Home Health Care Tips for Seniors After Knee or Hip Replacement Surgery in Edmonton, AB

Uncategorized  |  July 14, 2018

Fortunately, medical advancements have made knee and hip replacements for senior’s commonplace, and often, family or close friends offer assistance to their loved ones in their in-home recovery. The patient can quickly get back to independent living with the right help. Consider these tips if you’re going to provide home health care for someone you love after a surgical procedure:

First-floor Recovery Room

In advance of surgery, create a first-floor recovery room so stairs won’t be necessary. Acquire a bed that is adjustable or already at the proper height for the patient. Cover with fresh linens and pillows. Keep crutches or walker in easy access from the bed. Arrange toiletries or personal necessities bedside. If the bathroom isn’t easily available, rent a portable commode for the first few recovery days.

Prescription Medications after Surgery

Drugs will be prescribed after surgery, and it’s important that they’re taken exactly as detailed. Arrange a conversation with the surgeon prior to surgery so you know how to schedule doses.

Wound Care

After the knee or hip surgery, vigilant wound care will be necessary. Look for increased swelling or inflammation and call their doctor if the wound doesn’t seem right. Keep the bandages and other supplies handy for you or your elderly adult to regularly change the dressings.

Household Tasks

Help the patient by doing as many household chores as possible. Let them focus on needed rest and recovery. Remember that small things do help. Bringing the mail in daily, doing a load of laundry, or straightening up their room are all helpful things, and running errands and doing the grocery shopping may be necessary, too, so you can cook healthy nourishing meals.

Follow Up Medical Appointments

Post-surgery medical appointments mustn’t be missed. These appointments will be crucial to recovery, so you may have to make some adjustments to your own schedule in order to help transport your loved one.

Rehab and Exercises Post-surgery

Typically, hip or knee replacement surgeries have a prescribed rehab plan with numerous daily exercises, sometimes to be initiated the day following surgery. Older people sometimes resist these exercises, because of pain or fatigue. You can be their best source of encouragement by creating an exercise schedule and helping them to complete them.

All surgeries have recovery time, but hip and knee surgeries may need more than you can feasibly provide for your loved one. Rather than feeling stressed, just call for in-home health care to help you and your loved one during recovery.

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