing to see. But remember there are some bad and good facilities out there and the skilled unit patients do receive great therapy services. This results in them being stronger and then you, the family, can better manage their care at home. So dry your eyes, reassure your loved ones that this is only a temporary stop on the way home. Do your research.
Click Here for the free Medicare Discharge Planning Checklist, which can help you plan for a smooth transition from the hospital.
Today’s blog is inspired by a caregiver question to the call-in line of Finding A Foothold. To hear questions and other challenges from caregivers in our community, please check out the website and Episode 3: Should Mom (Dad) Go Home or To The Skilled Nursing Unit?
If you have a question, please call and allow this community to share hope and tips you can use. Your question may inspire our next blog! Please subscribe to the Finding A Foothold podcast.
Consuela Marshall, Occupational Therapist.
Disclaimer: The podcast and blog are intended to provide basic information so that you can become a more informed caregiver. The information presented is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not meant to serve as medical advice or replace consultation with any health care providers you regularly engage with. Transmission or receipt of any of this information is not intended to, and does not, create a therapist-patient relationship. This information is not provided in the course of a therapist-patient relationship and is not intended to constitute medical advice or to substitute for obtaining medical advice from a physician or therapist licensed in the state where your family may reside. We encourage everyone to consult with your physician or therapist to see if they are appropriate and safe for you.