Having surgery, even minor outpatient surgery, is traumatic for your senior’s body. Being prepared for what’s going to happen and for what happens when she comes home is incredibly important. These tips can help you to think through what your elderly family member might need and what you can do to make the healing process as easy as possible for her.
Stock up on Healthy Foods and Easy Meals
Eating is going to be a big part of your senior healing and regaining her strength. That’s especially true if she’s eating healthy meals full of nutrients. But cooking may not be something that she’s up for at all, and stocking up on healthy, easy meals before she gets home can really help. Bonus points as well if you’re able to get some help for her with meals.
Consider Any Changes She May Need
Depending on the type of surgery and how mobile your senior is, she may need to rethink her home and how things are set up. There may be furniture that needs to be moved, clutter that needs to be temporarily rehomed, or other changes. It’s a good idea to go through her home before she is discharged and look critically at what might be helpful.
Get Equipment Ahead of Time
If your elderly family member might need any equipment when she gets home, like a shower chair or a cane to stabilize her, it’s a good idea to get those items beforehand. Talk with your senior’s doctors about what equipment she might need when she comes home from surgery. Sometimes it’s difficult to know exactly what she’ll need until she gets home, but if you can prepare in advance at all it’s helpful.
Consider Hiring Home Health Care Providers
Something else that is helpful after surgery is to have experienced home health care providers right there with your senior. They can assist your aging family member with wound care, with healthy eating, and with any signs that she’s not recovering as well as you may have hoped. Home health care providers can also keep your senior’s doctor apprised of how she’s doing so that there aren’t any surprises or readmissions to the hospital that could have been prevented.
Take Recovery Slowly
Above all, it’s important that your elderly family member paces herself with her recovery. If she attempts to do too much, too soon, that can set her recovery back significantly. She needs to be able to rest and to allow her body to heal. If she seems to be pushing herself too hard to recover, talk with her about why she might be doing that. It’s possible that there’s something that you can do to help her to relax and let herself recover.
