Your parent had a medical emergency that required an extensive stay at KGH or Cottonwoods, and it’s time for discharge. Everyone is excited for them to return to their home or independent living, but changes need to be made to prevent a return trip.
The following is what you can expect:
If you cannot transport your family member back to their home, Interior Health will arrange that transport. It could be via Inter Facility Transport, a cab or a senior transportation service like ours.
Before they leave or shortly after they arrive home, there will be a determination as to what modifications to the home will be required and what additional home support will be needed. An entire team of social workers, Interior Health community care nurses and occupational therapists help you with these decisions.
Once they are home, a community care nurse usually visits, assesses your needs, and then determines who needs to attend the residence to assess needs. For example, it could involve an occupational therapist recommending bathroom aids, bed raisers, handrails, etc.
A determination will also be made if you need home support – it could be anywhere from 1-4x a day helping with medications, toileting, showers, and exercises to build your strength, to name a few. If you were receiving rehabilitation from KGH or Cottonwoods, arrangements for further rehabilitation may be required.
You will most likely need to schedule follow-up doctor appointments and ensure that any medications have been updated and will be delivered by the pharmacy.
It’s a whirlwind of conversations, visits and decisions, but once supports are in place, things settle into a routine, and life slowly returns to normal. So, how can we help?
The following is a list of a few ways we have supported…
Transportation
– we have driven people back to their homes – as near as West Kelowna and as
far as Princeton; we have taken people to the Kelowna Airport for an Angel
Flight. We have taken patients to
follow-up doctor appointments, facilitated those appointments and reported back
to family.
Red Cross Short-Term Loan Program – you may need a raised toilet seat, a temporary wheelchair, a walker, crutches, or bed assist handles. We pick up these items and bring them to you.
Occupational Therapist Recommendations – we have reorganized rooms to make clear pathways to reduce tripping hazards (for example, area rugs) and built bed raisers. Still, we can also help by installing mobility devices, grab bars and improving lighting, to name a few.
Phone Calls to/from various modalities: doctor’s offices, physiotherapy appointments or the pharmacy to ensure your updated medication will be dropped off now that you are back home (or picked up on your behalf if needed).
We have ordered/delivered nonslip bathroom mats and large numbered telephones from Amazon and made a quick trip to a medical supply shop for a shower chair.
We have been “that person” present when there is a four-hour time frame between Interior Health nursing visits to ensure you are safe and attended to… a friendly person to talk to or play games with, we wash your dishes, prepare you lunch, do your laundry, make your bed or get you outside for some fresh air.
That initial trip home can be tiresome and overwhelming. The above is just some of what we have done to help. Let us know your needs; we will gladly assist however we can.