Dealing with our elderly loved ones in the hospital and understanding what to do next is more confusing than ever.  First you have the stress of dealing with the event that led to the hospitalization. That alone makes things difficult for everyone.  But then you must try to figure out the confusing maze that our health care system has become.  Not only are you trying to deal with your emotions, but then you are trying to absorb information and make rational choices.

After being in the industry for over 16 year, and having to deal with a parent constantly in and out of the hospital, the following tips are created to make your life easier so you can focus on what is really important, spending time with your loved one.

1. Don’t publicly panic. When visiting your loved one in the hospital, stay calm.  Being in the hospital is stressful enough.  Your loved one does not need to see or feel your pain and stress.  This will bother them more than you know.

2. Find your spokesperson. Larger families need to find that one point of contact that will work with the hospital.  It can create challenges if the hospital staff has to deal with multiple family members. Especially if the there is a difference of opinion among the family members.

3. Get help for yourself. In any city, you can easily find local experts that can help.  Whether it’s the local senior center, a home care agency, or somewhere else, an expert not connected to the hospital can help.  Many of these experts are free.  For example, Certified Senior Advisors (CSAs) are here to be your advocate and help you plan for what’s next. Best of all, many care management services are also free and they can advocate for you and help you plan for what’s next

Editor’s Note: This article was submitted by Jake Rankin, CEO Talem Home Care & Placement Services, MBA, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and may be reached at 720-789-8529 or by email at jake@talemhc.com