Should You Hire Home Care Services After Hip Surgery?
Your mom was going down her deck stairs and tripped. She fractured her hip and needs hip surgery. Before she comes home, you want to make sure she has everything required for a safe, productive recovery. You’re wondering if post surgery care services are necessary.
Around-the-clock care helps your mom heal well after a hip surgery. Instead of pushing herself to try to do things, she has supportive caregivers to encourage her to do some tasks without overexerting herself. Here are the ways caregivers can help.
No Heavy Lifting
After her surgery, your mom will be unable to lift anything too heavy. Her surgeon will give her a sheet of rules, but it’s normal for her to be told not to push, pull, or lift anything heavier than 25 pounds after her hip replacement.
This may keep her from carrying in groceries from the store. She may find it difficult to go down to a basement laundry room while carrying a hamper. Making her bed can be impossible if she needs to move the mattress to get the fitted sheet on.
Exercise is Essential
For several weeks, your mom will be encouraged to walk around without overdoing it. A short walk is fine, but walking miles isn’t advised. If she goes for walks, she may need someone to remind her it’s time to turn around or stop to take a break.
Fall Prevention Needs to be a Top Priority
Your mom can’t risk another fall. This means accepting help as she steps in and out of the shower. She’ll need someone to support her while she walks up and down the steps within the home and outside.
She should have someone to help her gain her balance after standing up from a chair or sofa. When she gets up in the morning, she needs a caregiver available to help her stand up and get ready to move around.
If it’s the middle of the night and your mom wants a glass of water, her caregiver can get it. If she needs another round of ibuprofen or acetaminophen, she can have her caregiver bring it to her to avoid having to walk to the bathroom or kitchen.
Get Help With Toileting
Finally, your mom doesn’t want to rush to get to the toilet. If it’s the middle of the night, a caregiver needs to be ready to help your mom walk to the bathroom, sit down and stand back up, and go back to bed.
When possible, attend the surgery consultation and ask questions about your mom’s recovery. Get estimates on how long before she’s fully mobile. Until that time, home care is one of the best ways to make sure she’s never alone.
With home care, your mom has someone to help her get to the bathroom safely in the middle of the night. She also has someone to do small errands that make it easier for her to avoid another fall, like getting her a glass of water and going outside to get the mail.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Post Surgery Care in Hartford, CT, please contact the caring staff at Golden Touch Personal Care LLC today. 860-393-1055