Helping Your Loved One Prepare For Their Orthopedic Surgery: Tips For You

Health & Medical Blog

When you have a loved one who is scheduled for orthopedic surgery, then you may be wondering if there are ways that you can help them deal with the situation and prepare for their surgery. Luckily, there are many ways that you can help your loved one in the process of preparing for their orthopedic surgery. Get to know some of the steps that you can take so that you and your loved one can get through the process smoothly and as easily as possible.

Make Sure They Take All Medications As Instructed

Oftentimes, doctors and surgeons will prescribe medications that are to be taken prior to an orthopedic surgery. This can include what is known as a prophylactic round of antibiotics. The major risk with orthopedic surgery is the risk of infection.

Infections can develop at the incision site or internally where the prosthetic pieces that are often implanted to repair joints, bones, and other orthopedic issues are located. As such, to prevent those infections from ever developing, the doctors may ask your loved one to take antibiotics for a few days or weeks prior to surgery.

Additionally, if your loved one already takes prescription medications on a daily basis such as blood thinners, diabetes medications, or other medications to treat chronic health issues, the physicians may also ask that your loved one adjust them. For example, the dose of blood thinners may be reduced in the days immediately before surgery to reduce the change of excessive bleeding during or after surgery.

Help Them Prepare The House

Another issue to keep in mind prior to surgery is your loved one's house. After orthopedic surgery, your loved one will have much less mobility than they normally would. This can make navigating their home difficult after surgery.

Preparing their house ahead of time can make the transition back home easier on your loved one. You want to make walkways as wide and free of obstacles as possible. Not only will overall mobility be limited, but their ability to twist, turn, or otherwise maneuver around corners and obstacles will be reduced.

Clearing walkways is just one step. You will need to also move area rugs or other potential tripping hazards out of commonly used walkways. Even doormats in front of doors can be a potential tripping hazard. Bathrooms can also be a potentially hazardous area of the home and safety bars or supports may need to be added. And, of course, if they will have lifting or bending restrictions, you will want to make sure that everything your loved one needs to reach is right at waist level to prevent issues.

Now that you know more about helping your loved one prepare for orthopedic surgery at the hospital, you can be sure that you are providing your loved one with the support and assistance they need in the preparation process.

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9 May 2016

Help Others Make Health Decisions when They Cannot

One day I was playing a game of basketball with a friend, and the friend I was playing ball with tripped and took a hard fall to the ground. He hit his head hard, but he insisted he was okay and just wanted to go home and take a nap. I knew in my heart that he was not thinking clearly, and I didn't feel right letting him go home. I talked him into letting me take him to the hospital, and after some tests, it was determined he had a bad concussion. The doctors told me that if I had let him go home and sleep, things could have taken a turn for the worse. I created this blog to remind everyone to look out for each other after injuries. Not everyone thinks clearly after a head injury, and just being a good friend could save a life.