It's that time of year again! If your parents, your mom or your dad want to spend time with you and your family during the holidays and they are living in an assisted living facility or nursing home, there are a few things you will want to be aware of in order to pull this off and allow them (and you) to have a pleasant time! If you prepare beforehand, then you shouldn't run into any major problems. First off, if one of your parents is a diabetic, they are probably looking forward to a nice yummy home cooked meal.
The problem with this is that he or she might not be able to eat the same foods that you are serving - so make sure you plan a meal that they can participate in eating as well. Also, make sure you have just enough diabetes test strips so you can keep things under control.
If your parents have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, problems swallowing or even any dietary restrictions, it's always a good thing to talk to the dietitian at the nursing home to give you ideas on what things you can server or how to go about the eating situation. You are probably going to need some nursing home supply options or medical supplies as well.
One thing you might want to keep at hand is a blood pressure monitor. Sure, there are professional blood pressure monitors that can cost a fortune, but there are also quite a few basic ones for home use. Taking your parents' blood pressure regularly will help you stay on top of their condition and foresee any changes.
Also, if your mom or dad have a problem with incontinence, you might want to consider buying adult disposable briefs. The nursing home may send you some as well - but it's important to make sure they are available either way. There are great products on the markets and some of the most reliable brands you might want to look at will be Kendall and TENA.
If your parents will be staying for a few days, it's important to have medical supplies such as dressing changes, compression packs, or even colostomy supplies. Again, it's a good idea to talk with the nurses to make sure you have all the medical supplies you will need before the special day comes!
If your parent lives on their own, they probably won't need a lot of the medical supplies that an assisted living resident or nursing home resident would need. If anything, and your parent does live on their own, it's always a good idea to personally ask them if they need anything specific in order to make their stay more pleasant. The next thing you may be wondering about is WHERE to buy these medical supplies! Good question. For some companies and businesses you may actually have to be a licensed health professional or organization.
Also, if you think that you might have trouble taking care of your parents for Christmas (or any holiday) you can hire an aid or a nurse from a staffing company while your parents are out of the nursing home. They can also help you pick out which products you may need to buy in order to make their time more comforting.
You could even take a look at a blog or ask them questions about what you might need or what products or bands to choose from when deciding on medical supplies or nursing home supplies. The main point here is that Christmas is a really important time to bring your parents home for a nice home-holiday. Give them a break from all the craziness and simply let them enjoy their time with you, your children and your family - and if you need help buying medical supplies to make the trip all that much better, there is help available and it's only a click away!
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