Planning a hospital stay can be nerve-wracking, and unfortunately it’s all too easy to forget these vital aspects. Thankfully there are lots of places you can go for advice and assistance, such as support centres or advice centres in your local area. For your peace of mind, here is a list of things that you […]
Planning a hospital stay can be nerve-wracking, and unfortunately it’s all too easy to forget these vital aspects. Thankfully there are lots of places you can go for advice and assistance, such as support centres or advice centres in your local area.
For your peace of mind, here is a list of things that you may wish to consider before your hospital stay.
It is important for loved ones to know where you are. Leaving without telling them when you go into hospital might seem like a good idea at the time but, if they can’t get in contact with you, it will cause them added worry.
Let loved ones, neighbours and friends know where you are. They may want to help by checking in on you. Write down some important phone numbers so that you don’t have to search for them if need be.
If you are a family or primary caretaker, then we can help you arrange support for them while you are away. You don’t want them to be on their own or without care during what can be an emotional time.
It can be difficult to have your family visiting you in hospital if you’re there for longer than a couple of days. You should think about arranging home care or your family coming to visit the hospital’
This will give the person you’re supporting more time to get familiar with the front-line staffer. And it will allow them to learn if there’s any routine that needs to be covered before you leave.
One of the most important aspects that you’ll need to consider is to make sure that your emergency contact knows who to call in case of an emergency and who can help them.
There is too much going on with your move for you to worry about taking care of your pet, so it might be best to find someone trustworthy who can sort out the responsibility for you instead.
Friends, family, or neighbors might be able to help you out. However, if they can’t then you could choose a boarding service like a kennel or cattery. Your vet will also be able to provide information about these services; for example whether all of the necessary vaccinations are up-to-date.
Many of these services have onsite veIf you have pets, then you will need to find someone else to take care of them when you’re away.can give you peace of mind, particularly if you have an elderly pet.
If you have a houseplant that needs care while you’re hospitalized, consider getting someone to take care of it for you. Likewise with winter, you may need paths cleared of ice and leaves in Autumn.
It’s best to have someone clean your home before you move in, because you will likely be too sick or frail to do so. It will give you more time to recover from your time in hospital whilst also ensuring your home is kept sanitary and clear of clutter.
It may be difficult for you to drive home from hospital depending on your situation. If you do happen to drive, it might be best if you left your car at home and organised alternative transport.
Before you go in for surgery and enter the hospital, find out if a hospital taxi will be there to drive you home after surgery. If not, it might be worth arranging to get a lift back with someone else beforehand.
If you are recovering from an operation or other medical procedure and don’t know what to do, it is important that you consider support options like assistance from carers.
You might need some help showering and getting dressed, or little to no help cooking meals and cleaning. Any care that you receive while you’re recovering at home should lessen as time goes on and it’s safe for you to do more of these things yourself.
It’s key to have the right support when you’re recovering. For example, medical equipment and advice, social therapy and rehabilitation programmes can help you bounce back more quickly.
For more information on healthcare support, contact our team today.