Written by Megan Smith, PT
The day is finally here: your loved one is coming home after spending time in the hospital or rehabilitation center!
Although the conclusion of inpatient care and the return to normal home life is a relief for most, it can also be a crucial moment to consider new safety and comfort needs for you or your loved one.
Depending on what brought you or your loved one to inpatient care, there are a number of areas that can become a higher risk for injury or discomfort upon returning home. This article will move through several important areas of the house to help you assess whether or not your home requires additional medical equipment to enhance the safety and comfort of you and your family!
There is probably no room in a household that could benefit from protective medical equipment as much as the bathroom. Between showers, bathtubs, toilets, and floors, the sheer number of areas within the bathroom can become distinct hazards for patients as they return home from inpatient care. Fortunately, the right modifications in the right places can provide patient’s comfort and safety in the bathroom!
This is without question the number-one consideration to make in regards to bathroom safety. The answer is, there is no area of the bathroom that’s totally exempt from the risk of a patient slipping and sustaining injury.
If you feel in any way that you or your loved one could be at risk of slipping in the bathroom, a number of products can provide a significant increase in safety.
Some simple but effective means of increasing bathroom safety include options such as medical hand-rails in the shower, bathtub, and next to the toilet. These easy-to-install devices provide patients with a firm support they can use to increase stability while transitioning from sitting to standing.
Alternatively, no-slip foot grips are inexpensive but highly effective when it comes to preventing slips and falls. These treads can be applied to most bathroom floors, and give users an additional degree of safety by providing patients with increased traction while moving around the room.
Other, more extensive means of preventing falls come in the form of items such as patient bath lifts. These products are designed to lift a patient from a wheelchair to the bathtub and to provide a safe transition for patients unable to walk independently to the bathing area.
Toilet seat raisers are yet another set of devices that can promote patient safety in the bathroom, as they shorten the distance that patients must move when transitioning from a standing position to sitting on the toilet. By minimizing this distance, these devices can reduce the amount of effort required to sit or stand!
Some patients may question if they can continue to use the bathroom in an effective, timely, and independent manner.
In these cases, caregivers should consider whether their patient or loved one will require the use of items such as adult diapers or a bedside commode. Both devices can be incredibly useful to patients who may be unable to travel to the bathroom in time to use the toilet.
Depending on you or your loved one’s physical condition, certain considerations may be necessary to fall-proof the bedroom area. The biggest question to ask is whether additional assistance will be necessary to get your loved one in and out of bed.
For many patients, the use of a patient lift can significantly increase the ease with which they get in or out of bed. These durable medical devices incorporate a specially designed lift and cradle format that allows them to safely and comfortably lift the patient and transfer them either onto the bed or onto a wheelchair.
Alternatively, standing lifts can be used for patients who are more stable on their feet, but still need some help to rise from a seated position at the edge of the bed. These can be advantageous for patients who feel comfortable enough supporting their own weight and do not require the complete support of a full patient lift.
Standing lifts can be used to transfer the patient to a wheelchair with less preparation than is needed for a full lift. Alternately, standing lifts can bring a patient who uses a walker, rollator, or gait trainer to a balanced, upright position to better reach their movement aid.
Some patients will require a specialized mattress or bed frame to ensure their comfort and safety upon returning home. A wide variety of medical mattresses, each with its own distinct specializations and advantages, is available to address these needs.
Some mattresses are designed for patients who will be spending the majority of their time in bed. These mattresses include features that are intended to prevent bed sores and discomfort while discouraging infections by using antimicrobial coatings.
Bed frames might even be more diverse in their specializations and intended uses than mattresses! Bed frames such as high-low frames (often referred to as “hi-lo beds”) are designed to lower patients close to the ground in order to prevent falls. Other frames incorporate strong, padded side bars, which can help to prevent the patient from falling out of bed and curtail self-injury for patients who experience seizures.
Many wheelchairs and standing lifts feature tray attachments, allowing patients to eat meals comfortably. Additionally, many wheelchairs offer detachable armrests, a design which allows individuals to sit at a traditional dining table alongside their friends and family members.
The ability to comfortably include a loved one at the kitchen or dining room table is frequently overlooked when considering preparations to return home after inpatient care, but is a thoughtful gesture that speaks volumes!
For many patients in recovery, the equipment required to move between rooms of the house can be even more important than the equipment within the rooms themselves. Determining whether you or your loved one will require assistance to move around your home is one of the most important steps to returning home from inpatient care.
Depending on what brought you to the hospital or rehabilitation center, different movement-assisting devices could make life easier, safer, and more comfortable upon returning home.
Healthcare professionals often recommend that patients use a movement-assisting device when returning home, even if only to adhere to the adage “better safe than sorry.” For these patients, there are a variety of walkers and rollators that provide comfortable assistance when walking while still letting the patient to retain independence of movement.
Patients who require more intensive assistance with movement may require the use of a wheelchair. Similar to walkers and rollators, wheelchairs are available in a variety of formats and styles, and incorporate diverse features that can be customized to accommodate individual needs.
Additionally, if your home includes any small steps—for example, a single step to the front door or between rooms—it’s worth considering the installation of a small threshold ramp. These ramps are especially helpful for patients who use a wheelchair, as they make it easier for patients to access certain rooms of the house.
One of the most common areas of concern for patients returning home is their ability to ascend and descend a staircase. If you believe that you or your loved one may need assistance getting up or down the stairs, the most reliable solution is the installation of a stair lift! These devices allow the patient to sit on a chair that runs along a powered track to carry the patient up or down the stairs.
A stairlift can significantly increase patient safety and prevent the need for rearranging the home to accommodate one-floor living!
Depending on your physician’s recommendations, some patients may be unsure if they can safely operate a vehicle after returning from inpatient care. If you or your loved one feel concerned about their ability to drive, it's recommended that they retake the driver’s test to ensure they are safe on the roadways.
Given the many other questions and concerns associated with returning home from inpatient care, it can be easy to to contemplate whether your loved one will be capable of performing their usual around-the-house activities. Depending on their condition, tasks to evaluate could be anything from mowing the lawn to taking out the trash to preparing a meal!
If you feel at all uncertain about any activities, discuss them with your loved one's physician. It might be recommended that you find them a lawn service or family member to perform physically-demanding tasks such as yardwork or gardening.
While the return home from inpatient care can be a relief to patients and their loved ones, it’s also an important time to consider what changes need to be made at home to provide safety and peace of mind.
Whatever adjustments you or your physician feel are necessary, Rehabmart is here to help accommodate your needs every step of the way, from researching the right product for you to delivering it to your doorstep!
Keep reading with our article A Caregiver's Guide to Preventing Falls in the Home!
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Megan has been a part of Rehabmart since its inception nearly 20 years ago. For the past several years she has been enjoying her role as HR Director while maintaining her Physical Therapy license. When she isn't working on her next in-service or working to find a new team member, she enjoys her five children, helping those who have PT type ailments, baking, practicing yoga, and working out.
