Setting up for Rehab at Home

Two home care nurses visited to set up follow-0n home care for Bettie. We decided on a weekly nurse visit plus physical, speech, and occupational therapy. I have ordered the same speech therapy "kit" that they used at Acute Rehab so family can work with her to get communication skills back to working order.

We had considered getting her a hospital bed to keep on the main floor in the family room, as our bedroom is up seven stairs. That does not look like it will be a necessity...she does fine on the family room couch when she wants to rest, which is pretty often. Other supplies: shower chair, toilet attachments, support bars, etc. are readily available from medical supply outlets, and Craig's List is a good source too. In a few days, we'll have a reasonably accommodating atmosphere for her. She came home with a new walker from Acute Rehab and we already had a wheelchair at home.

In our master suite, the bath is just a few steps from her side of the bed. Each time she needed to "go", she woke me and I basically just watched...wait, that doesn't sound good. Well, she is perfectly able to get up, move the walker to the toilet, etc. I just...stood guard, that sounds better.

She is eating well, and we are managing the medications (she came home with seven prescriptions) OK. She never complains about taking them. (I'll know she is getting a lot better when she does, as the "old Bettie" was not much for medications at all.)