Is Home Health Care Needed After a Fall?
You have home care that helps with things like transportation, housework, laundry, and companionship. Home health care covers more medical aspects of care like IVs, medication injections, physical or occupational therapy, and education.
Every year, millions of older adults end up in the ER following a fall. If your dad falls, what are the chances that he’ll need help at home? What kinds of help are going to benefit him most as he recovers after a fall? He may need home health care or caregivers could be enough.
It Depends on the Injuries
The services that will most help your mom or dad depend on the fall and resulting injuries. If your mom fell and broke her hip, she may need surgery. After surgery, she’ll need someone to change surgical bandages. Home health care services help in that area.
If your dad fell and broke his wrist, he’s probably going to be mobile. It won’t impact his mobility, but it may make it hard for him to cook meals, get dressed, and drive a car. Caregivers will be a better choice.
A head injury may require a nurse to change bandages, monitor vital signs, and alert the doctor if signs of an infection appear. The nurse may help with IV medications, injections, or teach family members what to do while their parent recovers. Caregivers could change sheets, make beds, and do all the laundry until things are back to normal.
Services Keep Your Parents Out of the Hospital or a Nursing Home
The benefit to home health care is that your mom or dad is able to heal and recover at home. People tend to be more comfortable than in a sterile nursing home or hospital room. It can aid how quickly people heal after a fall without risking their safety to another fall by leaving them alone.
Hire caregivers to help your mom or dad keep the house clean, assist them with personal care and hygiene, or drive them to appointments. Caregivers can also help arrange additional appointments and remind them when it’s time to take medications.
Home health care services cover the rest. If your mom or dad need physical therapy, they could have the services in their home. If they need wound care after surgery, skilled nurses can help. Home health care and caregivers create a comprehensive care plan following a fall. Call an agency to schedule the services your parent most needs.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Glenview, IL, call the caring staff at LifeCare Home Health & In-Home Services. Call (888) 606-4199 LifeCare serves all of the Chicago Metro Area.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/
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