When you have an elderly loved one who has fallen or suffered an injury in another way, you may find yourself wondering what you can and should expect as they get treatment and recover from their injury. If you want to be sure that you can provide your loved one with the best support, guidance, and care, get to know a bit about what you can expect from the recovery process.

They Will Be in Inpatient Care until They Reach Certain Milestones

Every injury is different, but, generally speaking, an elderly person who suffers an injury will need to remain in the hospital inpatient setting until they can safely complete some specific tasks. For example, with a knee or hip injury, they will need to be able to put at least some weight on the leg or perform bending and movement exercises.

This helps to ensure that they are able to function as they transition to less intensive care or head home entirely. During this inpatient care time, be sure that you encourage them to cooperate with their physical and occupational therapists and the exercises and activities that they are told to perform. Be sure that you are present and supportive, and this will help your loved one to get up and moving as quickly and as safely as possible.

Understand That They May Not Head Straight Home from the Hospital

When an elderly person suffers an injury, they often require more assistance and care to completely recover and get back to normal. However, it is impractical and extremely expensive for them to remain at a hospital inpatient for the duration of that recovery process.

Because of this, they will likely have what is known as a transitional care management program that your loved one should follow. This often means that your loved one will go from being in the hospital to staying in a short-term or long-term rehabilitation center or a skilled nursing facility before heading back to their residence.

Be sure that you and your loved one are both aware of this likelihood and help to ensure that your loved one is prepared for the transition and is cooperative with their transition care management program. Help your loved one with the transition by bringing some of their personal belongings to the rehabilitation center to make them feel more comfortable. Try to be present for their therapy sessions as much as possible and try to enlist other family members and friends to provide similar support and attention. 

With these tips in mind, you can better provide care and support to your elderly loved one who has suffered an injury. Talk to a facility like CareVitality for more information.

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