Great outcome thanks to flexibility and knowledge

One of the benefits of enlisting a carer from Miranda Smith Homecare is the flexibility of service. It can be tailored to suit and altered at short notice when one’s circumstances change. While all cases are different, a recent one in the Wellington region was a good example of how private home care can take the anxiety out of difficult situations and help ensure temporarily disabled clients get every chance of a quick recovery. It involved a couple in their 90s living independently with no funded supports, but some self-funded housekeeping and gardening help. When one of the couple (Mrs W) had a fall and fractured her neck of femur she had to spend 10 days in hospital following surgery before being moved to a rehabilitation ward for five days. Upon discharge she needed a high level of assistance including personal cares, assistance in and out of chairs, using her chairlift and doing her exercises. Keen to help with the meals and household tasks, Mr W was busy himself, but it was a situation that also took its toll on him. In this case the support from Miranda Smith Homecare began when Mrs W was still in hospital. A carer began by visiting Mrs W in the hospital ward to discuss her wishes and requirements. She visited Mr W at home prior to discharge to assess the home situation and plan for care, and also liaised with the discharge planner on the ward. There was also communication with the hospital occupational therapist regarding the setup in the home prior to the therapist’s home assessment. Several hazards were identified during our home visit, including a strong smell of gas in the house which was tracked to a leaking pipe behind the stove, and plans were quickly made to eliminate other potential dangers and make day to day tasks easier. Three Miranda Smith Homecare carers began by providing around the clock care after having attended a training session on the ward with the occupational therapist and a physiotherapist. The training was specific to Mrs W’s rehabilitation needs. The personal aspect of the service also involved carers liaising with Mr and Mrs W’s out of town family members and keeping them in the loop. The fulltime care was reduced over a four week period as Mrs W’s mobility and strength improved. A pressure area on Mrs W’s heel, present on discharge, was a setback to some of the exercises and a quick recovery, but we arranged for a home visit by her GP and the carers gave it on-going attention as it healed. The GP visited twice in the first week and was pleased with the care Mrs W was receiving, giving full credit to the carers for preventing skin breakdown in the affected area. After two weeks ACC became involved and provided a carer as the Miranda Smith Homecare hours were reduced. We liaised with the agency to streamline services and avoid double-ups. By week four, Mrs W was able to use her chairlift independently to move between her bedroom upstairs and the living room downstairs. After six weeks, Mrs W was almost independent again and able to move comfortably and freely around her home, and support was reduced to a minimum. Mr and Mrs W and their family and GP were very pleased with the caring and professional support offered by the Miranda Smith Homecare team, and credit both the absence of setbacks and Mrs W’s steady recovery to this care. (See www.mshomecare.co.nz for more information about out services) ENDS