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Tips for Managing a Trip to the Emergency Room with Your Senior

Caregiver in Pembroke Pines FL: If you are like most family caregivers, you will encounter situations in your care experience with your elderly loved one when they will require a trip to the emergency room.

Caregiver in Pembroke Pines FL

If you are like most family caregivers, you will encounter situations in your care experience with your elderly loved one when they will require a trip to the emergency room. While this is not something that you want to happen or something that you can usually predict, it is vital that you prepare yourself as much as possible. This ensures that if this situation does occur, you can respond promptly and effectively to ensure that they get through this situation in the best way possible, and can avoid some of the complications that may occur.

 

Use these tips to help you manage a trip to the emergency room with your elderly loved one:

  • Have all information easily accessible. Your parent or you will need to provide a considerable amount of information when registering at the emergency room. The more easily you can access this information, the faster the registration process. Consider keeping an information file in an easily accessible place in the home so that you can grab it on the way out of the house. This should include copies of their insurance information, all personal information, medications that they are taking, allergies, diagnoses, and medical team contact information.
  • Pack a bag. While you hope that your parent’s visit to the emergency room will be quick and efficient, you can never be sure. Sometimes these visits linger on for hours and you want to make sure that you have everything that they might need to make this time as smooth and low-stress as possible. This can include a change of clothing, extra socks, a light jacket or sweater, lotion, lip balm, and easy forms of entertainment such as paperback books, puzzle books, or adult coloring books. Note that most emergency rooms do not allow patients to eat while in treatment, but you might want to bring along snacks and a water bottle for yourself or for when your parent is discharged.
  • Pack extra. Depending on the issues that your parent is facing when they head to the emergency room, it is possible that they will need to be hospitalized. If this is the case, they will need to have personal items with them to keep them comfortable and help them handle their period of hospitalization. You do not want to have to leave them, however, to go back home to pack a bag. Keep a bag with clothing, toiletries, and personal items in the car so that if they do need to be hospitalized you can quickly retrieve these items for them.

 

If your aging loved one has recently spent time in the emergency room, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting home care for them. Regardless of the issue that brought them to the hospital, the time after they return home can be integral in protecting the future of their health and well-being. This is the time when hospital readmission becomes an issue and your loved one will also need to focus on recovering from the illness, injury, or other concern that had them seeking emergency medical attention. The highly personalized services of an in-home care provider can ensure that they get the care, support, assistance, and other services that they need to manage their individual needs and challenges, prevent readmission, and maintain the quality of life and lifestyle that is right for them.

 

If you or a family member are in need of caregiver services in Pembroke Pines, FL, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing service in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Weston, Southwest Ranches, Pembroke Pines, Cooper City, Lighthouse Point, and Wilton Manors.

 

Stephen Sternbach

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