When a senior goes through major surgery but still wants to age in place, it can be hard to ensure they’re healing correctly on their own. How can you be certain they get the help they need when you’re not there? The number one answer is to hire elder care for your senior before surgery happens. This allows an elder care provider and your senior to get to know each other before the surgery takes place and helps them build trust.
Surgery may be a difficult experience for anybody. However, seniors must have adequate post-operative care since they recover more slowly and are at a higher risk of complications. This is why so many children choose to hire someone outside of the family to help their senior parents during their recovery.
There are a few things to keep in mind about your senior’s recovery, and you can implement these in your daily routine to help a senior after surgery. These tips can help the healing process move quicker with fewer complications.
Start With a List
Hiring someone before the surgery can help a senior feel comfortable with a caregiver. However, you should think about creating a list of things that the senior will need before the surgery. You will need to think about some of the following things:
- Wheelchairs
- Compression socks
- Leg braces
- Railings for beds or toilets
Finding out things they will need will help keep a senior more comfortable after surgery and keep them healing faster. You can easily talk to the doctors and nurses before the surgery to find out what other equipment you may want to purchase before the surgery.
Prepare The Seniors Home In Advance
Clean the house and rearrange furniture to eliminate obstructions and risks during the journey home. This facilitates their rehabilitation. If your senior is messy, it is important to go through the house with them and figure out where to keep things out of the way. Nothing should be on the floor, and anything hazardous should be moved. If your older adult lives in a two-story house, try providing them with a bed on the main level to prevent climbing stairs.
Go To Follow Up Appointments With Your Senior
If you cannot make it to their next appointment, have an elder care provider go with them. This will help you understand how they are recovering and if anything needs to be added to the care routine. You may be able to fill in facts regarding their condition and recuperation that they may forget when the doctor inquires. This can help a doctor understand if any medication needs to change.
Understand a Seniors Limits
Even when a senior wants to heal on their own and remain independent, a senior who does too much after surgery can actually hurt themselves. Doing too much will be a setback to their overall health. The mending process is already slower in elderly bodies; the last thing you want is for them to do anything that resets the clock. It is crucial to watch them and then tell them to slow down when they’re doing too much.
If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Minneola, FL, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Clermont today. 1-888-423-4046.