R8 · Not enough help at home
Actual Communication and relationships
Definition
Home support is too little for the person's needs.- Discharge
- living alone
- limited family
- disability
- costs
- Cannot manage meals or hygiene
- no helper
- safety risks
📋 Scenario
An older man goes home alone after surgery with no help.
Subjective (S): "I'm going home alone and I don't have anyone."
Objective (O): Lives alone; after surgery; limited mobility; no helper arranged.
Assessment tools for this scenario: CP-TALK Communication Check
Validated scales to consider: Communication barrier checklist
**CarePath diagnosis:** Not enough help at home related to discharge, as evidenced by cannot manage meals or hygiene and no helper.
**Interventions and rationale**
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Assess needs. | A full assessment shows what he can and cannot do alone, such as meals, hygiene and moving about, so help matches real needs. |
| Arrange home care. | Home care services can supply meals, personal care and checks, so he is safe and can recover after surgery without relying on others. |
| Involve family and a social worker. | Family and a social worker can find extra help, funding and community resources that he may not know about or know how to ask for. |
| Teach tasks. | Teaching tasks he can safely do himself, adapted to his limited mobility, helps him manage daily needs and avoid injury or setbacks. |
| Plan follow-up. | Follow-up lets problems at home be spotted early, so help can be adjusted before he becomes unsafe or is readmitted. |
**Expected outcomes**
- Home support arranged before discharge.
- Patient states how to get help.
- Safe discharge.
**Linking the data to the diagnosis**
The older man says, "I'm going home alone and I don't have anyone." He lives alone, is recovering from surgery, has limited mobility, and no helper is arranged. These data show that support at home does not match his needs, so this actual diagnosis fits better than a risk of injury, because the lack of help is already present. The plan aims for home support to be arranged before discharge, for him to state how to get help, and for a safe discharge.
CarePath diagnosis
Not enough help at home related to discharge, as evidenced by cannot manage meals or hygiene and no helper.
Interventions and rationale
Listed in priority order.
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| 1. Assess needs. | A full assessment shows what he can and cannot do alone, such as meals, hygiene and moving about, so help matches real needs. |
| 2. Arrange home care. | Home care services can supply meals, personal care and checks, so he is safe and can recover after surgery without relying on others. |
| 3. Involve family and a social worker. | Family and a social worker can find extra help, funding and community resources that he may not know about or know how to ask for. |
| 4. Teach tasks. | Teaching tasks he can safely do himself, adapted to his limited mobility, helps him manage daily needs and avoid injury or setbacks. |
| 5. Plan follow-up. | Follow-up lets problems at home be spotted early, so help can be adjusted before he becomes unsafe or is readmitted. |
Expected outcomes
- Home support arranged before discharge.
- Patient states how to get help.
- Safe discharge.
Linking the data to the diagnosis
The older man says, "I'm going home alone and I don't have anyone." He lives alone, is recovering from surgery, has limited mobility, and no helper is arranged. These data show that support at home does not match his needs, so this actual diagnosis fits better than a risk of injury, because the lack of help is already present. The plan aims for home support to be arranged before discharge, for him to state how to get help, and for a safe discharge.