So, you’re loved one is finally being discharged from the hospital and there are new restrictions on diet, new medications to consider and new health ailments to keep up with. How can caregivers make certain they can establish a safe and reliable transition from the hospital to a home care plan? If you’re a caregiver who lives close to home with your loved one, it is a bit easier. For those caregivers who are long-distance, this gets a bit trickier. However, technology is advancing all the time and there are new, innovative ways to properly manage the care of older patients today.

Just an example lies in how devices can be laparoscopically placed in a patient’s body to keep track of their vital signs. A patient with CHF (congestive heart failure) can have a microscopic device placed that can keep up with rising fluid levels. This can allow the medical team to alert the caregiver to increase diuretic medication, or to advise them to bring their loved one in for medical care. This is just one of many advancements improving the quality of life for the elderly. Let’s not forget that it helps with that transition from the hospital to home very well too!

A family caregiver can make the move back home easier and without confusion for their loved one. There are several things that they can do to ensure everything remains stable and comfortable too. The following bulleted points will be helpful for caregivers worried about this-this type of situation:

• Know what recommendations your loved one’s medical team have put in place
• Be aware of what follow-up care is established
• Mitigate risk factors and pay careful attention to behavior
• Know what medications need to be taken and when to avoid mishandling and risk of readmissions
• Know whether professional assistance in the home would be better for your loved one
• Educate other family members on proper routine and care for while you might be away
• Assess your loved one’s home to minimize any fall risks

You should start creating and working on an elderly care plan right away so that you can better safeguard your loved one as well. It has been proven that the first 30 days following discharge are some of the most detrimental. This is when falls can occur and improper medication dosages often take place. The most important thing is to provide all of the emotional support and compassion you can to ensure your loved one feels happy and cared about.

The goal is to make sure life quality is maintained! All of these tips and strategies together ensure that your loved one can have a full and healthy recovery from their medical illness. Hopefully, they can manage and maintain good health for a long time after that recovery! Just remember the caregiver is one of the most influential figures in this process.