Severe arthritis and hip fractures are two reasons older adults undergo hip surgeries. Most recover well and get back to normal daily routines. It does take time to reach that point. If your mom had a hip replacement surgery, you can help with her recovery. These are the things you can do that will help the most.
Home Health Care in Rochester MI: Post-Hip Surgery
Clean the Home
After she’s released from the hospital, your mom will be using a walker or crutches for several weeks. Walking will be slower and less steady at first while she gets used to the new hip and heals from the surgery.
Make sure the clutter is cleared. Rearrange furniture so that she has paths wide enough for a walker to fit through. If she has wood or tile floors and uses scatter rugs for décor, remove them for now. They may slide when she’s pushing a walker over them.
Install or Inspect Supportive Handrails
A few inspections or additions will make her recovery go smoothly. Grab bars inside and outside of the bath or shower and near the toilet are important. Make sure the handrails on stairs inside and outside the home are sturdy and not rusted or splintering, which makes them uncomfortable to hold. A bed rail can help her get out of bed.
Choose Better Furnishings
Get a higher chair with a firm back support that makes it easy for your mom to get in and out of. The chair should have sturdy arms to use for support while she stands. If she prefers a sofa, look for one that is firm. An overstuffed sofa that she sinks into is going to be hard to get off of. Extra pillows can help with support.
In the bath, a shower seat will help her avoid extended pressure on her hip while she’s washing her hair and body. A hand-held showerhead also helps. A loofah on a stick will help her clean areas without having to bend too far.
Talk to the Doctor About Activities
Following hip surgery, your mom’s doctor may recommend she avoid some activities. While walking, swimming, golfing, and bicycling will be fine, she shouldn’t take the grandkids to a trampoline park and participate. Jogging on a treadmill is also not likely to be recommended. She may need to focus on low-impact activities.
No matter what she can’t do, make sure she is doing the activities she’s told to do. If she’s supposed to walk for 10 minutes a day and gradually increase it, make sure she does.
Arrange Home Care
While she works on strengthening muscles and getting used to improving mobility, make sure your mom is supported at home. Home care services like transportation, help with bathing and showering, and transfers from a bed or chair are important. Learn more about these and other home care services by talking to a home care specialist.