Why Recovery After a Hospital Stay Can Be More Challenging for Seniors

Supporting Your Loved One After a Hospital Stay

If your loved one was recently discharged from the hospital, you may be noticing changes you didn’t expect. Their strength and mobility may be challenging for them. They may be disinterested in eating or drinking as they should. Or you’re wondering whether to push them harder or let them rest.

It's easy to feel like nothing you do is enough. But recovery from a hospital stay is often harder for older adults. Understanding why can help you support them through it.

Key Takeaways: A Look at Post-Hospital Recovery for Seniors

• Older adults may have slower healing processes that extend recovery time.
• Bed rest, medication changes, complications, and fatigue can affect older people more than younger ones.
• Seniors with dementia face additional challenges, including difficulty communicating symptoms and understanding changes.

How Hospitalization Affects Seniors Differently

As we age, our body’s natural healing processes slow down. That means reduced blood flow, slower cell division and lowered immune function. Because of those changes, the things that commonly happen during hospital stays hit harder and last longer:

• Extended bed rest. Even a few days in bed can cause loss of muscle, bone and cardiovascular function. This is known as deconditioning.
• Medication changes. New medications during hospitalization can interact with current medications and require adjustments.
• Fatigue. Depleted energy reserves brought on by sleep disruptions, illness or surgery are harder to recover from at older ages.
• Complications. Serious infections, sepsis and post-operative complications are more common in older patients.

Chronic conditions can create their own complications. For example, diabetes could delay healing in surgical wounds.

Changes You May Notice After a Hospital Stay

When your loved one comes home, you may notice changes that go beyond the reason for the hospitalization. Doctors call this post-hospital syndrome. These changes are usually temporary, but you should always report them to your loved one’s doctor.

Physical Changes

Poor balance and weakness after a hospital stay can make it harder for your loved one to walk without falling. They may become short of breath from the slightest exertion, even just trying to sit up.

Shifts in Thinking and Remembering

You may notice your loved one asking the same questions more than once in a conversation, getting confused doing simple tasks or getting lost in familiar places. They may forget what day it is or not recognize you at times. These changes are usually temporary. If your loved one didn’t have dementia before the hospitalization, it’s probably not dementia now.

Loss of Independence

The weakness from extended bed rest can lead to temporary incontinence and difficulty with daily activities like dressing, bathing or eating. Nighttime bathroom trips may worry you when you’re not awake to help.

The Emotional Side of Recovery for Seniors and Caregivers

For your loved one, recovery can seem nearly impossible. Moving a limb can feel like lifting a block of concrete, and they may feel like a burden for needing help. They may tell you that they’re too old for senior rehab; that pain and weakness are just part of old age.

When you’re caring for a loved one in this condition, the end of every day may bring questions about whether you’re doing enough. You may second-guess whether you tried hard enough to get them to eat, remembered all their medications or encouraged them enough. The exhaustion of keeping up with their daily needs and medication management can leave you feeling like you should be doing more.

A short-term respite stay in an Assisted Living community can provide the support your loved one needs around the clock. At The Herrick House, they'll have all the comforts of home, with three chef-prepared meals every day and nurses on duty 24/7 for medication management. We’re located on the Beverly Hospital campus, so if anything comes up, help is only a few steps away.

When a Loved One with Dementia Is Recovering from a Hospital Stay

Seniors with dementia may not be able to tell you when they’re having pain or other symptoms. New routines don’t just feel unfamiliar, but frightening. Someone with dementia might resist care because they don’t understand it. They can also experience delirium from a hospital stay, which can make dementia appear more advanced. This is usually temporary.

Respite care at The Herrick House includes those living with dementia. Our Spectrum Program provides the structure and continuity that help residents feel safe. Your loved one receives the same support and care as our long-term residents.

Need Assistance Helping Your Loved One Recover?

If your loved one needs more help recovering than you can realistically provide, respite care may be the most loving choice you can make. Choosing respite care doesn’t mean you’re passing them off. It’s just another way to care for them while giving yourself a rest. You’ll still be involved, but as a son, daughter or spouse again. Download our Respite Care Guide today to learn more.