| If you or a loved one is facing a long recuperation | | | | at medical supply stores. Other items, such as |
| time from a surgery, a chronic illness or an injury, you | | | | nutritional items or wound care supplies will have to |
| have to be prepared. The kind of equipment, medical | | | | be purchased and then replenished as they are used |
| or otherwise, you will need will of course depend on | | | | up. |
| your condition, your specific health needs and the | | | | The doctor will have several suggestions for what is |
| orders given to you by your doctor. For instance, | | | | needed and may have specific guidelines for |
| you may need to do dressing changes several times | | | | nutritional supplies. Meal replacement drinks will |
| a day and special soaks for the area, but other than | | | | probably be suggested, especially for those who |
| that you don't really need anything. For others, there | | | | cannot or will not handle solid food or those who just |
| will be specialized needs for every aspect of their | | | | do not have an appetite quite yet. |
| lives from their nutrition to their sleeping | | | | Other Supplies |
| arrangements and mobility. Every situation is different | | | | Some people just love gadgets and may go crazy |
| and every person's needs will differ. As the patient | | | | shopping for equipment, medical supplies and renting |
| recovers, he or she will find need things to be done | | | | or even buying things they do not really need. An |
| differently. In the first few days, you may find that | | | | electric hospital bed is a great thing for someone |
| you need to have more equipment, medical devices | | | | who is looking for many months of recovery time, |
| and assistance than you would have imagined | | | | but is a big and mostly needless investment for |
| necessary. | | | | someone who will be back on their feet and back to |
| How to Determine What You Actually Need | | | | work in a few weeks. Why get a bedside commode |
| If you are stepping down from hospital care or even | | | | if the person can walk five feet to the toilet? The |
| from a convalescent home, you should consider | | | | doctor may want the patient to exercise. |
| everything you have been using there including | | | | A person who is recovering from a broken hip may |
| equipment, medical devices and mobility aids and | | | | be hesitant to use their legs, afraid that they will fall |
| decide which you could do without. Before you leave, | | | | again or that it will hurt. They will grow accustomed |
| your doctor will probably ask that an occupational or | | | | to using the bedside commode and may refuse to |
| physical therapist evaluate you before your discharge. | | | | walk like they are supposed to. |
| What they will look at is your ability to feed, dress | | | | A patient may also need additional supplies such as |
| and bathe yourself as well as how well you can | | | | positioning devices or mobility aids. |
| move around on your own. They will want you to be | | | | Positioning devices can include bolsters and wedges |
| able to take yourself to and from the restroom or | | | | and household pillows or rolled towels can be used as |
| expect that the skill will come back to you. | | | | substitutes for these items. Mobility aids, such as |
| Again, depending on your condition, your need for | | | | walkers, canes and crutches should be fitted to you |
| equipment, medical attention and the like could be the | | | | so that they are safe. Your doctor will also want you |
| same as your need in the hospital or lower for your | | | | to be instructed on their safe use before you go |
| home use. | | | | home. You may also need to use a wheelchair when |
| In some cases, when you need medical equipment, | | | | you are going out of the house for longer periods of |
| medical representatives will offer suggestions for | | | | time. |
| what you need to have to safely return to your | | | | For those who are going to be in the wheelchair for |
| home, however, while the majority of these people | | | | longer periods of time, there are additional |
| legitimately want to help, there are those who will | | | | considerations, including gel pads that prevent |
| only want to make a high commission on a family | | | | pressure sores to the backside and lower back. |
| that is already dealing with a serious condition. | | | | Whether you need a power chair or just a manual |
| If there are several pieces of equipment in your | | | | folding chair will depend on your exact condition and |
| hospital room that are not being used at all, then you | | | | your expected recovery. |
| will know that you obviously do not need those. If | | | | When You Are Done with the Equipment |
| there are several that you use every day however, | | | | If you have rented your equipment medical, you |
| then you may need them- but your doctor might | | | | simply return the items as arranged. If you bought |
| prefer that you do not use them. | | | | items and then find out that you no longer need |
| How to Get What You Need for Nutrition | | | | them, you can return them if unused (in some cases |
| After the doctor, the physical therapist or | | | | and with some products), you can try to sell them or |
| occupational therapist helps you determine what you | | | | you can store them in case of need in future years. |
| need, there are several ways to get the various | | | | With certain types of nutritional supplements, it is |
| types of equipment, medical supplies and mobility aids | | | | best to use them only for the person they were |
| that you need. Some items may require a doctor's | | | | prescribed for. Isometric, on the other hand, can be |
| prescription to be covered by your insurance while | | | | used by anyone at anytime, whether they are |
| other items are reasonably priced and can be rented | | | | recuperating from illness or not. |