Caring for children with complex medical needs comes with a wide range of challenges for families. For instance, how can you ensure the home environment will be as safe and easy to maneuver for the child as possible? At Stay Home Care, our special needs child care services include an evaluation of the home for potential safety risks – a crucial step in our care process. We suggest taking a walk through the home with these questions in mind:
- What architectural barriers might you encounter in the home that could be modified for easier wheelchair access?
- Would a stair lift system be beneficial for the child?
- Is there room in the child’s bedroom or other area of the home for a hospital bed or other necessary medical equipment?
- What bathroom modifications might make showering, bathing, and toileting easier and safer for the child?
In addition, local emergency medical services, as well as electrical and heating providers, need to be alerted to the complex medical needs in homes of medically fragile children who are dependent upon medical technology on a daily basis. In the event of a power outage, most utility companies have plans in place for residents who require life-supporting medical equipment. Check with your provider to see what their application process is if warranted.
Review the following checklist to ensure these local companies and providers have been informed of the complex medical needs of your child:
- Electric company
- Gas supplier
- Water supplier
- Telephone providers, including both landline and cell phone providers
- The local fire department, ambulance, police, and paramedics
Our Nashville Home Care for Children Can Help!
Most importantly, partner with a professional provider of special needs child care to ensure your family has access to the very best care and support for your child. We can help with a wide range of complex medical needs with tasks and activities, including:
- Assistance with personal care, dressing, and bathing/showering
- Planning and preparing meals and help with eating
- Safe walking, ambulation, and transfer assistance
- Play, exercise, and fun outings in the community
- And so much more
Although challenging, caring for a child with complex medical needs at home is often the preferred method of care for families, keeping the family close and allowing for a sense of normalcy and independence for the child.
Contact Us to Learn More About Care at Home in Nashville
Stay Home Care is a leading provider of special needs child care, offering high quality, compassionate home care in Nashville, TN and nearby areas for children with complex medical needs. Contact us today at 615-964-7726 to learn more about our care services, and to request a free in-home consultation.