Around 20% of falls result in broken bones or head injuries. When a fall results in a broken bone, the hip, upper arm, wrist, or ankle are the most common breaks. You know all of this as your dad broke his arm in a fall. What happens now? Is home health care a good option?
At the hospital, they have to perform surgery to pin the bone back together. You learn that your dad’s lower calcium intake has created thinner bones. He needs to improve his diet and work on exercises that help strengthen his balance and restore full use of his arm.
Have you considered hiring home health care services for this? Here are three ways a home health care nurse can help.
Wound Care
Your dad has had major surgery and needs time to heal. He has to take care of the incision while it heals. A home health care nurse can check for signs of infection and make sure the wound heals properly.
If a bandage change is needed, your dad’s nurse can remove the old one, check for infection, clean the incision, and rebandage it. Should the nurse find signs of infection, the doctor is informed. If there’s a chance that a change in prescription medications or skilled nursing tasks are needed, they’re taken care of without him having to return to the hospital.
Physical Therapy
With a bad fracture, your dad may need physical therapy to restore movement in the injured arm. Instead of having your dad get into a car and travel to his physical therapist’s office, have the therapist come to him.
With home health care services, your dad can have his therapy sessions in his home. He’ll work on exercises that strengthen the muscles and joints and restore movement. A visiting physical therapist comes to his home, helps him learn the exercises, and ensures he’s practicing them every day.
IV Medications and Injections
For a severe arm break, your dad may need to be on IV medications to ease the pain. A skilled nurse can stop by and run the IV line and administer those medications. He might need injections of cortisone for pain or prescription injections if he’s been diagnosed with osteoporosis.
He won’t have to go back to the hospital for these treatments. He won’t be admitted to the hospital. He’ll be able to recover at home.
Home health care services ensure your dad has the support he needs while he recovers. With nurses and therapists available to assist him in his home, it keeps him from needing to stay in the hospital or move to someone else’s home for now.
Arrange home health care by calling an agency. Talk to the specialist about your dad’s injury and what the orthopedic surgeon said is needed during his recovery.
If you or someone you know needs Home Health Care in Fairmont, MN, contact Adara Home Health Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services for many fragile or senior members in the communities we serve.
Call us at (888) 660-5772 for more information
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