Because diabetes is a chronic illness and she continues to experience wide Because of her diabetes she continues on home health care indefinitely. …
Family Caregiver Newsletter - June 2008
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| |Care at Home |
| |After the Hospital |
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|This is the last in a series about what happened when a working caregivers mother had to go into the hospital This article is about what |
|happened after the hospital The series has provided practical advice while telling a real story about the caregiver experience |
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|After 6 days in the hospital my mother was able to come home although she still was having a lot of problems with
blood sugar being too high and|
|then too low within a short period of time The doctor asked if she would like home health to monitor her blood sugar levels My mother agreed|
|but I asked if we could choose our own home health provider I knew someone who had used a service that they liked |
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|I dont know what we would have done without some help at home The second day that she was at home the home health staff came for an |
|assessment They recommended that an LVN come out 4 days a week to monitor blood sugar, someone to help her with her bathing 3 times a week, |
|and to be |
|evaluated for physical therapy |
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|My mother was able to take walk and care of her somewhat but was very weak and limited She called her housekeeper who came over 4 days in the |
|beginning and then eventually 3 days a week to help out I went on Saturday and Sunday and some evenings Mother ate a steady diet of chicken |
|vegetable soup and cornbread that the housekeeper made for weeks but it was the only thing that she wanted |
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|The home health agency also arranged for a physician service and the doctor comes to her house This has made everything so much easier for her|
|and for me She does not have to get dressed and spend hours away from home I dont have to take off work to take her to the doctor which |
|usually means that I miss at least a half day of work Sometimes the visiting doctor did not come when they say they would be there but at |
|least we were not waiting in a doctor office somewhere |
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|The LVN fills a medication divider every week and fills enough insulin syringes until her next visit I am not sure that is really such a great|
|idea because Mother is now used to that whereas she used to handle her own medications What happens if the service ends? |
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|Mother immediately liked the visiting doctor This doctor recommended that my mother start insulin injections instead of the oral medications |
|she had been using and her blood sugar levels improved Because diabetes is a chronic illness and she continues to experience wide differences |
|in her blood sugar level home health will continue indefinitely |
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|The housekeeper and I shared shopping and laundry duties with
the housekeeper doing most of the cleaning and I cleaned the kitchen, did dishes |
|and changed and washed sheets on the weekends |
|And I spent time with her: listening to her, talking about what else was going on in the world and just being there |
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|I knew that she felt better when I got to her house one Saturday and she was dressed and had on make-up as if she was going out to eat She |
|still did not actually want to get anywhere but she said that she felt so much better dressing like life was back to normal She also began |
|doing some light cooking but still only wanted soup and cornbread |
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|We now had a new normal routine |
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|Because of her diabetes she continues on home health care indefinitely The visiting physician has taken over all of her primary care, |
|including managing her diabetes and chronic pain |
|My job became that of a manager: prompting her about bills being paid, cancelling doctor and other appointments she had set up before she got |
|sick, following up when the doctor did not come on the day we expected her, and calling the home health agency when the bath aide came late or |
|not at all |
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|The frustrations were that she would need me or want to talk while I was at work Although I have a flexible job I had meetings and other |
|things going on that I could not just drop when she called She often did not understand that, especially if she was having a bad day or in |
|pain |
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|For a while I was exhausted I gained weight I got angry at her at times and then felt guilty I have tried to give myself permission that |
|it is okay to feel what I feel and that I cannot do it all |
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|I am very grateful we had help and that she is better I am starting to feel like I have a more normal life now but I know that she will always|
|have
some health problems and will need me |
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|I also know that home health may not last forever and when it ends we have to make other decisions |
|If help is not medically necessary then we have to look at paying for someone to come in and help |
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|But that is not going to happen yet |
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|Since this happened, I am more confident because I have learned a lot about agencies to call that can really help I want my mother to stay |
|home and be independent as long as
she can |
|I have learned to take one step at a time during this few months There is so much in this situation that no one can control I have learned |
|some better ways to manage things You have to stay flexible, be open to help, and remember to just be there with them so they are not alone |
|and afraid |
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|Below is what I have learned about caring for someone at home with a chronic illness: |
|Ask the doctor if home health care is possible? Ask for an evaluation of the older persons ability to take care of themselves |
|If the doctor writes orders for skilled care Medicare should pay for Realize that it is usually temporary unless certain medical conditions |
|exist
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|Make sure that your family member has signed a HIPAA form so that the health care people can talk to you about care |
|Make sure everyone who comes in to help has your name and telephone number Tell them that if they cannot reach your family member to call you|
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|Is there emergency contact information posted at home so anyone can reach you or another family member? |
|Ask for help, including family members of other generations Dont accept that they are busy and have their own lives We all find time to |
|do what we want to do Ask people to help you with one or two things that will help lighten your load The older family member also benefits |
|from having other family around |
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|Accept help from anyone who offers if you trust them Maybe a friend or neighbor might offer food or to come and visit |
|If cooking is a problem, call Meals on Wheels Not only does the person get a nutritious meal but they have someone else checking on them |
|Call the area agency on aging at 2-1-1 They may have services that will help and it is not based on income They also have help for you |
|including classes and support groups |
|You cannot do it all Recognize your other responsibilities and set priorities My office got junkie and the house was not as picked up |
|Although it bothered me but I was too tired and it was not as important |
|Get as much rest as you can |
|If possible, tell neighbors that your family member is still ill and needing help They may offer to look in on him or her or at least call to
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|check on them |
|Keep notes and dont be afraid to call providers and tell them when home health personnel are late or not showing up |
|Take the initiative to communicate with everyone involved in the care Dont wait for them to call the older adult or you |
|Editors Note: Before leaving a hospital ask the doctor if there is help that might be available once the family member goes home Ask to talk|
|to a hospital social worker about what services might be available at home, whether it is medically necessary or will just help you and the |
|older person In choosing a home health or non medical agency, try to contact at least three different providers, compare their services, and |
|choose one that seems best for you |
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|The Medicare website offers help
finding home health care and also the quality of the care Also talk to physicians, friends and others who |
|have used home health care You can also check with the status of a home health agency with the Better Business Bureau |
|Medicare website: |
|http://wwwmedicaregov/HHCompare/Homeasp?versiondefaultbrowserIE7C77CWindowsVistalanguageEnglishdefaultstatus0pagelistHomeCookies|
|EnabledStatusTrue |
|If home health is not possible because the person does not need skilled care at home, you can find help from a non-medical personal service |
|or companion care company Expect to pay 17-20 per hour with a 4 hour block of time being a minimum if you are working with a company If |
|you choose an individual ask if they are bonded, have insurance, and for references Often referrals from doctors, friends and family are |
|helpful
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|Edited by Zanda Hilger |
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|To schedule a caregiver seminar or have a guest speaker about caregiving, please send email to caregiver@flashnet |
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|Area Agencies on Aging, funded through the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services DADS, provide information about help that a |
|caregiver or older adult might receive |
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|Call 2-1-1 for caregiver services and help for persons age 60 and older or contact the local Area Agency on Aging in your community |
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Source:familycaregiversonline.com
