Having hip joint replacement surgery is a major surgery. If your loved one is scheduled to have her hip joint replaced, she will need to have some assistance to help her for several weeks when she comes home from the surgery. As her caregiver, you can choose to have her come home with you as she heals or you might choose to go to her home and stay with her as she heals. Recovery is needed 24 hours at the beginning and help around the home will be needed for several weeks.
While having family and friends assist can feel like the right way to help your loved one recover, you might also want to consider having a post-hospital care provider come to the home to help with the recovery. A post hospital care provider will be trained in the medical, physical, and emotional needs your loved one may have after surgery. They can also provide you with a bit of relief from the caregiving, making a partnership with a trained post-hospital care provider the perfect scenario.
Let’s look at some of the areas to make safe while helping your loved one recover from her hip joint replacement surgery.
Assisted Mobility
Your loved one will probably come home with some type of assistive device to help her move around. It could be a walker, crutches, or a cane. Stairs will be very difficult for the first few weeks so planning out where your loved one will have her recovery area with the least amount of stairs possible. One of the most important considerations is where the bathroom is located compared to where your loved one is sleeping and resting. Ideally, they will be on the same floor without any stairs to traverse.
Bed Height
Another important aspect to consider is the height of the bed your loved one will be sleeping in. She will need a bed that is low enough that both feet can be planted firmly on the floor as she gets out and gets into bed. A bed that is too high will risk her trying to boost herself onto the bed and possibly landing on the new hip replacement badly. The mattress should also be firm enough that she can sit on the edge without falling into the bed.
Remove Fall Risks
Next, you’ll want to evaluate all pathways she will be using to make sure they are free from any tripping hazards. It may be second nature for you to always step over that cord from runs from the wall to your laptop, but if your loved one is going to be walking across that area, all cords should be removed or taped down. Look for any rugs that have upturned corners, table legs that stick out, and any items like shoes or boxes that may normally be stored on the floor. Finally, make sure the walkway is well-lit both during the day and night.
Be sure to have plenty of help around the home, making meals, and providing transportation as she heals. Your loved one will need to feel safe and comfortable in resting so she can heal quickly and get back to doing all she enjoys soon.
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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