Being Prepared: Remote Support

Keeping people safe and healthy is always our goal.  What happens when the person we support must be hospitalized?  The hospital is not always aware of how the person we support communicates, takes medication, what their health history is, or what type of diet the person requires.  Many times, we can provide input and even staffing to help the person we support be best served by the nurses and doctors at the hospital.  However, as we are in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, hospitals have needed to restrict visitation policy, and now we need to look at how we can best support someone remotely.

Many agencies already have transfer information in place for people they support if the need arises for them to go to the hospital.  This can include a variety of information to best support the person.  However, family members may have never thought the day would come that they would be separated from a loved one due to quarantine.  There are many forms out there to help with this. 

Attached to this blog is a Remote Support form.  It is comprehensive and will provide families and providers with the means to “give report” to the nurses and doctors taking care of the person they support.  It is a good idea to have this filled out and ready in the chance that person you support needs hospitalized. 

Although we know that nothing can replace a face to face conversation, we do know that we can help to ensure the health and safety of the person we support by providing the hospital with this information. 

It cannot be stressed enough, do not wait for the crisis to come to you, be ready.  Be prepared.  This can help to ensure best practices and continue to provide support when we are not able to be there in person.   Please feel free to download this Remote Support Form.  If unable to download and print, copy information onto a handwritten paper.  Health forms do not need to be a fancy document.   The primary need for a health form is to have quick, clear, and concise information that can be readily accessed by a doctor, nurse, CNA, or anyone else who may be assisting with care while the person is hospitalized.