After you return home from hospitalization, you will need to take time to adjust and heal. In order to avoid the risk of endangering your health, it may be necessary to make changes to your living environment and overall lifestyle as you recuperate. Today, we’ll look at nine ways to help get back on track after your hospitalization.
Eat properly
Your doctor may recommend a change to your diet during your recovery process to ensure adequate nutrition. Changing your diet overnight is challenging, and preparing healthy, balanced meals is not always easy – especially if mobility limitations are a concern. Until you’re fully mobile, consider hiring an in-home caregiver who can assist you with your nutrition and meal preparation and liaise with your healthcare team as dietary needs change.
Get exercise
After you leave the hospital, adequate rest is often necessary to properly heal, but physical exercise is also important over time to prevent muscle atrophy. Follow an exercise regime as recommended by your doctor or physiotherapist. Once your doctor gives the go-ahead, you should attempt to get fifteen minutes of light cardiovascular exercise every day, such as light stretching and walking if you’re able.
Get plenty of rest
If you’re an active person, it may be challenging to slow down and get the proper rest you need to recover. Balancing both is crucial, so always listen to what your doctor recommends. Having someone who can make sure you get enough rest to heal is also beneficial to your recovery. Though social contact is essential at this time and friends and family will want to see you, getting rest is a top priority. Having someone to manage visitors on your behalf can be a significant relief in that regard.
Find mental distractions
Once you’re back home from the hospital, it’s understandable to feel discomfort or even a bit of pain, depending on the type of treatment administered. Therefore, a healthy step to take is to find ways to distract your mind. Try taking up a hobby, be it one that you haven’t dabbled in for a long time or something new. Alternatively, take in a favourite television show or find some good books. The more you keep your mind off any discomfort associated with recovering at home, the easier it will be to cope and feel at ease.
Take it easy
An important step is to work on slowly and gradually becoming independent again. You can work with a caregiver to help you to make small improvements every day to gradually begin to do things on your own. Examples include going to the bathroom, cooking, driving your car, and going out shopping.
Follow medication instructions
It can be easy to confuse or forget doses of your prescribed medications when you’re not used to taking them. But if you’re not diligent about taking the proper amounts as prescribed by the doctor, you could hinder your healing process. Nurse-managed care can help to manage all your medications and ensure you are taking the correct dosages on schedule.
Stay away from those who are ill
When you’ve just returned home from the hospital, your body needs time to build up a strong enough defense to safeguard you from other illnesses. Even a common cold virus can cause all sorts of trouble such as infections or complications. If you have family or friends who are unwell, stay away from them until they are no longer contagious (or even longer just to be safe). This is another reason that having someone manage your visitors is a proactive step to take.
Keep a calm and quiet home life
The last thing anyone needs when they arrive home from the hospital is excitement, excessive noise and vigorous activity. Whether you want to do some yard work in the sunshine or take the bus over to the library, be sure to pace yourself and not overdo it. This is a time when you need to focus on recovering and taking care of yourself, and you may be more vulnerable at this point than you anticipate. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep things calm, peaceful and not too energetic in your everyday life. If you need help with something that requires more strength or energy, be sure to reach out to a loved one or certified professional caregiver so they can help. This will ensure you don’t strain yourself. Take things one day at a time.
Find professional in-home care
Those who come home from the hospital often have a hard time doing things for themselves – even the most basic tasks. To ensure your well-being and speed up recovery, it is a good idea to hire a certified professional caregiver with nursing experience. They work with your best interests in mind with the aim to encourage recovery and wellness. Whether they administer medication, assist with meals, handle errands or other tasks, they are an invaluable resource.
Choice Homecare can help make the days and weeks following your return from the hospital safe and comfortable. Give us a call today at 613-907-3191.