If you’ve had surgery or an extended stay in hospital, then you’re probably eager to get back to your own home. But what then? How will you manage once you’re back home?
Your doctors will probably ask you those questions before you’re discharged from hospital. That’s because they want you to be in the best position to make a good recovery. Proper support is part of that.
What is in-home, post-hospital care?
After-hospital care in your home supports your recovery by providing any help you may need with:
- Rehabilitation
- Household chores
- Shopping and meal preparation
- Home modifications like handrails or ramps
- Helping you get to or from appointments
- Personal care like taking a shower or getting dressed
- Nursing care like managing medications, promoting wound healing or changing surgical dressings.
You might use these services temporarily while you get back on your feet. Or you might find that you really appreciate the help and would like to consider ongoing home help. It’s up to you.
What does in-home post-hospital care look like?
It can look like anything you need it to.
Let’s say you’ve had heart surgery. The op went well and you’re ready to go home. But you have type 2 diabetes and don’t want to develop an infection at the surgical site. And, if you’re honest, you tire easily.
Your family don’t live nearby. Your daughter will be there for a few days then she has to go back to her work and kids. Your friends have stocked your freezer with enough home-made meals to keep you going for a month but you don’t want to ask them to do any more than that as they all have their own health issues to manage.
You want to go home. You’re ready for your own bed, a supply of good books, a few favourite TV shows and the opportunity to refresh your spirits by pottering around in your garden.
In-home, post-hospital care lets you enjoy the pleasures of being back in your own home without the associated work.
In this scenario, you might choose a home healthcare provider to:
- Help you complete your rehab exercises each day to promote your recovery
- Check your surgical site is healing well
- Help you keep on top of your diabetes medication
- Change your bedding
- Help you with washing up, cleaning and laundry
- Help you get to health appointments.
Having that support readily available prevents you from overdoing it. It also means someone else is there to keep an eye on your health and nip any emerging issues in the bud. That can give you (and your extended family) more confidence in your recovery process.
As you get stronger over the next few weeks, you might gradually scale back on these services.
‘I don’t need help. I’m strong and independent.
If you value being strong and independent, then it’s actually in your best interest to accept help in the early stages of your recovery.
Recovery after surgery depends on a number of factors relating to your age and health but one of the most significant ones is how much rest you get.
If you’ve been told not to lift anything heavy, then you may adversely affect your recovery if you lift a laundry basket or carry shopping bags. You’d be better off saving your energy for your rehab exercises instead of overdoing it on other things.
Accepting help at the beginning may be the quickest way to regain your independence.
How can Focused Health Care help?
There are several ways to access community-based rehabilitation. You may be able to use funding from your NDIS Plan, DVA Community Nursing money, or Home Care Package. You may also come as a private client, funding your own care. In any case, we’re here to help.
We’re run by Registered Nurses, meaning our business operates from a deep understanding of patients’ medical and emotional needs. Our high quality, flexible services are designed around your needs rather than a one-size-fits-all model. Our rehabilitation services help you improve your function, strength or balance so you can carry out daily activities more safely while our in-home care services lift the burden of everyday chores from your shoulders.
Please contact us to talk about your needs.
Disclaimer
All information is general in nature.
