We all know surgery of any kind can be quite the ordeal. Between scheduling the surgery and making arrangements at work, to taking care of yourself after the surgery, there’s a lot to deal with.
Often, surgery will leave you unable to take care of yourself for a few days. Your family and friends want to help, but may be unable to find the time.
In-home post-surgery care is a great option to get the help you need after an operation. Here are three reasons why it may be necessary.
1. Personal Care
Tasks that are ordinarily very easy like dressing, showering, and even using the restroom can become excruciatingly difficult after surgery. You can’t always depend on your family and friends to be available to help you with these daily tasks, but you may not be able to perform them yourself.
In-home care is a great solution for personal care after a surgery when family and friends are unavailable to help. An in-home caregiver can help you with personal care tasks including:
- toileting
- showering or bathing
- brushing teeth
- personal grooming (brushing or combing hair, assisting with skin care regimen and personal appearance regimen)
- choosing an outfit
- dressing
- putting on socks and shoes
- medication reminders
2. Meal Preparation
Getting the right nutrition is critical for healing after a surgery, but it can be difficult to have the energy to cook a balanced meal. Creating a healthy and delicious breakfast, lunch, or dinner can be time consuming—not to mention the time it takes to make a trip to grocery store for all the ingredients.
An in-home caregiver can work with you to create a meal plan that meets your nutrition and dietary needs—and includes tasty dishes you’re sure to love.
3. Driving
Driving can be difficult or even impossible after a surgery. If you’re getting out-patient surgery, you’ll need someone to drive you to the appointment and home once it’s done. Family or friends may not be available to help with this due to work or family obligations, but you can’t drive yourself.
Even after some time has passed after your surgery, you may not be ready to drive due to surgery-related pain.
“It’s not the inability to drive: It’s the inability to react if you need to react quickly,” says Frederick L. Greene, MD, a medical director at the Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, N.C. “If you had a [hernia operation] and pain of any kind in the abdomen, you can’t push on the brake.”
Our caregivers can provide transportation to and from your surgery, to follow-up doctor appointments, and even just around town so you can get out of the house.
Our team of trained staff is available to help with all of the non-medical facets of post-surgery recovery. Contact us today for more information on how we can help you safely and comfortably recover from surgery at home.
