After your loved one has surgery of just about any type, the first inclination is to go home as soon as possible and rest. If he’s been in the hospital recovering for a while, he’s probably looking forward to coming home to a nice quiet environment with his own bed and pillows. But after almost all surgery, your loved one needs to get moving. He doesn’t need to run a marathon or do anything overly strenuous, but his physician has probably provided some clear post-hospital care instructions. This likely includes physical therapy so that your loved one may recover quickly and fully.
Why Physical Therapy?
This physical therapy can happen at home with a professional trained in post-hospital care, or he might need to go to a clinic to receive his post-hospital care. In many ways, having a professional come to the home to provide the physical therapy your loved one needs for his post-hospital care is not only convenient, but it also lets him perform his physical therapy in a safe and secure environment, not risking exposure to a lot of germs or having to deal with weather and travel issues.
Physical therapy is an important part of your loved one’s recovery. And it’s not only for big surgeries, like hip replacement. It can be used for just about any surgery that will require the affected area to build up its strength and movement again.
Here are five reasons why your loved one should not skip this important part of his healing process.
Lowers Complication Risks
Guided movement from a post-hospital care provider will keep his blood flowing and reduce the risk of blood clots, and any heart or lung issues that can occur with inactivity.
Speeds Up Healing
Physical therapy forces your loved one to move, which in turn gets his blood flowing to the surgical area of his body. Since blood carries oxygen and nutrients, improving its flow to the injured area can reduce inflammation and speed up recovery.
Improves Mobility, Flexibility, and Strength
While the affected area of the surgery is expected to have a reduction in these three areas, it’s not only that part of the body that will struggle with them due to inactivity. Once activity does begin, other areas of the body may also want to compensate for the loss of strength and mobility, which in turn, can stress those areas. Having a trained physical therapist to help your loved one know how to begin regaining his strength and mobility will ensure a faster overall recovery.
Eases Pain and Swelling
The movement will reduce swelling and stiffness which will help pain levels to decrease. Physical therapy may help reduce the amount of pain medication that is needed.
Reduces Internal Scar Tissue
Physical therapy will soften any scar tissue that forms, making recovery smoother with less pain and more flexibility. Your loved one may be tired from the stress of surgery, but the sooner he’s able to begin physical therapy, the more quickly he’ll be back to his old self.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Post-Hospital Care in La Mesa, CA, please contact the caring staff at Aaron Home Care. (619) 880-5522
A Trusted Home Care Agency Serving La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Point Loma, San Diego, UTC, La Mesa, Chula Vista, Coronado, Bonita, Eastlake and the surrounding areas.
In 1999, Aaron was named Residential Program Manager of a group home for disabled adults in Arlington, Virgina. Here, he built a reputation for being compassionate with his clients and efficient in company operations. In the years that followed, Washington DC’s human services field went through unprecedented reform when the city was fined $11 million for the previously unchecked abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the very population it was supposed to protect. In 2005, Aaron was selected by a watchdog company to co-create and implement a monitoring system to safeguard and advocate for the system’s most vulnerable residents. This system is still in use today.
Aaron is now using his unique gifts and profound experience in the human service field to provide San Diego County Seniors with dependable, compassionate caregivers through Aaron Home Care.
He currently serves on the board of the San Diego Regional Home Care Council and is an active member of the Senior Advocate Network of San Diego.
Aaron Home Care is a member of the American Board of Home Care and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
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