Senior Living Dining Options and Nutrition Support

Are you wondering what to do after your loved one gets discharged after a hospital stay? When your loved one is in the hospital, be it for a planned procedure or an unplanned emergency, it's easy to become overwhelmed with information. Not only are you trying to keep track of how they're feeling and how their recovery is going, but you're also in communication with their physician, surgeon, therapists, and nursing team. There's so much information rapidly coming at you in all directions, and just when you think you're getting a handle on it, a social worker comes in to talk to you about discharge planning.While everyone is eager to get your loved one home so they can recover in a place where they feel most comfortable, there's a lot to do before they can safely leave the hospital. Taking discharge planning one step at a time can help reduce stress. Here's what to consider as you begin preparing your loved one to leave the hospital.Meet with the hospital discharge plannerYour loved one's discharge from a hospital visit begins days before the planned date of the discharge. A discharge planner, typically a social worker or other trained professional, will meet with the designated family member to discuss the discharge plans. During the initial meeting, the planner will talk about potential discharge dates and learn more from you about: - What support systems, if any, your loved one has in place.- What you and your loved one are worried about regarding them leaving the hospital.- Resources and services in the community that you can contact to set up support.When you meet with the planner, take notes. You're likely to forget the small details if you don't write them down along with all the information you get during the meeting.Make sure you have the planner's contact information, including their email address, so you can send any follow-up questions or concerns after your meeting.Understand that you will probably meet with the planner daily until the day of the discharge.Review the care plan and medical instructionPart of the discharge planning process is understanding what your loved one is going to need when they leave the hospital. Your discharge planner will walk you through the recommendations from your loved one's medical team, including their surgeon, specialist, physician, and therapist. Depending on the reason for your loved one's stay in the hospital, you might find information about: - Upcoming follow-up visits and therapy visit recommendations.- Prescription schedule.- Wound care instructions.- Restorative exercises.- Dietary needs.- Signs of an emergency, or when to get in touch with a doctor ASAP.You'll receive a copy of these instructions, and they may be updated before the discharge. Take notes and ask questions if you need clarification.Choose the right care after a hospital stayChoosing how to get care after hospitalization can be a stressful part of the discharge process. In addition to simply leaving the hospital, the goal is to make sure your loved one continues their recovery in a setting that matches their medical needs, mobility, and level of support.For some seniors, returning home with the right services in place is a safe and appropriate option, but not all seniors who are discharged are cleared to go straight home. Instead, many are encouraged to continue their recovery in a skilled nursing facility in order to get a strong enough return home safely. Others are told that eventually going back home is not a safe option at all, and family members need to begin exploring other long-term senior living options, like assisted living.This decision often comes together quickly. Some may have only a few days to understand care recommendations, evaluate options, and choose a path forward, while trying to make the safest and most sustainable choice.Get help from a professional senior care advisorIn this scenario, it can be valuable to bring in a professional senior care advisor who can do most of the work for you, giving you a list of vetted senior living communities that meet your loved one's needs, preferences, and budget. These advisors provide their services at no cost to family members, and will meet with you either at the hospital or over the phone to learn more about the discharge recommendations, your loved one's challenges, and your plans for the short and long term. Then, they use their knowledge and relationships with senior living communities in your area to identify a few that meet all the necessary criteria.Senior care advisors can even accompany you on a tour of potential communities, or spend time with you afterward to discuss what you observed and address any questions you might still have. Most care advisors will check in regularly to ensure that you are making your most confident decision, even after your loved one has been discharged to the senior living community.Organize supportNow that you know when your loved one will be discharged, and the recommendations for their after-hospital care, it's time to start getting the pieces in place for a successful discharge. If possible, begin working on these steps immediately. You'll also want to delegate tasks to other family members, including those who live far away but can be helpful over the phone or through email.Depending on your loved one's needs, you might need to complete these tasks:- Setting up follow-up appointments and transportation.- Ordering medical supplies, including any durable medical equipment.- Getting prescriptions from the pharmacy.- Setting up services with Meals on Wheels or another meal delivery service, if your loved one is returning home.- Stocking the fridge and cabinets with easy-to-make meals and snack options.- Scheduling home care or home health care visitors as prescribed.- Contacting the senior living community (if your loved one isn't returning home) to determine what you need to bring when your loved one moves, including any medical history or medication records, clothing, comfort items, etc.Remember: If you're working with a senior care advisor, they can be a valuable resource in helping you get organized for the move to the senior living community. They can provide you with options for moving companies, home organizers, and more.Watch for warning signs of complicationsOnce your loved one has left the hospital, your focus shifts to avoiding readmission. You want your loved one to recover successfully and not develop any secondary infections, have a fall, or experience other complications that can bring them back to a hospital setting.Keep your eyes peeled for these potential red flags, and follow up with their physician immediately: - Confusion or acute disorientation. - Swelling in the lower extremities.- Redness or irritation at any suture sites.- Poor balance or near-falls.- Not taking medications as scheduled.- Experiencing unpleasant side effects from medications.- Poor appetite.- Skipping physical therapy, occupational therapy, or physician appointments.- A new cough or fever.- Unmanaged pain.Slow and Steady: Recovering after a hospital visitIt's important to remember that recovery from a hospital visit can take longer for older adults. The deconditioning that occurs when individuals are sedentary in the hospital, in addition to the side effects of medication or anesthetic, can slow down their recovery. Stay patient and supportive, taking note of the small victories. Observe and celebrate their progress. Slow and steady wins the race, especially when it comes to post-hospital recovery.If you are navigating a hospital discharge and feeling unsure about the next steps, Oasis Senior Advisors Carrollton-Frisco can help you make sense of your options. They work closely with families to understand care needs, budget, and timing, then guide you through comparing the communities, scheduling tours, and making a confident decision. Their support is totally free, and their local knowledge can make a fast-moving situation much more manageable. Contact your local advisor, Holly DeLisi, at (682) 375-9604 for assistance.

Are you wondering about the next steps after your loved one leaves home health care? For many older adults, home health care plays a crucial role in recovery after an illness, injury, or surgery. It can act as a bridge between a hospital or skilled nursing visit and caring for oneself. It's also a way for homebound people to get the support they need.However, home health care is usually a short-term service. It's meant to help stabilize health, rehabilitate, and teach new skills, but it doesn't last forever.Most funding sources (particularly Medicare) will stop covering home health care services when the patient recovers enough, or sometimes if their progress stalls. This end point may come too soon for some people, especially if they still have health needs or aren't fully independent.The end of home health care doesn't mean the end of support - there are still many options out there for getting the help you need. In this article, we'll highlight options for care depending on your situation when home health care comes to an end.Why home health care endsHome health care provides skilled care that you'd typically need to go to a doctor, hospital, or specialist for. Offered services include the following, depending on your needs:- Skilled nursing care (wound care, IV medication administration, etc.).- Physical therapy.- Speech therapy.- Occupational therapy. - Assistance with personal care (but only if your doctor deems it medically necessary, and only if you need skilled care, too).- Medical social services (only if you need skilled care, too).Home health care services are not simply there to make your life easier. Providers travel to the patients because they have a short-term need for medical care after an injury, illness, surgery, or similar situation, and are considered homebound (meaning that leaving the home is either very difficult or impossible).This process is designed around medical necessity. This means you're typically eligible for the services when you need them, particularly when visiting the doctor would be difficult.Your needs will likely change as you go through home health care, and eventually, the funding will end. What you can do next will depend on your needs at that time.Immediate next stepsHome health care won't end suddenly. Your goals and progress will be assessed before any decision is made, and health care providers will work with you to determine the next steps.This process will typically involve talking about:- Alternative sources of any care required.- Plans for medication management.- Follow-up appointments with specialists and your primary care physician.- How to ensure progress continues.- Local resources and services to support your recoveryThis is also your chance to ask questions. Doing so helps to ensure that you're fully informed about the next steps.If your health has dramatically improvedThis is the best possible outcome and the goal of home health care. However, you'll still need to keep an eye on your health. This includes: - Taking medications as prescribed.- Continuing with any exercises recommended by physical therapists.- Keeping up with personal hygiene.- Eating well.- Exercising at a level you are safe and comfortable with.- Staying socially connected.You may also want in-home support from a family member or home care aide. While home care services don't provide medical support, they can make self-care tasks much safer and easier, and also assist with household tasks.If you still need support with recoveryWhen home health care ends, if your health has improved, you might be visiting specialists instead of having them come to you.Support options here include the following:- In outpatient treatment, you can receive some services at your local hospital, but are not admitted and can return home the same day.- Your primary care provider will continue to provide support, recommendations, and health monitoring. You can make follow-up appointments with specialists to continue your work.- There may also be some programs in your local community, like chronic disease management groups and fall prevention classes. You may find support groups as well, which offer information and social support. If funding has ended but you still need home health careThe end of funding doesn't have to mean the end of home health care. Sometimes you'll simply need to look for other funding sources.Depending on your situation, you may be able to use the following to pay for home health care:- Medicaid.- Private insurance.- Long-term care insurance.- Veterans benefits.You can also dispute the decision to end your home health care. This can be important because home health care agencies don't always fully understand Medicare funding. They may even end care when you're actually still eligible.Your provider is required to give you a notice of Medicare non-coverage when funding has ended. This includes details about how to file an expedited appeal and can help you fight any changes.If your needs exceed what family or home care can provideSome people's care needs end up exceeding anything that home care and home health care can provide. Furthermore, family caregiving is often unrealistic when the individuals care needs are too high, as family members may not have the required skills and can quickly burn out from the workload.In such cases, alternative living arrangements like those listed below may be necessary. Assisted livingAssisted living helps with daily tasks in a supportive environment. While medical support is limited, assisted living ensures that there's always someone on hand to provide support, and that any health issues are quickly noticed. These communities also have a variety of programs and services that continue to support residents nonmedical needs.For example, when a patient receives home health care after hospitalization for a hip fracture, the housekeeping laundry, and meal services at assisted living can help the resident maintain quality of life and good nutrition if their recovery has left them with less mobility than before the fracture.Skilled nursingSkilled nursing facilities are another 24/7 care environment that offers medical support as well as many nonmedical services. This is a good option for people with significant health challenges, helping to improve safety and quality of life.People who require long-term care in skilled nursing often have one or more chronic conditions, physical limitations, or cognitive conditions that make living at home unsafe. Staffed with licensed nursing professionals, trained caregiving staff, attending physicians, and visiting specialists, these facilities provide the greatest access to skilled care outside a hospital setting.Memory careMemory care focuses on people with dementia and provides specialized support to improve their lives. This care may be provided in a stand-alone memory care facility or in another setting, such as a nursing home, assisted living, or even in the individuals home. To decide the next step, youll need to think about current needs and how these might change in the future. Primary care physicians are important here. Theyll often be able to inform you about possible future changes and what such changes mean for care needs. If youre considering different senior care options, Oasis Senior Advisors Carrollton-Frisco is there to help. Contact your local advisor, Holly DeLisi, at (682) 375-9604 for information and guidance.

Do you need tips on how to make the best of home health care? Home health care is a service typically recommended for seniors leaving the hospital or another acute care setting after a surgery, procedure, or other health situation, in order to help them recover. Whether the stay was planned or not, it's common for the patient's family members to feel uncertain or anxious about their return home. Fortunately, home health care services help patients recover at home with the skilled care they need. In this article, we'll go through some tips on how to make the most of your loved one's home health care experience.A study published in Frontiers in Public Health demonstrated that the transition from hospital to home is tricky and complex, with "approximately one in five patients [experiencing] adverse events during this transition, including unplanned readmissions within a month of discharge, medication errors, and even death." Home health services provide the care that can prevent these readmissions and adverse events.The suggestions in this article will help you to minimize the stress and maximize the benefits of home health care services, so that your loved one's transition back home is a supportive and restorative one.Understand what home health care isFirst of all, it's important to understand the types of services provided by home health care. These typically include skilled clinical services prescribed by a doctor, and may involve: - Skilled nursing care, like wound care and administration IV medication.- Physical, occupational, or speech therapy.- Monitoring of health conditions.Keep in mind that home health care is not the same as nonmedical home care. Home health care usually does not include services like extensive supervision or help with personal care tasks. However, these services may be included on a short-term basis if a doctor deems them to be medically necessary, alongside the already provided medical care.Before services begin, ask the provider for a care plan that outlines both the specific services they'll provide and the frequency of their visits. This will help to align expectations and avoid confusion.Talk with key staff members before dischargeIf possible, you should meet with the key staff members of the home health care agency prior to your loved one's discharge, but this isn't always feasible. Talking to them on the phone for a brief introduction might be your best bet, as putting a voice to a name and having that voice answer some of your preliminary questions can help put you more at ease.Your loved one may feel overwhelmed when they head back home, and meeting someone new can take a lot of their mental energy. If they're able to meet key staff before leaving the hospital, they may adjust to better treatment at home. Get organized before the first home health care visitA smooth transition starts with preparation. Before the first home health visit: - Clear a safe space in the home for care delivery, especially of physical therapy is involved.- Gather medical records, recent discharge papers, and a list of current medications.- Make a list of questions or concerns, including symptoms to monitor, medication side effects, or changes in mobility or mood.Being organized helps the care provider work more efficiently, so that your loved one gets exactly the care they need from the start.Plan to be present for the first few visitsA family member or trusted caregiver should be present during the initial visits whenever possible. This will allow you to: - Give them a tour of your home, including which areas are good for certain therapies and where medications are kept.- Clarify care goals and ask for follow-up questions.- Learn how to assist with exercises, wound care, or medication routines.- Build a relationship with the home care professionals.- Share your loved one's preferences about relevant aspects of care.- Observe your loved one's response to the care.Even if you can't be there in person, consider joining by phone or video call if possible. Your engagement shows your support and helps ensure that the care is coordinated with preferences and daily routines.Establish a communication stationOftentimes, the home health care staff will use an online medical portal to document what they did during their visit, how your loved one responded, how they're progressing, vital signs, medication times, side effects, etc. If they're not doing this, however, you should find another way to communicate with them.Put a notebook and pen or pencil on the kitchen counter or front entry table and designate it as a communication station for the staff. Ask them to write any questions or concerns in the notebook, and you can also use it to leave notes for them.Ask questions and express concernsRemember, your loved one is still recovering. It will take them time to get their strength back and reacclimate to living at home. The home health care team is a part of this process, and you should work together towards these goals.You can always ask questions, share your observations, and express your concerns to the visiting staff. As most of them will be with your loved one for only a short amount of time, your insight is helpful and necessary. You'll also want to be able to communicate with the staff leadership if needed. Speak with them to make changes to the care schedule, add more services or sessions, ask questions about insurance coverage, or report serious concerns. Keep their contact information in your phone so you can access it quickly if needed.Plan ahead for the end of home health care servicesHome health care is typically temporary, designed to support recovery after hospitalization for illness, injury, or surgery. As your loved one nears the end of the services: - Ask about the next steps, such as outpatient rehab, follow-up with primary care doctors, or community resources. - If needed, explore long-term care options, such as nonmedical home care, assisted living, or a skilled nursing facility.- Talk about future goals, especially if your loved one has a chronic or progressive illness.Transitions can be stressful, but planning ahead reduces the chances of repeat hospitalizations and helps your loved one maintain independence longer.Home health care can be an effective and convenient way to support recovery after a hospitalization or medical event. By understanding what to expect, staying organized, and communicating with the care team clearly, families can help to ensure a smoother and more successful home health care experience. If you want more tips on how to make the best of home health care, Oasis Senior Advisors Carrollton-Frisco can help you. Contact your local advisor, Holly DeLisi, at (682) 375-9604.