Elder Care in Hamilton NJ

Hospital readmissions is a continued issue in the elder care community, causing not only a tremendous financial and other resource strain on medical facilities, but putting seniors at risk of new and worsened conditions when they return to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Among those seniors who return to the hospital with the greatest frequency, many suffer from congestive heart failure.

While there are many factors that go into hospital readmissions, seniors who suffer from congestive heart failure tend to be at a slightly higher risk of heading back to the hospital within 30 days of getting discharged. These readmissions are not always directly related to the congestive heart failure itself. Instead, those who have CHF tend to be especially vulnerable to certain medical concerns that may cause hospital readmissions, particularly while receiving treatment for the CHF and related issues.

Keeping your parents from returning to the hospital within a few weeks of discharge is an important step in keeping them safe, helping them to successfully manage their congestive heart failure and other medical conditions, and protecting them from the development of infections and illnesses related to the frequent germ exposure of hospital readmissions.

Use these tips to help you keep your parents with heart failure at lower risk of hospital readmissions:

• Establish help. Seniors with congestive heart failure tend to have a variety of related concerns that may make it difficult for them to care for themselves independently. If your parents have gone into the hospital for treatment for their congestive heart failure, get in touch with the elder care agency to find out about hiring an elderly health care services provider who can help them to follow through with their treatment and management guidelines, provide assistance, and keep them safer and healthier after discharge. Getting this care provider into place as soon as possible reduces the risk of further issues that can contribute to readmission.

• Understand medications. If your parents have been given new medications to treat their congestive heart failure, make sure that you understand not only the dosage, but also any side effects that your parents might experience. These side effects could put them at greater risk of health concerns and injuries that may contribute to hospital readmission so it is important to know that these risks exist so you can take steps to protect your parents from them.

• Provide support. Make sure that your parents know they are not alone in their recovery and management efforts. Seniors often use hospital readmission as a way to get attention and interaction. By knowing that you are there to offer the love, nurturing, and support they need, and that their elderly health care services provider is also available to offer encouragement and assistance, your parents can feel more comfortable, confident, and relaxed, reducing the chances that they will want to head back to the hospital.

Get in touch with the elder care agency in your area to find out more about hiring a care provider who can help you care for your parents so that they can manage their CHF and stay out of the hospital after discharge.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring elder care services in Hamilton, NJ or the surrounding areas, please call Independence Home Care today at 609-208-1111 for more information.