Going Home from the Hospital: Part 1 of 2

Going home from the hospital is an emotional experience. The warmth and convenience of home are certainly more inviting than the hospital and its routine; but when physicians feel that their patients are ready to return home, many families still feel unprepared and uncertain about the their ability to deal with the problems of caring for the patient away from the support of the hospital and its staff.

Most patients, if given a choice would prefer to be at home. But fear of the unknown and the uncertainty of coping without the professional support of the hospital can deter patients and/or families from even trying to go home. Economics may also be a factor.

Working out a plan for homecare can seem complicated and overwhelming: you may become discouraged before you really know much about it. But don't. Planning ahead and using the many resources in "How To Care for Someone at Home" can improve the quality of life at home, reduce fear, and enhance the confidence of families, friends, and patients.

One of the first steps toward this goal is a careful look at your home environment by the hospital discharge planner, family caregiver or Professional Geriatric Care Manager.

A home visit before discharge can help anticipate problems and needs before the arrival home; on the other hand, a visit a few days after discharge may be helpful in reassessing needs after the patient and family have had a chance to adapt to the new home routines.

Supportive Care

Each person needs a different type and amount of care, and once your special needs have been clarified, it will be time to consider, realistically, the energy and time available from your family and friends. If family are the chief caregivers, their employment, health and other responsibilities must be considered. If there is more than one family member, a schedule to rotate responsibilities can be worked out. If only one person is the main caregiver, he or she must be allotted some free time for physical and mental well-being.

Infants and growing children, teenagers, mates and parents may make competing demands on the family helpers, and so the psychological strengths of both the patient and the family helpers must be considered.

Often sexual problems may arise, because of fear, anxiety and poor understanding of the needs of one's mate, or because of physical exhaustion from the illness. Many cancers require surgical changes such as a mastectomy or colostomy which can influence a person's sexual self-image. Special psychological counseling may be necessary to help improve both sexual adjustment and coping with the stress of daily living.

Your Physical Environment

How well can your family adapt to every-day tasks like giving medication or injections, using an oxygen machine, tending to bedpans or urinals, caring for skin and mouth and throat problems, controlling nausea and vomiting, and seeing to your particular nutrition needs? How willing are they to learn?

How well equipped is your home? Do you need a hospital bed, urinal, bedpan, walker, or other safety devices? Most of the equipment you use in the hospital can be provided at home. The hospital discharge planner can help you decide what equipment you will need. She or he will be concerned about the physical set-up of the bathroom, bedroom, the space available for extra furniture or equipment, and the location of stairs and railings. Most medical insurance policies will cover the equipment you are likely to need.

Here is a list of some of the commonly needed equipment which is generally available through local supply companies:

Hospital Beds

Manual, semi-electric, and full-electric beds; safety siderails; overhead trapeze bars with floor stand; overbed tables

Wheelchairs

Standard folding, standard folding with leg rests, folding with removable arms, full reclining with legs, and power wheelchairs

Walking Aids

Walkerette, and folding walkerettes; canadian crutches; canes; quad canes; crutches

Bathroom Safety Equipment

Bath benches; bath tub grab bars; transfer tub seats; toilet assist frames; elevated toilet seats; shower attachments

Patient Aids

Commode chair and mobile commode chairs; alternating pressure units; flotation pads, sheepskin pads, transfer lifts, portable oral suction machines, and respiratory equipment

Patient-Care Items

Foam cushion rings, bedpans, urinals, heel protectors, elbow protectors, incontinent pads, incontinent pants, sitz baths

Special Note: Some of your hospital equipment is disposable, and you may be able to take it with you.

Read Going Home from the Hospital: Part 2 of 2

Disclaimer: Gilbert Guide, Mount Zion Hospital & Medical Center, Marshall Hale Memorial Hospital and The San Francisco Regional Cancer Foundation do hereby disclaim any and all liability for any bodily injury, death or damage to property resulting from, in whole or in part, or in any way connected with the use by any individual in the hospital-based home care program known as "SENIORS AT HOME."

Posted in Hospital Discharge, Hospitalization, How to Care for Someone at Home, Supportive Homecare