At The Good Care Group (TGCG), we support post hospital discharge and our professional carers will work with our in-house Occupational Therapist, Jackie Cooper and physiotherapists to facilitate those requiring rehabilitation get back on their feet as quickly as possible.
TGCG were initially contacted by the Princess Royal Hospital to arrange a joint moving and handling assessment with the hospital Occupational Therapist, as there were concerns whether Mr K would be able to be cared for at home or if he would require a care home setting. These concerns were mainly due to his complex moving and handling needs, due to his Alzheimer’s.
Mr K was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four years prior to his hospital admission following a UTI. Up until this point he had been cared for at home by his wife.
In the hospital environment, Mr K was not able to get the stimulation he was used to and for most of the time he stayed in bed. During the assessment he was hoisted to his chair and positioned in bed with Wendylett sheets for the first time. Mr K coped well with this and really enjoyed being able to sit in the chair and look at a book.
At the time of the assessment, Mr K was not able to express his own needs but his wife was present to discuss any potential issues and to settle Mr K. Mrs K was able to explain what her husband was able to do prior to hospital, his likes and dislikes, hobbies and interests. She was very keen to get him home as she thought this would be the best setting for him. This information was very useful during the assessment.
From that point Mr K’s needs were assessed and discussed between the Care Manager and hospital team. After looking through the nurse’s notes, for safety reasons, Mr K was discharged home with two day carers and one night carer in the hope that this would be reduced once Mr K was more settled.
The equipment Mr K required was agreed prior to discharge and a community referral put in place. Mr K’s personalised care plan was developed with his wife following the review of hospital paperwork and the TGCG care team was established.
The care team were briefed and equipment was set up prior to Mr K arriving home. The professional live-in care team did a fantastic job, setting up the environment to best suit his needs and working out a new routine. One of the main focuses for carers was finding the best approach for Mr K. It was very important that the home environment remained calm, and the carers took things slowly to gain his trust.
With the support of his professional care team, Mr K’s needs reduced quickly, meaning he was now supported by two day carers for hoist transfers. Mr K’s mobility and speech also improved quickly. It was lovely to witness him improving daily in his own environment.
The care team were able to reduce his need for hoist transfers within the first few weeks of being home. He was also able to recommence some of his favourite hobbies such as table tennis, craft activities and getting out to the park in his wheelchair.
Mr K is still doing well and enjoying his days spent with his wife, playing table tennis or watching sport on TV. With TGCG’s support, Mr K now has 1 live-in carer and has the ongoing care and support from his wife, who has been able to be part of his journey and help meet his needs.
Ongoing support from TGCG carers, community OT, TGCG OT and district nursing team means that Mr K is able to stay at home safely in the environment that he loves.
Mrs K, comments,
“Having my lovely husband back has been so rewarding, he is happy and content and has improved in so many ways. Many thank you for your support and hard work.”
If you would like to find out more about live-in care for yourself or your loved one, please contact our friendly Client Services team on 0808 2504 180.
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