Transitional care is an area of senior care that sometimes go unmentioned. This doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth discussing and being knowledgeable of, though. In fact, transitional care provides an opportunity to keep your loved one out of institutionalized care for longer periods of time, and can even keep your older parent in their own homes. This, when used in conjunction with in-home care, provides a framework for improving upon the health and independence of your mom or dad. Here are some things that you should know:
Transitional care helps with traumatic experiences. If you have a parent that has suffered a broken bone and has had to have surgery, putting them in a nursing home or leaving them in the hospital for the rest of their life isn’t the best option. Many nursing homes have what is called transitional care units where the housing is only temporary and it gives residents access to the on-site therapy that long term residents have. Yes, it’s technically within a nursing home, but they will not be staying there for forever. They are staying there until they are able to get around on their own again, and in the meantime, they have access to the staff and all of the other amenities given to full time residents.
Transitional care is meant to reduce hospital admissions. This makes sense, but did you know that it can also help reduce nursing home admissions? There’s little point in going from a transitional care unit straight to a nursing home unless it’s absolutely necessary. However, it happens more often than it should, simply because people don’t realize that they have other options. That brings us to the last point.
Something after transitional care is needed. Once your mom or dad is back home, they are not yet out of the woods. Depending upon the severity of their injury, they will probably require future attention. This is where in-home care comes in so nicely. It might be for a couple weeks, or it could be a permanent thing. It doesn’t matter, really. Whatever your parent’s needs are, in-home care can help them to stay in their own homes for longer. For example, if a broken hip is keeping them from walking and they are confined to a wheelchair, a caregiver can help them get through their days more easily. They can help with meal prep, with transferring to the toilet and the shower, and with getting into a more comfortable chair. This is what in-home caregivers do, and it can be a great way to transition between transitional care and living back at home.
The end goal is to keep your loved one at home where they want to be. Transitional care will help them to heal a little without the extra impact of being at home, but home is right where most people want to stay. Once they are well enough to return, the provisions made can go a long way toward reducing further injury. This is why a caregiver is so important.
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