When patient care is a family affair, the chances of health improvement are higher, note experts, who encourage patient-centred care, in which patients are cared for in ways that are meaningful to them. Members of the family too are involved in various stages of recovery, especially when it concerns mental health issues. Such care is essential in managing a wide range of psychiatric disorders, including substance abuse, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, eating disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Family intervention can prove to be the most effective bridge in the patient’s rehabilitation process. The same also applies to chronic health problems.
However, on the other end of this spectrum is the negative effect, rather the aggravation of illness, when family care is absent or is defective in its approach. Medical experts have reported signs of anxiety and sadness among patients who may not receive sufficient support. It may lead to feelings of loneliness in the face of the illness and, often, even guilt for having put the family through this ordeal, they note.
This places the onus on family members to ensure that the ties are strengthened more during the ill health than at other times. As in other difficult times, ill health also demands good problem solving skills, adaptability, mutual support and commitment to the family, among others. And when it comes to hospitalisation, family members are the ones who can provide valuable information about the patient’s home routines and ensure that he/she complies with the treatment plan. They also have a bigger role to play in lessening the patient’s anxieties and enabling better communication with health care provider/s.
Here is a quick guide to help you increase the patient’s recovery:
Talk to them: It is of significant importance to sit with your loved one and talk to them about what is happening while they are in the hospital undergoing treatment. Let them know what is ailing them and how the treatment will go on. This will help alleviate anxiety.
Meet with the doctor: Be in the know by having a sit-down meeting with a physician early in the treatment. Follow it up during the course of the treatment procedure to know what is happening to your loved one. If required, get a second opinion to ensure that you are doing the right thing. It is also essential to communicate with the nurses to check on the progress made and to understand ways in which you can play a role in the recovery.
Ensure comfort: One way to ensure your patient’s comfort is by creating an atmosphere of familiarity. It could be the daily newspaper, eye glasses, favourite book, a picture frame…anything that adds to the comfort and aids recovery.
Bolster energy: Patient care also involves doing your bit to hasten complete recovery. One way of doing it is by ensuring that your loved one gets out of bed and walks around after the initial treatment is done. Depending on the severity of the illness, you could consult with the doctor to enlist the help of a physical therapist to build up your loved one’s strength and capacity.
Eating habits: Most acute illnesses have an impact on the patient’s general eating habits.
While it is understandable that one’s appetite would be low during the initial days, attention needs to be paid to the food intake in the days following, to make sure that lack of adequate food doesn’t become another health concern. Follow up with the hospital dietician to get a grip on the situation.
Back home: Once the patient returns back home, the entire recovery procedure could go to an all new level with some tender loving care, assistance in medication and a two-way communication with your loved one. Some patients with recurring disorders find it difficult to follow treatment recommendations, as they tend to feel unmotivated and even demoralised. You could help out by keeping track of appointments and helping him/her remember to take the prescribed medicines.
Social support: Stress, the biggest bane of health, can aggravate even minor ailments. And if the patient has co-occurring disorders, stress within the family could worsen the situation; in mental health problems this can affect recovery. Social support, however, can help reduce stress and facilitate coping. Making time to listen to your loved one’s concerns about the different medicines will help alleviate doubts and concerns. It is important to listen and talk to help your loved one tide over the stressful experience. And while at it, expressing your love and concern will prove to be a big boost to the ongoing recovery process.
