Supporting those in hospital
Do you have a loved one due to go into hospital as an inpatient? Supporting those in hospital is just one of the many ways we can help families. Our carers can visit your friend or family member in the ward to provide companionship. We can also bring in supplies, certain personal items from home, or help them get ready for discharge.
Companionship in hospital
Hospital stays can be tedious for inpatients, and continually reading magazines and books can be tiring. Even if your loved one has a tablet or a private room with a TV, they will still need human company at some point. Doctors’ visits are likely to be fleeting, and nurses are likely to be stretched, working across one or more wards.
Our carers will spend time with your friend or family member while they are in hospital. They can chat about topical subjects, the news of the day, or reminisce about the past. By providing company to someone in hospital, this can take the pressure off busy families. Instead of taking time off work, family members and friends can visit in the evenings.
Supplies and personal items
When people are staying in hospital for a long time, they will start to miss home comforts. There are rules about what you can bring into hospital, and our carers will check this with the ward nurses. Items such as a fresh pair of pyjamas or nightdress, new books and magazines can make a big difference when someone is in recovery.
Our carers can bring in personal messages in the form of get-well cards, letters, and children’s drawings. A simple get-well greeting can help to lift people’s mood, after they have received medical treatment.
Respite care after a hospital stay
Once your friend or family member has been discharged from hospital, our carers can continue to support them with respite care at home. Your loved one will have a friendly and familiar face to help them with their recovery. There are many advantages of providing this type of continuity in care. Asides from the relationship likely to be formed between carer and the person being supported, there are practical benefits too.
Our carers will carry out a care assessment to check your friend or family member’s needs. They will learn the person’s medication regimen, allowing them to still be in control, but available to assist, as and when required. Our team can also make daily calls to doctors, if needed.
Our carers can also assess the person’s baseline before, during, and after a hospital stay. As a result, should the person being supported show signs of infection or any other issues, our carers are more likely to spot this. When busy families are at work, people’s symptoms can worsen in a short space of time during the day, and they might need a fast response.