Why Choose Nurse At Home Instead Of Old Age Home?

Family is that one bond that lasts forever. No matter how old you become, no matter what your achievements are, no matter how far you are from them, your parents will always love you for who you are. When you cannot always be available for your old parents that is the time when you trust someone. And that someone will take your place when you are not available for your parents. That’s where caregivers/ caretakers come into the picture.
A sudden need of any urgency and you are relieved, your caregiver is there at that moment to ensure their needs are being met which will be lacking at an old age home. Because your caregiver is available 24/7, making you and them at ease. Also, it is very natural for you to worry about your parents, as they grow older, you think about how they will get along from day to day.

There are numerous advantages of having a trained, trusted, and responsible caregiver at home. They can make the elderly recover from an ailment, injury, post-surgery hassle-free and easy. This caregiver will also help the elderly with physiotherapy sessions at home. An elderly who is bedridden or unable to move freely will find it difficult to use the washroom or maintain personal hygiene which is taken care of by a trained nursing caretaker. Having a trained caregiver will ensure any mishappenings like falls, injury and ensure their safety in that feeble age of theirs. In addition, the elderly who stay at home tend to be physically and mentally healthier compared to old age homes.

For the elderly who are suffering from dementia, it is challenging to take care of them which requires knowledge, patience and understanding. Families, generally, lack the experience and skills to understand the age-related conditions and fail to care for their beloved ones properly. Also, it is quite painful to view your beloved parents deteriorate mentally. A Qualified nurse at home can provide a lot of support, as they understand the condition and have all skills and experience to deal with dementia patients rightly.

A medical survey has revealed that people who have a home nursing services facility at home live a longer life. Receiving emotional, physical, medical, and specialized care in their comfort zones helps senior citizens live healthier and longer life. Because no comfort zone can replace one’s own home. Especially your parents may be attached to a particular couch, a favourite chair, a favourite routine, or a favourite view from a specific corner in the house. Besides, relocating can be very stressful. Also, they are left with all the memories of us in that place, when remembered would make them feel nostalgic and happy which will lack at an old age home.
Because ‘IT FEELS LIKE HOME’, with a responsible and trusted nurse at home. You will definitely want to give your parents the best just like they did when you were young! So, consider these points before making a decision.

Basic Duties And Responsibilities Of Home Nurse

When we think of a home nurse, the first thought that probably comes to mind is elderly care or caring for senior citizens. While this is the most common requirement, a home nurse can be helpful in many other cases too. Think about a high-risk pregnancy where the mother is completely bed-bound for several months. Maybe a young person has suffered a severe injury or accident and needs care and rehabilitation. Post-surgery care is quite common too, whether young or old. A home nurse can be helpful wherever there is a medical condition that needs special care, right from newborns to senior citizens.

So what does a home nurse really do? Think about all the things a patient needs in the hospital. Administration of injections and medication, charting of various parameters, reporting to the attending doctor, assistance with toileting and so much more. 

A home nurse is qualified to do all that and more in the comfort of one’s home, but let’s take a closer look.

Care plan

With healthcare at home, your home nurse can create an individualized plan of care based on his or her evaluation of the patient’s health, advice from the attending physician and the patient’s lifestyle. This care plan will be tailor-made to suit the patient and help them live up to their best potential.

Medication

Having a nurse at home means you will have assistance with monitoring and giving out medications, administration of injections or IVs, assistance with pain management and changing or draining of catheter or urine bag where necessary.

Wound management

With healthcare at home, the patient’s wounds (where applicable) can be cleaned and dressed at home itself.

Symptom watch

With certain conditions, family members may not be aware of certain symptoms, but a certified nurse at home will be alert and monitor all existing and new symptoms and vital signs. They will maintain a chart to see the patient’s progress.

Monitoring

Patient health will be closely monitored and the care plan will be updated accordingly.

Guidance

Your home nurse will be able to instruct both the patient and the family on proper home care guidelines. This will help you be aware of dos, don’ts and not to worry’s!

Safety

Due to their extensive training, they may be able to provide suggestions to improve safety at home as well as facilities to enhance their mobility such as handlebars and anti-skid mats in the bathrooms, organization of furniture to accommodate a walker or wheelchair and so on.

Coordination

A nurse at home will constantly be in communication with the patient’s physicians, dietician or other health advisors.

Support

Lastly, your nurse will be able to extend encouragement and support to the patient themselves as they grapple with their condition. This is important for the overall mental wellness of the patient.

The great thing about one on one care is that a patient is able to benefit from the same quality of qualification and experience as institutionalised care, but with a personal touch and individual attention. It’s no wonder home healthcare is growing today.

How Winters Affect the Elderly

Winter is just around the corner. In many places, temperatures have already begun to drop, warm jackets are coming out and, the days get longer and darker. While winter may be an enjoyable and exciting time for some, there is a category of people who may struggle more than others with the cold. 

Surprisingly, winters can have a negative impact on the overall health of the elderly or senior citizens. It is important to keep a watchful eye on them, have the contact number of the best physiotherapist around and even sign up for home healthcare in some cases to ensure their safety.

So how does the winter impact their health:

Increases risk of hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when the body becomes so cold it starts to shut down. In cases where there is extremely cold weather, the risk of hypothermia goes up exponentially. This happens because their bodies cannot withstand the cold as long as younger people. Elderly people naturally create less body heat, which means they are often colder than younger individuals to start with. Watch out for slowed reactions and movements, sleepiness, slurred or slow speech and confusion.

Cardiac troubles

Patients with existing underlying heart conditions are at greater risk for cardiovascular troubles during winters. The cooler temperatures lower the overall body heat. This can cause the blood vessels to contract, reducing oxygen supply to the body, increasing the risk of a stroke. The extra work that the body has to put in to stay warm can also lead to higher blood pressure and heart attacks. If you have a senior citizen at home who has pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, having a nurse at home may be a good idea. 

Respiratory illness

The drop in temperature commonly leads to respiratory infections in older people. The main reason for this is that excessive cold lowers their immunity and weakens lung function. Asthma patients and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) need to maintain special care during winters.

Increased pain

Another side effect of the cold is that muscle and existing pains tend to worsen in the cold weather. This can be especially difficult for those suffering from arthritis and other conditions as it may hinder their mobility significantly. Look out for the best physiotherapist to help you out through this as it can impact their movement significantly. 

These realities may sound scary and a little bit daunting, but a few simple steps will help keep your loved ones safe and cosy. 

Here’s what you can do:

  • Ensure they wear lots of layers.
  • Use heaters indoors.
  • Get regular check-ups.
  • Keep a very close eye on them and pay attention to anything that may seem a little off.
  • Hire helpLook around for a nurse at home from the SSSPS home healthcare provider to lend a hand.

Having a helping hand can put your mind at ease and your beloved ones safe and cared for at all times!

Homecare : Heal Faster at Home

Battling through sickness and disease can be really disconcerting. It can be really tough on the patient and well as the loved ones that surround them. Watching the person you love so dearly suffer and ache can take an emotional and physical toll on the family and friends. We all want to see the suffering come to an end and watch the beautiful transformation as the patient recovers fully. One of the best ways to speed up the recovery is receiving healthcare at home.

Home Healthcare is actually proven to speed up healing and recovery of patients for so many reasons. In fact, patients are said to thrive in their home settings versus in an institution or hospital setting.. Several case studies and research have indicated that patients may in actuality bring the recovery forward by 6 weeks or more.

Healthcare at home may include receiving caretakers, nanny services or even a highly qualified physiotherapist at home. Whichever service it may be, the benefit of receiving personalized care in the comfort of one’s home has innumerable benefits. Let’s take a look at how this may happen:

Think about an elderly patient that has recently undergone major spinal surgery. The surgery was a success, the patient is stable, but now the long road to recovery begins. The recovery time given is 6 months or longer, but the patient is stable enough to be sent home. However, the patient is now unable to walk, sit, change or do anything independently. He needs support 24/7. Now there are two options: remaining in long term hospital care with qualified professionals available to him around the clock. Or, receiving healthcare at home.

By remaining in hospital, his meals are all provided, physiotherapists are checking in daily and there nurses checking in hourly. You know he’s in safe hands. The drawback: you can’t be with him all the time. This can be resolved one way – by bringing him home; he is stable after all!.

By bringing him home, you get to be around, your family is there to surround him and he’s in his own bed. You can hire a caretaker to care for him and prep his meals and have a physiotherapist at home too. This way, he gets fully dedicated attention. Rather than having different people checking on him hourly, he has one person dedicated for him at all times.  Rather than waiting for a physiotherapist to come see you on his rounds or when he’s free, you have a dedicated professional coming at a time that is convenient to you. The patient is not spending his time waiting for doctors to be available to him.

By doing this, the patient in recovery is able to set his own routine, eat wholesome food that enhances his recovery, be with loved ones And even find ways to be entertained. All these factors contribute to the speedy recovery. That’s why healthcare at home is the go to solution for those that need speedy healing..So what’ll you choose?