of recent tests and current lab values and vital signs such as patient's temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure. It also saves Agnes a trip to his office and has more of a personal touch than a phone call. However, calling the doctor in his office is certainly an option if a personal visit is not feasible.Ok , Bill is now in the process of being diagnosed. Using the example of a fall at home he will almost certainly have an Xray and maybe some other diagnostic imaging tests depending upon the initial results (findings). Let's say for the purposes of this example that he has fractured his hip and will be needing it to be surgically repaired. In many cases, especially with the elderly, a decision has to be made as to the patient's ability to tolerate surgery. Among other things Bill's breathing and heart function and medical history will be looked at to determine the degree of risk.
Once Agnes has discussed with the attending MD the general schedule she can step back and take stock of the situation. Here are some points she may find it useful to think about:
How much physical strength does she have to assist in her husband's ability to get out of bed? Out of a chair? Use the restroom? All these functions will come into play as Bill progresses through the system and plans are made for his recovery. Many families attend their loved ones in the hospital under the impression that the patient will remain in Hospital until completely recovered and back to their previous level of function. In fact, while this may occur in certain cases, there very often is a time where the patient is well enough to leave the general medical/surgical level of care but not able to bounce right back to where they were before the event that bought them into the hospital in the first place occurred. It is this gap that Agnes will need to think about as things move forward.
This would also be a good time to look at resources. Who is around Agnes? Friends? Family? Is she a member of any groups, churches, and senior programs? Where should she go to look at her resource options? The place to start while Bill is in the hospital is the Social Work department of that hospital. This may be called "social services" or a similar name.
Finally, some thoughts may be directed towards the home that Bill and Agnes live in.specifically, the suitability of this environment to their continued welfare. Is their home an apartment on the second floor with no elevator? A single-family house at the end of steep driveway? Perhaps the home was purchased many years ago when mobility concerns were not a consideration. All these aspects need some thought, and even if a move to a more mobility-friendly environment may not be feasible, there are some steps that can be taken to increase the general safety of the home environment and reduce the risk of falls. Very often, as a part of the discharge planning the MD can order a service through the Home Health Nursing aspect of patient care. This is called a "home safety evaluation" and is usually conducted by a physical therapist. This service may not be available to all but it is a common way to reduce the risk of future falls. With this service the home environment is reviewed and suggestions are made as to such items as where safety guide rails may be installed or perhaps a suggestion regarding floor coverings that reduce the risk of accidents.
So, to summarize: In the above example, Agnes should:
1. Gain as clear an idea as possible how long Bill may be in hospital and what the general plan is.
2. Take stock of her abilities, resources, family and friends.
3. Utilize the expertise of all the professional medical personnel that are involved with her husbands care in order to gain a clear idea of the best course of action.
About The Author
© Geoffrey Martyn. http://www.parent-care.org.
How we can best help our aging parents? Directed at most of us baby boomers who have aging parents that may need some help. Our site has resources, contacts and the ebook Parent-Care Handbook .
