You are in a rush and preparing to get to work. While you are about to open the door, you see your parents looking at you and leaving them alone at home. If someone could stay with them and take care of everything would be perfect. This is why you need to know about skilled nursing at home and the advantages it provides you.
This article will inform you why you may need a skilled nurse at home and how to choose one. Leaving the beloved elderly at home holds a few risks you should be aware of them.
What is skilled nursing at home?
As the name implies, you will have a skilled nurse to take care of your beloved family member at home. In today’s busy world, people might not be able to take care of the elderly at home. At least someone to take care of them for a few hours. So having someone at home taking special care of the elderly could help.
The skilled nurse could also provide special assistance. You might lack the ability or knowledge to do it on your own. Such nurses have good knowledge of taking care of the elderly due to experience and training. They can be helpful in difficult situations and emergencies.
What can the skilled nurse do for you?
The type of service you can get from skilled nurses depends on your need and situation. The range of the things they can do varies and include but not limited to:
- Watch and taking care of the elderly
- Perform injections
- Giving the right medicine
- Treat/help people with particular illnesses like pneumonia
A reliable nurse can answer all of your questions. You can take advice from him/her and prevent unnecessary hospitalization because you know what to expect and the warning signs and symptoms to look out for.
Do you need skilled nursing at home?
According to NCBI, 2.3 to 7 per 1,000 daily patients get injured in the hospital. About 25% of hospital falls lead to injuries. To prevent that, especially for the elderly that are more likely to get injured, you can take advantage of skilled nursing at home.
The need for skilled nursing at home has become more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. It can reduce the possibility of getting infected. You could also avoid the extravagant costs of the hospital. Plus, you don’t have to visit the hospital for every insignificant occasion.
As mentioned before, Medicare and some private insurance companies cover the short-term expenses. You need to find out whether Medicare covers your expenses for nursing at home or not.
What type of nurse do you need?
Whether you need a skilled nurse at home is determined by the type and level of help you need. They can be helpful if the elderly need daily assistance due to injury or illness.
The elderly’s disability or illness can determine the type of nurse you need. You need someone with enough skills and the ability to take full care of your beloved ones. The Health Care centers guide you based on your needs and provide you the best option. You just need to make sure to recognize and determine the elderly’s situation well.
How can skilled nurses take care of you?
Skilled nursing care includes a different range of services, including injury or illness care. The experts guide you on how to choose a nurse and what to expect from him/her. You can confide in your nurse and tell them about all your concerns. They will listen to your words with patience and affection.
The services skilled nurses can provide could be as follows:
Ensure hydration
The elderly often don’t drink enough water due to mobility problems. They might find it annoying to ask people for water or don’t have the mood to get a cup on their own. Swallowing difficulties also make the situation worse. Dehydration is common in the elderly and can cause serious health problems. Dehydration in the elderly could lead to:
- Low blood pressure
- Increased risk of falls
- Dizziness
- Weakness
The elderly often have less fluid in their body. They could take medications that make them dehydrated.
Skilled nurses at home can track fluid intake. They assist in using the bathroom so the elderly can be comfortable. They will ensure hydration and provide the elderly with proper liquid.
The proper use of medication
The revisit to the doctors occurs as a result of misunderstanding usage of medication. The skilled nurses attempt to educate the elderly about the proper manner of using the medicine, along with telling you the reason why they should do it. In this way, the probability of making errors gets reduced.
Taking medicine can be a nightmare for the elderly. If you are not with them, you always have worries about how to check it. The skilled nurses at home can monitor medicine take. The elderly might not be able to store the medications well. The loss of memory can make things worse.
Often the elderly might have to drink more water for a particular medication they take. The prescription might say that they shouldn’t take it on an empty stomach. The nurses can ensure they take medicine in the right way.
Exercise
The muscle mass begins to decrease by aging. By 40, adults can lose 3-5% of muscle mass by the next decades of life. Muscles play a key role in bone strengths and balance. Your mobility and independence can get damaged without strong muscles. The science indicates the importance of exercise for the elderly. If they are alone at home, they might tend not to get around much.
The nurses can accompany the elderly in a simple walk or the appropriate exercise. They can help them to improve the healing process. A regular exercise habit could decrease wound healing time by 20%. The National Institute of Aging indicates that exercise can prevent or delay diseases like:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Osteoporosis
Regular exercise can also help the elderly prevent fall risks.
The new studies indicate that exercise could help not only the fitness but psychological benefits. Exercise could decrease depression and increase the mood level.
Loneliness
One of the least discussed concerns over the elderly is loneliness. Yet, it’s one of the most important ones. With aging, isolation and loneliness are inevitable, children getting independent, death, etc.
The researches of the National Institute of Aging indicates that loneliness in the elderly could lead to:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cognitive decline
- Depression
- Anxiety
- A weakened immune system
- Obesity
- Heart disease
- Even death
Skilled nursing at home can fill up the lonely times at home for the elderly. They can have a patient caring nurse who listens patiently.
How to choose the best skilled nursing daycare?
First thing first, you should discuss it with your family to know if you all agree on using the support of a skilled nurse or not.
You also need to recognize the amount of care you or your dearest need. Since there are too many facilitator organizations depending on the level of pain and disease, then you should check on daycare institutions near your house, considering which offers better care.
Afterward, you have to file an appeal and get on the list. Remember! To find the best daycare organization for the beloved one, you can surf the net and ask around to identify others’ feedback.
Skilled nursing at home near me in Las Vegas
Leaving the elderly at home for a few hours could have a dramatic result for them. That is why the need for skilled nursing at home is becoming essential day by day. A reliable, well-trained nurse takes care of everything and makes you calm.
The article explained the importance of skilled nursing at home, what they can do for you and how to choose one.
As explained, Health & Care Professional Network has worked in Las Vegas since 2006. We have gathered a group of skilled staff and nurses to address all of your necessities. We provide the best of skilled nursing at home in Las Vegas.
