How to Prepare Your Parent for Hip Replacement Surgery

By Kevin Edwards | June 6, 2018 |

How to Prepare Your Parent for Hip Replacement Surgery

Home Care Services Overland Park KS – How to Prepare Your Parent for Hip Replacement Surgery

By Kevin Edwards, President

Hip injuries are among the most common injuries among elderly adults. In fact, when most people think about a senior getting injured, a broken hip is the first thing that comes to mind. Though common, hip fractures and other hip injuries can be very serious, and lead to detrimental effects for your seniors mental, emotional, and physical health and well-being.

One of the most common forms of treatment for hip fractures, as well as lingering effects of arthritis, trauma, and other issues, is hip replacement surgery. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 300,000 hip replacement surgeries are performed each year. This type of surgery can dramatically improve your parents quality of life, and reduce the risk that they will suffer other serious consequences as a result of a hip injury.

In order for your senior to get maximum benefit from undergoing hip replacement surgery, it is important to take the steps to prepare them, and their home, for the surgery and for the recovery period after.

Use these tips to prepare your parent for hip replacement surgery:

Ensure the doctor is fully informed. Talk to their medical team and make sure their doctor knows about your parent’s current health, all of their diagnoses, and all of the medications they are currently taking. You cannot assume any doctor knows these details, or that their records are fully complete. Giving them a list of any medications your parent takes, as well as allergies, sensitivities, and other details, helps the doctor ensure the surgery is as safe as possible.

Help your parent be as healthy as possible. If your parent has broken their hip, they will likely undergo surgery within the first 48 hours of the injury. If your parent is planning to undergo hip replacement for another reason, they will have more time to prepare. During this time, help your parent to get and stay as healthy as possible. Support eating a healthy, balanced diet to strengthen their body, help them to lose weight if they need to, get them as active as they can be, and practice germ control to reduce the risk of illness and infection.

Get their home ready for recovery. Recovery from a hip replacement surgery can be extremely difficult and long. Creating a healthy, supportive environment in their home can help your parent to make the most of their recovery. If your parent’s bedroom is upstairs, move it downstairs or rent a hospital bed so that they do not have to climb the stairs. Fill the freezer with healthy, satisfying meals they can easily prepare during their recovery. Consider boarding any pets they have, or bring them to your home, to lessen the burden of caring for them. Have the home cleaned thoroughly before they return from the hospital to create a healthier environment that will support a more effective germ control approach.

Make your care plan. Talk to your parent about your care plan before the surgery. Knowing they will have the support and assistance of a team, including you, friends and family, and a home care services provider, will give your parent greater confidence and peace of mind as they head into their surgery and their recovery.

If your aging parent must undergo surgery for a broken hip, have a hip replacement, or has recently undergone such surgery, starting home care services for them can be one of the best decisions that you can make. Recovery from a hip fracture, and from subsequent surgery to treat the fracture, can be long and arduous, and your parent will require a considerable amount of care, support, and assistance throughout this time.

An in-home senior care services provider can step in to provide your aging parent with a highly personalized approach to their care. This care will be tailored to not only helping them to manage the tasks of recovering from their surgery, but also moving forward in a lifestyle that is healthy, safe, active, and fulfilling. As a family caregiver, knowing that your aging parent is in the hands of a home care services provider can be tremendously meaningful and help you to feel more confident that even when you are not able to be with them, they will have everything that they need to handle their recovery and this new chapter in their life in the best way possible.

Sources: http://www.sutterhealth.org/orthopedics/hip/preparing-for-hip-replacement.html

http://www.mdedge.com/jfponline/article/77278/geriatrics/hip-fracture-older-patients-tips-and-tools-speed-recovery

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Home Care Services in the Kansas City area, please contact the caring staff at Elder Care of Kansas City, today. Proudly serving Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass Counties in Missouri as well as Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas for over 30 years. Call us at 816-333-3322.

Kevin Edwards, President

Kevin’s life and the lives of his immediate family have been impacted by caregivers – either as a patient or a caregiver – for as long as he can remember. He watched his mother take care of his grandmother until her death at the age of 97. Five years later, his father passed from a neurological disorder that was subsequently confirmed as Lewy Body Dementia. In 2007, his wife, Lori, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The symptoms of Lori’s disease required Kevin to hire a caregiver during the periods of her relapses.

Prior to purchasing Elder Care, Kevin spent over 20 years in the health insurance industry. In his most recent position, he was in a financial operations role with Humana where he worked with doctors, nurses and other health professionals developing programs to keep Humana members healthy. Their focus on primary care and medication adherence improved the lives of thousands of seniors in Kansas City and the surrounding area.

Kevin and his wife, Lori, have three children. Kevin has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.

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Kevin Edwards

Owner at Elder Care of Kansas City

Kevin’s life and the lives of his immediate family have been impacted by caregivers – either as a patient or a caregiver - for as long as he can remember.He watched his mother take care of his grandmother until her death at the age of 97.Five years later, his father passed from a neurological disorder that was subsequently confirmed as Lewy Body Dementia.In 2007, his wife, Lori, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.The symptoms of Lori’s disease required Kevin to hire a caregiver during the periods of her relapses.

Prior to purchasing Elder Care, Kevin spent over 20 years in the health insurance industry.In his most recent position, he was in a financial operations role with Humana where he worked with doctors, nurses and other health professionals developing programs to keep Humana members healthy.Their focus on primary care and medication adherence improved the lives of thousands of seniors in Kansas City and the surrounding area.

Kevin and his wife, Lori, have three children.Kevin has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.