Going in for a planned surgery often includes the need to prepare for days ahead of time and to recuperate for days or weeks afterward.
If your mom or dad has a surgery planned that requires a lengthy prep or at-home recuperation period, you’ll want to ensure that they have help with daily needs. Even for surgeries with relatively rapid recovery times, help at home after surgery often is essential. As you prepare for your loved one’s surgery, be sure to talk with the surgeon about expected recovery times and recommendations for post-op care for seniors.
Your mom or dad’s specific needs will depend on the type of surgery involved, but in general there are several reasons why someone might need at-home care before or after surgery in Whatcom County:
Food and medication management: Correctly managing dietary and medication plans during preparations for surgery can be difficult. Often, the instructions can be confusing. Specific plans and timings – eat this food now, fast for this long, take this pill at 6 and that one at 8 – can be challenging for people of all ages to understand and abide by.
Pain management and regulation: After the surgery, the management of pain medication can be difficult – but oh, so important. Your mom, dad or other loved one might be taking medications that could cloud thinking and judgment. Having someone around to help your loved one follow the medication plan and recognize when slight adjustments might need to be made is valuable. This can help prevent overmedication while providing valuable support in managing pain for the first few days.
Getting here and there: Speaking of pain medication and management, it’s important that people who are taking pain medication do not drive. The pain management regimen could go on for days or weeks after the surgery. An at-home assistant can help ensure that the shopping gets done and that the patient has a ride to and from follow-up appointments.
Personal care: Before and especially after surgery, it might be necessary to have someone help with various tasks related to daily living. Assistance might be needed to provide and/or prepare meals, change dressings, fetch ice packs and keep your mom or dad hydrated.
Reducing the likelihood of a return to the hospital: Hiring a caregiver to manage the post-hospital care such as wound dressing, medication management, mobility aid and doctor communication can make all the difference between smooth post-op recovery and a return to the hospital if things go south.
When the elderly must have surgery performed, often they rely on family members to help. But what are they to do if family do not live nearby or are otherwise unable to help? At at-home nursing assistant can provide invaluable support in situations like this. To learn more about how Take My Hand At-Home Care provides help before and after surgery for people in Lynden, Ferndale, Bellingham and throughout Whatcom County, please feel free to give us a call or read this information about our in-home assessments.
