Caregivers: Making the transition from hospital to home easier

(ARA) - Coming home from the hospital or other care setting after an illness or surgery can be worrisome for both patients and the friends and family members who care for them. Planning ahead can make the process much easier. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has advice that is useful to the millions of Americans who are actively involved in caregiving. Through its caregiver initiative, Ask Medicare, CMS recommends the following steps to prepare for a transition: * Plan ahead: You can - and should - start thinking about the discharge process well in advance, even as early as at the time of admission. CMS has a helpful checklist of key points in its "Planning for Your Discharge" guide, available at the "Medicare Basics" link on the home page of the Ask Medicare website at http://www.medicare.gov/caregivers/. This checklist will help you prepare for the next steps in care.
* Get ready for new responsibilities: Talk to hospital staff about what you will need to do at home, who will show you how to properly carry out any new tasks you will be taking on, such as administering medication, using medical equipment, changing bandages or giving shots. * Make needed changes to your home: You might need to rearrange your home to have room for items such as a hospital bed, walker or a wheelchair. You might need to consider installing a ramp in place of stairs - be sure to ask the hospital staff what will be needed. You should also remove area rugs and other items that may cause falls and group electrical cords together with ties or clips to keep them clear of high-traffic areas.
* Prepare for extra costs: The person you are caring for may need new medical services or medicines after coming home. Medicare may cover some of these costs, but not all. You can learn about services and care that are covered by Medicare at the "Help With Billing" and "Is It Covered?" links at the Ask Medicare home page.
* Keep a list of key contacts: Put contact information for doctors, pharmacists, home care agency staff and others involved in the care process where you can easily find them. * Don't be afraid to ask for help: If you're overwhelmed, don't hesitate to ask a friend or family member to lend a hand. If paid home health services are needed, you can learn more about home health services in the "Medicare and Home Health Care" booklet, which is also accessible at the Ask Medicare home page. It's also important to keep a file of resources on hand and to bookmark useful web sites, including Ask Medicare, the United Hospital Fund's "Next Step in Care" initiative at http://www.nextstepincare.org/ and AARP's caregiving site at www.aarp.org/caregivers. More information can be accessed through http://www.healthcare.gov/, a new web portal offered by the Department of Health and Human Services. Courtesy of ARAcontent Unsure who in your area to contact with for your home medical and home modification needs? Contact HMEprovider.com 800-951-1213 We will connect you to an expert in your area that can help with your home medical equipment, oxygen therapy, wheelchair, ramp or safety equipment needs.

If you worry that physical limitations will prevent you from caring for a loved one in your home, don't give up! A care facility is NOT the only answer. There are many different patient lifts available to accomidate all levels of need.

The EASYmove Seated Support Aid by BHM is one such patient lift. EASYmove allows individuals a greater level of independence in there own home while reducing caregiver's strain.In today's homecare settings the need to assist your loved one to move around the house or to the toilet is something you may be called upon to do regularly. The hazards associated with performing a manually assisted transfer can be avoided through the use of the BHM Medical EASYmove. The EASYmove is a seated support aid solution for a patient who has the ability to stand, but requires some assistance to move around the home. It offers the benefits of active participation in the transfer as well as providing a level of independence.EASYmove allows individuals a greater level of independence in there own home while reducing caregiver's strain.In today's homecare settings the need to assist your loved one to move around the house or to the toilet is something you may be called upon to do regularly. The hazards associated with performing a manually assisted transfer can be avoided through the use of the BHM Medical EASYmove. The EASYmove is a seated support aid solution for a patient who has the ability to stand, but requires some assistance to move around the home. It offers the benefits of active participation in the transfer as well as providing a level of independence.

To learn more about how you can be connected to a local patient lift dealer go to HMEprovider.com today or call us at 800-951-1213.