Are you supporting someone recently discharged from hospital?

09 April 2020

If a family member, or someone you care for, has recently been discharged from hospital you might be wondering how you can best support them at home and how to help them find the right daily living aids to aid their rehabilitation.

With many hospitals across the UK now preparing to make room for an intake of COVID-19 patients, you may find that, once your loved one is deemed medically fit and stable, they are discharged earlier than expected. This comes as the NHS try to make the discharge process more efficient to free up as many beds as possible. In most cases, people who are discharged from hospital will be able to return to their own homes. However, they may still need support at home, whether they are recovering from a temporary injury or learning how to manage a longer-term health condition.

Everyone’s care plan will be different after leaving hospital, depending on their injury or condition, and the NHS may offer your loved one some daily living aids that are considered essential for your safety, such as profiling beds and hoists. However, as some follow up services, such as Occupational Therapy in the community, are now restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they may be unable to provide smaller daily living aids that can make everyday tasks easier. You may find it more convenient to buy additional daily living equipment online, which can support your loved one during their rehabilitation.

What do you need to consider?

We asked our Occupational Therapists for their expert advice on how to support someone who has just been discharged from hospital and how to help them get the right daily living aids to aid their recovery and live independently. The following is based on their professional experience.

“The person you’re caring for may have been discharged with expectations that they will not be able to do everything that they were doing before admission to hospital, and their change in needs will depend on their injury or condition, e.g. they may have reduced movement in a certain area of the body. With this in mind, the first thing to consider is their high priority needs. Are they able to get to their bed? Can they access the toilet or an alternative toileting solution? Can they access food and drink? Can they maintain their hygiene? And are they safe at home?”

Sleep – the person you are looking after will need somewhere appropriate to sleep once they are home from hospital, especially if they will need long periods of time in bed during their rehabilitation. They may need a bed set up downstairs for the short term to avoid the need to use the stairs and promote safety.

Toileting – if they have a temporary bed set up downstairs or need caring for in bed for some time, you may need to consider a commode. This can be placed in the room where the person’s bed is situated and feature a pan and lid so it can be easily cleaned. Other support is available to help people use their standard toilet or stay independent in their toileting routine. This can include a toilet frame, a raised toilet seat and other toileting solutions.

Nutrition – consider whether the person you’re caring for can access food and drink independently, or whether they need support. It is important that they keep hydrated and eat a sufficient amount of nutritious food after their hospital discharge. Straws and beakers mugs cups can help people in bed to stay hydrated and eating aids can support people who might have difficulty cutting, picking up or eating their food quickly. Solutions may arise in other ways too, for example if you are cooking you may prepare the food in a certain way to make it more enjoyable or easier to eat.

Hygiene – using the bath or shower may not be recommended if the person is not able to do this independently, so other means of maintaining hygiene such as using wipes and washing creams may be necessary to maintain independence in this area. If it is safe, you may consider alternative ways of using the bath or shower. A bath board or bath lift can make bathing more accessible and shower chairs or stools can be used to safely wash in the shower by helping to prevent falls.

Safety in the home – there are some quick and easy changes you can make to the home once your loved one is discharged from hospital, to keep it safe, accessible and help prevent accidents. Try to clear up any walkways, this might include picking up any rugs or moving furniture so there is enough space and no slip/trip hazards. This will also help the person to smoothly use any walking aids, such as a trolley, in the home and reduce the risk of falls. Keeping the house well-lit can also increase safety, especially at night-time. Sensor lights are ideal for low-lit areas of the home and night-time journeys to the bathroom, to ensure they are not walking in the dark.

What might be different during this uncertain time?

Communication – communication is very important during this time, particularly for those recovering after a hospital admission, as we are more isolated and unable to see many of our loved ones. Ensure that there is a phone close to hand if the person you are caring for can easily use it. In some circumstances, a landline phone may be more suitable and if they include additional handsets they can be sited in places where they are most needed, such as the lounge, bedroom or the kitchen. Others may be happy with a simple mobile phone. For those who may need to call for assistance urgently, a pendant device can be used to contact pre-set phone numbers and others can be used in conjunction with a pager.

Adjusting to the current climate – as getting outdoors and seeing family and friends is limited during the UK lockdown, finding activities that the person can do within the home to both support their rehabilitation and alleviate boredom can help with both their physical and mental wellbeing.

Getting back to normal – getting back to normal, or a new normal, may take some time, and could be slower than expected due to the restriction on available follow up services such as Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy. When an assessment is available at home it may be that equipment is still required for a while to help with areas such as using the bath, or getting up the stairs if the person has had to live downstairs following their hospital discharge.

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