Ask the Doc

Question:
“I am in what’s called the sandwich generation… in between raising my children and caring for my parents. My mother is aging and dealing with diabetes but also struggling with congestive heart failure. She is also showing signs of memory loss. What services are available to help me… help her… manage her condition?”

Answer:
That can be a challenging place to be in… in the middle of caring for your own children and also your aging parents. But there is help available that can make your life easier and put your mind at ease knowing your parents or elders are receiving quality care. Home care is an example. We partner with Peninsula Home Care here on the shore. They are our eyes and ears and continue the care patients need when they leave the hospital. We’re talking about skilled care. With a physician’s order, nurses and physical, occupational and speech therapists visit patients in their home and develop a plan of care that will help the recover from their illness or surgery so they can live more independently and ultimately get back to their lives. One of the most important parts about what home care delivers is the education and prevention piece. Nobody wants to go back to the hospital. They want to recover and get well in the comfort of their home. The healthcare team making the home visits take the time to teach patients and their caregivers, family members how to manage their condition so they don’t have to go back. Whether it’s helping them fall-proof their home, teaching them how to dress a wound or connecting them with resources in their community, home health care advocates for what is in the best interest of the patient and their family.