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The days and weeks following a hospital visit can be crucial for recovery. Indeed, the weeks following a release from hospital are arguably as important as the time spent in the hospital itself. This is the time for your loved one to recover, rest and avoid going back to hospital again.
Particularly if your loved one has been in for surgery, there is a lot to consider and looking after them can be a large responsibility. So, here’s how to help them recover the right way after being discharged from hospital.
Providing food and drink
Do your best to provide healthy and well-balanced meals. This will help them to recover better and improve their overall health, meaning they are less likely to encounter further issues. Stick to the basics with lots of water, fruit and vegetables. If they fancy something a little more exotic, meanwhile, try to keep it quite plain. Boiled chicken and rice is always a safe bet.
Keep in touch with their doctor
Check in with their doctor and nurses to give updates. There might be factors they are looking out for during the healing process that they are relying on you to pass on to them so they can prescribe better care. You should also make sure to look out for signs of issues or deteriorating condition. If, meanwhile, they have suffered a worsened condition due to malpractice in hospital then you could file for a medical negligence case. It’s important to do this sooner rather than later as the further from the hospital visit you get, the harder it will be to claim.
Be patient
After coming out of the hospital, you might notice that your ageing loved one may seem to be more upset and have a lower patience level than usual. This is normal. Have patience and be mindful of the experience they have been through. They are likely to feel frustrated about the lack of control they have over their situation but let them see the positives. Lend a hand with chores, picking up groceries and other things they might typically do themselves.
Give them some responsibility
While helping out is certainly encouraged, if you do absolutely everything for your loved one, you may in fact deter them from getting their confidence back. Try not to take over and do everything if they are willing to try doing some small things again. Take it one day at a time and start with small things before working towards more challenging tasks.
Just be there for them
Tell them you’re never more than a phone call away or better yet consider staying with them while they recover. Sometimes, just having somebody there can do the world of good. If you can’t physically be there, meanwhile, ensure they have the means of reaching out to others. Maybe even consider harnessing the power of technology and setting up an online video call for them. Because recovering from surgery can be a very lonely process.