Rehab Reminders for Patients Returning Home
It is indeed a happy day when a patient returns home from a stay in a short-term rehabilitation center. While Aviv Centers for Living has a functional living apartment where patients can practice everyday skills like cooking, getting in and out of bed and navigating around a home with supervision, some patients forget the road to recovery is not necessarily a seamless one and
patients need to exercise caution when they return home. Megin L. Hemmerling, Director of Rehabilitation Services at Aviv Centers for Living assembled a few helpful reminders for safety and success when returning home:
- Ask a family member or friend to shop for your groceries so when you return home you will have a well-stocked fridge.
- Arrange for help with laundry, cleaning and daily chores.
- Alert neighbors that you are coming home and ask them to check in and help with mail and general tasks while you are recovering.
- Prepare a month’s worth of bills so you won’t have to worry and can focus on your recovery.
- Have walkways inspected to make sure there are not any loose bricks or areas where you may trip.
- Make sure all scatter rugs are pulled up to avoid trips and falls.
- Install additional railings on stairwells so you can hold on from two sides.
- Take your time. Pace yourself on returning to your everyday activities.
- Follow and maintain your exercise plan.
- Consider getting a Lifeline. It now comes in attractive jewelry and watch designs and will give you and your family extra security in the event of an emergency.
If you have any questions about how to keep your senior safe, Hemmerling invites you to call her at 781-973-1565 or e-mail her at mhemmerling@avivliving.org.