Jeff Schweikert, owner of Home Care Assistance of St. Louis, weighs in on the the role of Hospital Sitters in a patient's recovery process and why these requests are increasing nationally.
Palo Alto, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/20/2011 -- Hospital Sitters, supplied by agencies like Home Care Assistance of St. Louis, bring more than peace of mind to patients and their families
Home Care Assistance of St. Louis, a leading provider of non-medical home care for seniors, has experienced a significant increase in requests for caregivers to serve as hospital sitters over the past few years, a trend that spans across hospitals and home care agencies nationwide. The increased use of hospital sitters results from the growing senior population, longer lifespans, geographically dispersed family members and limitations in the quality of care provided by hospitals due to reduced staff and expenses.
“Hospital sitters can provide a patient with comfort and peace of mind during their hospital stay,” said Jeff Schweikert President and CEO of Home Care Assistance of St. Louis. “A hospital sitter provides companionship and provides assistance with personal care, mobility exercise and other activities to keep patients safe and comfortable while also providing the patient with someone who can help speed up their recovery progress.”
A sitter offers round-the-clock companionship, which improves patient health and safety (they can summon a nurse immediately if there is a medical emergency), reduces patient boredom or depression (they converse with, read to, or run errands for the client) and allows family members to go home and rest, knowing their loved one will not be left alone. Hospital sitters are also often hired when family members do not live close by. Individuals with impaired mental states like those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, or individuals with infections such as a urinary tract infection (UTI), benefit immensely from a hospital sitter because they can be monitored around the clock.
“There is an increased need and request for one-on-one care or sitters in these facilities,” said Dr. David B. Carr, MD. “It is critical that these individuals are highly qualified, well trained, and are in tune to the specific and unique needs of these patients that are at high risk for falls, fractures, dehydration and pneumonia. Any intervention where a sitter would be allowed to intervene and assist in the prevention of these common issues in our older adults would make a major impact on reducing these complications and the risk for iatrogenic illness.”
Hospital sitters also play an important role once the patient is discharged. Many sitters go home with the patient to assist with their transition and recovery. The sitter becomes familiar with the type of care the patient needs and the rehabilitative exercises and other recommendations that need to be followed. The hospital sitter has now transitioned to become the patient’s caregiver.
For more information on Home Care Assistance and the hospital sitter and caregiving services they provide, please visit http://www.homecareassistance.com. You can also call 1-866-4-LiveIn or 314-863-8989 to speak with a care manager to help with urgent scheduling matters.
For more information on Dr. Carr and his medical specialties, awards, achievements and honors, please visit: http://wuphysicians.wustl.edu/physician2.aspx?PhysNum=1107.
About Home Care Assistance of St. Louis
Home Care Assistance of St. Louis is in its fifth year of operation providing in-home hourly and live-in caregivers across the greater St. Louis area on both sides of the river. Since opening, Home Care Assistance of St. Louis has provided care to hundreds of clients using its revolutionary Balanced Care Method™ and their highly trained caregivers for those requiring Lifestyle Care or Bedbound Care on either a temporary or long term basis. The firm has recently added both Hospital Sitters and Telehealth to its portfolio of services.
About Home Care Assistance
Home Care Assistance, founded in 2002, is a leading international provider of non-medical, in-home senior care with over 50 locations throughout North America. Serving as a comprehensive alternative to a nursing home or assisted living facility for older adults, our mission is to provide the highest quality and most reliable in-home care services. Home Care Assistance successfully operates as North America's preferred brand for in-home care, maintaining an intimate and personal rapport with each client. Here at Home Care Assistance we are dedicated to finding the highest caliber caregivers who we expertly match with the right recipient based on his or her needs. In addition, we do not require long-term contracts for services and remain on-call 24 hours a day. For more information, please contact Home Care Assistance at 1-866-4-LIVE-IN, or visit online at: http://www.homecareassistance.com.