Having a heart attack is going to be frightening. The tightness in the chest, the headache, intense pressure along the arms… these are sensations not everyone experiencing a heart attack will have, but they are real. They can also be unsettling, not just because you’re about to end up in the hospital and (hopefully) recover, but because you suddenly realize life is going to change forever.
When your father had a heart attack, it could have been the most terrifying experience of your life. You prayed for the best, hoped he would survive, and now that he has, you hope he can have a long and fruitful life still ahead of him.
In order for that to happen, though, several things are necessary. One of those involves the recovery process, which could linger for weeks or even months.
Where does elder care fit into this recovery process?
That all depends on several factors, not the least of which includes the severity of the heart attack, how long his doctor expects recovery to take, and what types of therapies your father is required to go through, like physical therapy.
An elder care provider could be a visiting nurse who would come to his home in a schedule and check his vitals, heartrate, and administer medications, if he needed that level of care.
A home care aide might be needed to bring him to physical therapy or to a follow-up doctor’s appointment. There are also other forms of elder care your father might consider or need.
One of those could very well be a facility style care, like assisted living or nursing home care.
When would a senior require a nursing home?
If your father requires a significant level of around the clock medical attention for a couple of weeks after a hospitalization, then he may be transferred to one of these facilities. In most likelihood, if he continues on the path to recovery, this would only be temporary, not something permanent or even longer term.
From there, he may be sent home, which would be a wonderful thing to celebrate, and that’s when you would need to talk to him about what types of elder care would be beneficial at this stage in his recovery.
Home care is the best and most preferred elder care option out there for people recovering from any number of ailments, including heart attack, stroke, injuries, or even surgery, among others. Finding the right balance means determining how much support he’ll need, for how long, and what help will be available from family and friends.
