Top Reasons Seniors Get Readmitted to the Hospital

If your elderly loved one was in the hospital or a nursing home for a stay and now they are home, you should know there is always a risk of readmission into the hospital. There are many reasons why seniors often get readmitted to the hospital that you should know about, too. The more you know about these reasons, the better chance you will have of preventing readmission to the hospital for your loved one.

Medication Problems

Elderly Care Long Prairie, MN:Top Reasons Seniors Get Readmitted to the Hospital

Medication problems are one of the main reasons for seniors getting readmitted to the hospital. They may not take enough of their medication. They may take too much of their medication or they may not take their medication at all. If your elderly loved one isn’t appropriately taking their medications, they could get sent back into the hospital with even more health issues. You or their elderly care providers can make sure your loved one is properly taking their medications.

Injuries from Falls

When someone gets home from the hospital, they may feel weaker than usual. This is normally the case for senior citizens, specifically. They might be unstable on their feet and feel weak. This can increase their risk of falling and getting injured from falling. If this happens, they may end up right back in the hospital. Be sure, when your elderly loved one comes home from the hospital, that you and their elderly care providers help them get around for a while.

Not Getting Follow-Up Care

After leaving the hospital for any length of stay, it is recommended to follow up with one’s doctor within a few days to a couple of weeks. If your elderly loved one doesn’t follow up with their doctor, they may not know if they are doing well following their leave from the hospital. If they aren’t doing well, they may end up right back in the hospital. Make sure your loved one is attending all their follow-up appointments to get the best care possible.

Not Eating Right

When someone leaves the hospital, especially after surgery, it is important they eat nutritiously. Many seniors fail to eat nutritiously. This stunts the healing process and increases the risk of infection, as well. If they get sick or get an infection following their stay in a hospital, they may end up going back into the hospital for readmission.

Inadequate Care

Your elderly loved one should make sure they are getting the right amount and right type of care after they get discharged from the hospital. If you can’t be there to take care of them, make sure they have elderly care providers who can be.

These are some of the reasons seniors often get readmitted to the hospital. You have read about some of the ways you can help your elderly loved one to avoid readmission to the hospital. Make sure you follow these tips closely to best help your loved one.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Elderly Care in Long Prairie, MN please contact the caring staff at Alternative Senior Care today. Providing Home Care in Central Minnesota and Surrounding Communities. Call us Today (320) 352-3350.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4031337