During the aging process, joints like hips, knees and shoulders can wear out—the resulting pain and lack of mobility can lead seniors to consider joint replacement surgery.
Joint replacements can often enhance the quality of life for seniors, especially if they take care during the post-op and recovery process.
If you are planning a joint replacement surgery in the coming months, please take a moment to consider, and plan for care, rehabilitation and physical therapy after the surgery.
For example, did you know that going directly from the hospital to your home after surgery can slow down the recovery process?
Did you know that transitioning from the hospital to a skilled nursing facility with on-site therapies, where patients can receive both nursing/wound care and physical therapy services, can help speed up the healing process? Who wouldn’t want to recover faster!
Who will care for you after your surgery?
Asking a spouse, family member, friend or neighbor to serve as caregiver post-op can be emotionally and physically exhausting for the caregiver and the patient. Some take on the role of caregiver without really understanding what is involved.
It’s important for both parties to understand that patients will most likely be uncomfortable—there will be medications to manage and wounds to dress. Providing transportation to follow-up doctor visits and physical therapy sessions are also parts of providing care and support to someone post-op. It can be a lot for loved ones to handle.
Establishing a care plan that includes transitioning to a skilled nursing/rehabilitation facility can be a great alternative to having a loved one provide post-op care. Spending time in a rehabilitation facility allows trained health care professionals to provide medical care and therapies while loved ones continue with their role of providing friendship, love and support.
Here are four tips for choosing the right post-op rehabilitation facility:
- Choose a facility that is trusted and recommended by your doctor, friends and neighbors.
- Ask if their on-site therapists and nursing staff have experience caring for patients with your type of joint replacement.
- Schedule a tour of the facility to see what type of rooms they offer—do they offer private rooms or are they shared with others? Does the rehab recovery room have a private restroom/bathing area?
- Ask what types of therapy they offer—are their options for out-patient therapy visits after discharge?
If you are a Whatcom County senior citizen considering a joint replacement surgery, know that Christian Health Care Center in Lynden, WA offers on-site therapy, combined with professional restorative nursing. Our physical and occupational therapy services, provided in a rehab-based environment, are available to patients six days per week. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a tour of our private rehabilitation recovery rooms and modern therapy wing.
From brief interventions and restorative services to intensive daily multidisciplinary care, the therapeutic rehabilitation team has designed treatments for those recovering from illness, stroke, fractures, surgeries and more.
It’s our goal to get patients moving again after surgery so they can return to the life and activities they love as soon as possible.