Even the most independent elderly adult needs in-home care in the days following surgery. Recovering from surgery is hard on everyone, but seniors are especially vulnerable to stress, infection, and pain during this time. Family caregivers may volunteer their time to be with their elderly relatives after surgery, but unless they can be around a lot, they may want to look into hiring a senior care provider.
Home Health Care in Irvine CA: Senior Care After Surgery
Post-Surgical Care and Aging Adults
Very few seniors experience faster-than-average recoveries from surgery, and in fact, most of them take longer because their bodies heal more slowly. Elderly adults are usually under restrictions from the doctor about what they can and cannot do after surgery. Examples include lifting or bending restrictions, avoiding getting their incision wet and taking pain relief medication properly. No matter what area of the body is affected by the surgery, the senior will certainly be unable to care for themselves for the first few days and as long as a few months or even a year.
Family caregivers also underestimate how long the daily care duties may take them each day. Some seniors may be able to remain by themselves for a few hours in the day, but for the most part, especially in the first several days after surgery, the aging adult probably needs around-the-clock care. Family caregivers should look seriously at hiring senior care providers, so the elderly adult can rest and focus on healing without being alone.
Let Senior Care Providers Help
There are so many ways that senior care providers can be of assistance to aging adults who have recently come home from the hospital after surgery. For example, seniors likely need help getting in and out of bed, dressing, bathing, grooming, and toileting. They will certainly need assistance with preparing meals, cleaning the house, doing laundry and even moving from area to area. In every case, the senior care provider can also be a companion and supporter for the elderly adult when they are bored, restless and needing a friend.
Senior care providers are also there to give family caregivers some peace of mind as their aging loved ones recover. Post-surgical recovery time can actually usher in some complications for the aging adult, including infections, improper healing, dehydration, malnutrition, medication mismanagement, anxiety, and depression. Senior care providers are in the right place to keep an eye on the aging adult as they go through the process of recovery. If something happens, the senior care provider can notify the family caregiver of what they observe.
When an elderly adult is recovering from surgery at home and family caregivers want the best care for them, it makes sense to hire a senior care provider. With professional skills plus compassion, senior care providers are one of the best chances that seniors have to a fast and full recovery.
