When you plan for assistance after a surgery for yourself or a loved one, it’s important to think about things before the surgery takes place when possible. There is an increased risk for falls in the home as well as other dangers such as mismanaged medications after a surgery.
Here are some steps to take to ensure that the home care received after surgery will go as planned:
- Meet the caregiver before you go into the hospital to see if this is the right match.
- Connect your caregiver with the nurse or discharge planner so that a personalized care plan can be developed to meet all of your specific needs such as certain dietary requirements.
- Get set up for things like grocery and medication delivery to occur as you heal so that you can focus on getting back to normal and not trying to establish these routines after surgery.
- You may need special equipment such as temporary toilet grab bars, a walker, or a wheelchair, that a caregiver can help get set up and adjusted to your preferences before you come home from the hospital.
- Establish communications protocols with your caregiver so that additional care can be coordinated with family and friends who may want to check in on you.
Every surgery—eye surgery, heart surgery, joint replacement, and more—will have different needs and healing timelines. It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider ahead of time and learn what type of home care support will be beneficial and how long to expect you will benefit from an in-home caregiver.
