Hip replacement surgery’s end goal is to reduce pain and improve hip function and movement in the hip by replacing the damaged parts of the hip with artificial parts that can be constructed out of metal, ceramic, or plastic. Your loved one’s doctor will work with your loved one to determine if hip replacement is her best option to help her find relief from pain that hasn’t improved with other treatments and is affecting her ability to participate in many daily activities. After the surgery, your loved one’s hospital care team will determine when she can leave the hospital to continue the rest of her care someplace else and how hospital to home transition services can be beneficial.
Where Should Your Loved One Recover?
In the past, many people went straight from the hospital to a nursing facility to continue their care, but now with trained providers being able to assist many people with recovering at home, your loved one might decide she’d rather be at home for the rest of her recovery.
When that’s the case, it’s important to consider if her home is set up for her recovery or if she needs to stay with a family member during her initial recovery. Your loved one will not be able to drive and may find tasks like climbing stairs or doing many household chores difficult for those first weeks and sometimes months of recovery.
Whether your loved one decides to recover in her own home or with you during her hospital to home transition, planning for this transition by having help around the home from a hospital to home transition care team can be valuable for either location. A hospital to home transition care team can help with those household chores and meals so that you and your loved one can focus on her physical recovery during this time.
Four Steps to Prepare For a Hospital to Home Transition For Your Loved One
Make sure you have the people resources you need. There will be activities that your loved one will need help with that may include bathing, driving, cleaning the home, and pet care. Knowing who will assist with each area can give you peace knowing someone has it covered and your loved one won’t injure herself trying to do something she shouldn’t. While family members and friends can be a great resource, if you need consistent and reliable help, you might find a hospital to home transition care provider will be the best choice.
Prepare her recovery area. Make sure that your loved one has a comfortable and safe area for the majority of her recovery time. She might need to have her bed on the same floor as the bathroom to remove the need to use stairs.
Purchase or rent assistive devices. Your loved one’s hospital discharge team may have information on where you can obtain items to assist in her hospital-to-home transition. Shower chairs, raised toilet seats, and even a grabber tool for reaching high places can all reduce the risk of injury for your loved one.
Plan to be patient. Most recovery journeys aren’t a straight path. Your loved one will have great successes and occasional setbacks. Be ready to be encouraging without increasing stress levels by over-pressuring her. Gentle encouragement can go a long way to helping her recover and enjoy the benefits of her new hip.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Hospital to Home Transition Services in Butler County PA, please contact the caring staff at Extended Family Care Pittsburgh today. Call 412-241-7292
Extended Family Care Pittsburgh is a Trusted Home Care Agency in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania including Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Mercer County, Washington County, North Hills, South Hills, Fox Chapel, Monroeville, Murrysville, Oakland, Plum Boro, and Squirrel Hill.
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