As we have discussed in previous articles, falls prevention is a vital aspect of caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but there are many other important factors to learn about when it comes to preventing hospitalizations for those with AD.
Here are some common pitfalls when it comes to hospital recidivism (returning to the hospital again after discharge).
Risk Factors
•Failure to comply with hospital discharge orders such as medication orders
•Lack of follow up care- for example, not attending the follow up physician’s appointment
•Omitting to report signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or of other signs of illness
•Lack of implementation of a proper safety plan in the home
•Lack of prescribed physical or occupational therapy and/or physical activity
•Poor nutrition and/or lack of adequate fluid intake
•Unreported side effects from medications
•Side effects of medication and/or symptoms of dizziness causing an increased risk of falls
•Depression which leads to lack of physical or mental or social activity
Following the hospital discharge plan is an essential factor to keeping hospital recidivism at bay. If you need help employing a system for safe medication administration, ask the hospital discharge nurse or social workers for help before leaving the facility. Consider employing a home health nurse if you are unsure as a caregiver of your ability to safely follow the correct medication regime.
Learn more about employing a proper safety plan in the home by reading other caregiver blogs featured in Caregiver’s Corner.
Keeping these risk factors in mind, it’s important for caregivers to seek out education on signs and symptoms of illness and side effects of medications that are vital to report to the attending physician. CLICK HERE to learn more about these topics for caregivers in our 25 lesson course designed specifically for Alzheimer’s caregivers.
