Welcome to Alicia’s monthly advice column where she’ll provide tips on caring for a loved one with dementia. Alicia Seaver is a certified memory impairment specialist and Vice President of Memory Care Operations at Bridges® by EPOCH. This month’s topic is hospital discharge planning.
If your loved one is admitted to the hospital for an illness, medical complication or unexpected surgery, it’s normal to be worried and intimidated during their stay. For families and caregivers of a person with dementia, the experience can be particularly unnerving as sudden changes and unfamiliar places can easily upset someone who is living with memory loss. Because you’ll likely be preoccupied with your loved one’s treatment and overall care, you may give less thought to what will happen when it’s time for them to leave the hospital. However, planning for their discharge is just as important as monitoring the care they receive during their stay — studies have found that effective discharge planning can lead to better outcomes and an improved recovery process.
When it comes time for your loved one to leave the hospital, they will likely require additional care in order to regain their strength and mobility. Whether they transition back home, to a rehabilitation facility or to a senior care community, it’s important to discuss an appropriate discharge plan with their healthcare providers. Family involvement in this process is especially paramount when the person being discharged has dementia, as a caregiver or family member will likely have to assume primary responsibility for making sure care needs are met.
Discuss your loved one’s limitations. While your loved one’s doctor will be the one to authorize the discharge, you will likely be working with a social worker, nurse or case manager to plan the specifics of your loved one’s transition and care. If you’re working with someone who has not been involved in your loved one’s treatment up until this point, be sure to discuss how your loved one’s memory loss could complicate the process. Educate them on appropriate communication techniques to use when interacting with your loved one; this will help them better understand how to involve your loved one in the planning process. And if your loved one is unable to perform certain tasks on their own, make this known as well. You may be asked to assume additional responsibilities if this is the case.
Make your personal situation known. Don’t be afraid of discussing your own abilities as well. It’s better to make physical, financial, familial and other limitations known before your loved one is discharged so that appropriate accommodations can be made. Depending on your own limitations, as well as those of your loved one, your discharge planner may deem home health care, rehabilitation services or discharge to a senior care community medically necessary. If this is the case, insurance, Medicare or Medicaid will likely cover some or all of the costs. However, you should never assume certain services will be covered. Always ask about cost of care and services up front so you’re not surprised later on. If finances are a concern, your discharge planner may be able to provide you with a list of community organizations that offer free or low-cost services. You can also call your local senior center or area council on aging for information on such services.
Understand what will be expected of you. Caring for your loved one following a hospital discharge may be quite different than caring for them before their hospital admission. For example, you may now be required to help them with physical therapy exercises, wound treatment or injections. Ask for any special training you may need regarding their care, and don’t be embarrassed if you need several training sessions before feeling confident in your ability to perform the tasks on your own. Even simple tasks like helping your loved one move from bed to a chair may now require special care, so it’s important to ask questions, take notes and make any concerns you have known. Though you and your loved one may be eager to leave the hospital as soon as possible, taking the time to plan for what’s to come is key to helping them make a full recovery.
