Whether the patient is living in their own home or in yours, when you become a caregiver to your elderly all family members are all affected, and adjustments have to be made. The priority is the care and safety of the patient and the reality is family members generally have “their own lives and responsibilities to take care of” which means the patient doesn’t always get first priority in the schedule.
This is why hiring a professional RN to come in once, twice or three times a week to check on the patient is your next best option to ensure that the family member who needs medical care has a support system he or she can count on like clockwork.
The three reasons why a home care nurse is the second best support system are:
#1 Home care nurses do more than monitor vital signs and medicines. In fact, a well-trained and compassionate nurse, like those from Nurses Guild, also makes it a point to get to know the patient, treat the patient as a fellow human being and not as a client, and go beyond medical needs. An RN will be able to assess the patient’s personality and adjust accordingly. They also assist with nutritional and social needs. This is a relationship that can build and grow over time to the point that the nurse can anticipate the needs and desires of the patient and do what she can to accommodate provided it does not go against doctor’s or family orders.
#2 Home care nurses also address family members’ concerns. It’s not uncommon for family members to feel intimidated by the doctor to the point that they don’t ask all the questions on their minds. When this happens, the nurse can explain with patience, and in more detail whatever it is that is bothering them about the condition. Of course, nurses don’t always have the answers, but they are in a position to ask the right persons in the medical field to satisfy family members. In many cases, nurses become closer to the family than the doctor – even if the nurse only comes in once a week.
#3 Home care nurses, at least those with Nurses Guild, are up-to-date with the latest medical technology and apps. Therefore, if the doctor or family member would like to use technology to help monitor the patient’s condition, there is no learning curve, and the technology can be implemented immediately.
Professional home care nurses are more than trained medical workers. They have compassion, empathy, and quickly become an indispensable part of the family because they assume essential responsibilities for the medical care of the patient. Their very presence in the house is reassuring and comforting.