Home Health Care and Reducing Hospital Readmission
Hospital readmission is a big concern for aging adults as well as the communities in which they live. When seniors bounce in and out of the hospital, that affects their overall well-being in a big way, while also straining the healthcare system. Home health care services can be the answer for seniors who are determined not to go back into the hospital soon after they leave it.
What Are Hospital Readmissions?
When a patient is discharged from the hospital, their intent is to remain at home and recover. A hospital readmission occurs when patients have to go back into the hospital either because of planned or unplanned reasons. Potential causes could include complications, infections, worsening of the original condition, and skipping follow-up care. Working with home health care offers solutions that keep seniors from having to head back to the hospital.
Personalized Care Plans
Every patient who leaves the hospital has a discharge plan. This plan lets them know what they need to do, how to take care of wounds when to come back for follow-up appointments, and other information they need to know. Understanding these discharge instructions is crucial so that seniors follow the plan properly. Home health care providers are medical professionals who can explain the plan and help families follow it.
Medication Management
Medication can get complicated after a hospital visit. Seniors may already take medications to manage existing health issues but temporarily need to take different or additional medications. Home health care providers help seniors stay on top of their medication plans, taking their prescriptions properly and on time. Proper medication management can keep seniors from having to go back to the hospital.
Chronic Illness Management
Chronic illnesses don’t go away just because seniors have surgery for another condition. Managing those conditions carefully can help aging adults avoid complications that could land them back in the hospital. Keeping track of vital signs, glucose levels, blood pressure, and more are all things that home health care can help seniors stay on top of daily.
Post-Surgical Care
After surgery, caring for those wounds is vital in order to prevent infection and ensure proper healing. Home health care providers know what to watch for and can help aging adults get the care that they need to recover. They can also assess how well wounds are healing, communicate with medical providers, and reduce the times that seniors need to leave home if an appointment isn’t necessary.
Coordinating Care Needs
For full recovery, some seniors may need physical therapy and other types of rehabilitation. Home health care services can help to coordinate that care so that seniors see the professionals they need to see. As patients recover more fully, they may need different types of care.
Reducing hospital readmissions is crucial for individuals and for communities as a whole. Home health care providers help families to understand more about how they can help seniors recover. They also offer hands-on help and coordinate care that makes a big difference for seniors who have been in the hospital.