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How to make your hospital stay more comfortable and productive

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How to make your hospital stay more comfortable and productive
31 JulHealth, How-to advice

How to make your hospital stay more comfortable and productive

Visiting hospital means lots of different things to different people. You could be excited about a knee operation that will mean you have no more pain when you walk.

Maybe you have cut your hand and just need it stitched up. Or perhaps you have had a loved one pass away and are feeling overwhelmed and anxious.

Whatever your experience, it is common to experience interruptions to your regular routine, such as fatigue, a lack of privacy and the general discomfort of being out of home. It is, paradoxically, also a place where you receive constant care, one-on-one time with health professionals and have access to resources to help you recover as quickly as possible.

The key is to make the most out of the positives and minimise the negatives.

In this article, we will discover three opportunities to make your hospital stay both more comfortable and more productive.

1. Be prepared

If your time and situation allow, why not bring a few key items from home? This will help you maintain a steady routine and allow you to feel more relaxed. You might consider bringing the following:

  • a colouring book or novel
  • puzzles
  • glasses or hearing aids if you use them
  • a list of your medications
  • phone numbers of important contacts
  • a phone charger
  • spare underwear
  • a notepad and pen to write down any ideas, questions or concerns you have throughout your stay.

2. Stay active

During hospitalisation, sedentary behaviour (performing little physical exercise) is all too common.

Research shows that most hospitalised patients spend long periods resting in bed, regardless of their primary reason for admission. Long periods of inactivity can lead to weakness and fatigue in the body, impairment of independence, longer hospital stays and difficulty sleeping.

Sadly, older people have a harder time fully recovering from these effects compared with younger adults. Stay physically active daily and you will see improvements in:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Muscle strength
  • Mood and energy levels
  • Sleep
  • Recovery time

Once cleared by your medical team, consider these options for moving more in hospital:

  1. Spend more time in the armchair instead of in bed  This puts your lungs in the best position to breathe and helps the muscles in your trunk stay strong.
  2. Walk in the corridor more often  Use the corridors as a walking track to explore the ward and get moving to get home sooner. A recent study showed that sometimes fear of infection can prevent people from going out of their rooms.  If this is a real concern, simply use a pair of gloves from your room and wash your hands regularly to reduce your anxiety and risk.
  3. Move your arms and legs more often  Take advantage of seeing your partner, family or friends to give them a hug, wave hello, hold their hand or go for a walk together.
  4. Attend exercise classes when you can  Some hospitals offer exercise classes, so take the chance to get out of bed and use some of that energy. This will not only strengthen your muscles, heart and lungs but enable you to have a better night’s rest when you return to your room. Don’t worry if you cannot make every class. Just aim to do two or three a week and it will go a long way towards your recovery. You may even make some new friends!

3. Ask questions

Finally, take this time to ask lots of questions. When else are you going to have access to so many health professionals at once?

Use this time to ask about upcoming procedures, tests and services or anything you are concerned or curious about. Often in hospital there is an individual called a ‘discharge planner’ or a ‘social worker’. These people are trained to help set you up with services at home to continue your care and ensure a quick recovery so you can get back to doing what you love.

Going to hospital can mean lots of different things to lots of different people, so make your trip more comfortable and productive by taking the opportunity to stay active, be prepared and ask lots of questions!

The Physio Co’s team of physiotherapists are available to visit you wherever you call home, and available for online consultations. We are here to help, so get in touch today for more information – please call on 1300 797 793 or email [email protected]

Article written by Emily Johnson (physiotherapist – Sydney)

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COMPANY NAME: THE PHYSIO CO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
ADDRESS: 25 DORCAS STREET, SOUTH MELBOURNE, VIC, 3205
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This is Your Direct Debit Service Agreement with THE PHYSIO CO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD (ABN: 54120918854). It explains what Your obligations are when undertaking a Direct Debit arrangement with us It also details what our obligations are to You as Your Direct Debit provider. Please keep this agreement for future reference. It forms part of the terms and conditions of Your Direct Debit Request (DDR) and should be read in conjunction With Your DDR authorisation.

Definitions

account means the account held at Your financial institution from which we are authorised to arrange for funds to be debited
agreement means this ment Agreement between You and us.
banking day means a day other than a Saturday or a Sunday or a public holiday listed throughout Australia.
debit day means the day that payment by You to us is due.
debit payment means a particular transaction where a debit is made.
direct debit request means the Direct Debit Request between us and You,
us or we means THE PHYSIO C0 AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, (the Debit User) You have authorised by requesting a Direct Debit Request.
You means the customer who has signed or authorised by other means the Direct Debit Request
Your financial institution means the financial institution nominated by You on the DDR at which the account is maintained

  1. Debiting Your account
    1. By signing a Direct Debit Request or by providing us with a valid instruction, You have authorised us to arrange for funds to be debited from Your account, You should refer to the Direct Debit Request and this agreement for the terms of the arrangement between us and You.
    2. We will only arrange for funds to be debited from Your account as authorised in the Direct Debit Request.
      Or
      We will only arrange for funds to be debited from Your account if we have sent to the address nominated by You in the Direct Debit Request, a billing advice which specifies the amount payable by You to us and when it is due,
    3. If the debit day falls on a day that is not a banking day, we may direct Your financial institution to debit Your account on the followrng banking day. If You are unsure about which day Your account has or will be debited You should ask Your financial institution.
  2. Amendments by us
    1. We may vary any details of this agreement or a Direct Debit Request at any time by giving You at least fourteen (14) days written notice
  3. Amendments by You
    You may change* , stop or defer a debit payment, or terminate this agreement by providing us with at least 30 days notification by writing to-
    THE PHYSIO CO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
    25 DORCAS STREET, SOUTH MELBOURNE, VIC, 3205
    Or
    by telephoning us on 1300 797 793 during business hours;
    Or
    arranging it through Your own financial institution, which is required to act promptly on Your instructions.
    *Note: in relation to the above reference to ‘change’, Your financial institution may ‘change’ Your debit payment only to the extent of advising us THE PHYSIO CO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD of Your new account details.
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    2. If we conclude as a result of our investigations that Your account has been incorrectly debited we Will respond to Your query by arranging for Your financial institution to adjust Your account (including interest and charges) accordingly. We Will also notify You in writing of the amount by which Your account has been adjusted
    3. If we conclude as a result of our investigations that Your account has not been incorrectly debited we Will respond to Your query by providing You with reasons and any evidence for this finding in writing.
  6. Accounts
    You should check:
    • with Your financial institution whether direct debiting is available from Your account as direct debiting is not available on all accounts offered by financial institutions.
    • Your account details which You have provided to us are correct by checking the against a recent account statement,- and
    • with Your financial institution before completing the Direct Debit Request if You have any queries about how to complete the Direct Debit Request.
  7. Confidentiality
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    2. We will only disclose information that we have about You:
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  8. Notice
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      THE PHYSIO CO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
      25 DORCAS STREET, SOUTH MELBOURNE, VIC, 3205
    2. We Will notify You by sending a notice in the ordinary post to the address You have given us in the Direct Debit Request.
    3. Any notice will be deemed to have been received on the third banking day after posting.

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