Hospital discharge planning presents significant challenges for both patients and healthcare professionals. The Myra app was developed as a free resource for older adults and their carers to help navigate this complex process, potentially reducing readmission risks by providing information that supports wellbeing at home.
Occupational therapists frequently encounter situations where patients and families lack sufficient information about post-discharge resources. Myra can be helpful in this respect, by addressing this information gap by consolidating resources across multiple topics relevant to successful home transitions.
The app contains information from both commercial providers and public domain organisations covering key areas such as care home options, adaptive equipment resources, financial and legal considerations, and home care services. This range of content allows patients to explore options that align with their specific circumstances and needs.
For occupational therapy practice, Myra can function as a supplementary tool during discharge planning. Patients can reference information discussed during therapy sessions later, potentially improving retention and implementation of recommendations. The app provides continuity of information when therapists aren’t present to answer questions that may arise.
Myra’s content encompasses physical, financial, and social aspects of returning home—reflecting the multidimensional nature of successful transitions that occupational therapists understand well. The simple digital format makes information accessible to both patients and their support networks.
As healthcare systems continue to manage limited resources and shorter hospital stays, tools like Myra may help address information needs for older adults transitioning from hospital settings back to community living.
For more information, visit www.myra-app.co.uk
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