How Home Care Helps after a Total Hip and Total Knee Replacements
Home care specialists provide support and assistance as your loved one returns home after being hospitalized for a total hip and total knee replacements.
How Home Care Helps after a Total Hip & Total Knee Replacements
What is Home Care?
Home care is a more personalized alternative to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It provides services such as personal care, homemaking, companionship and more to individuals living at home, so they can remain comfortable and independent for as long as possible.
Home Care vs Home Health
Home health is typically short-term medical services administered in the home to treat an illness or injury. This type of medical assistance is usually provided by a registered nurse, physical, occupational or speech therapist. Home care agencies are often requested to provide supplemental care as the patient transitions.
Who is a Good Candidate for Home Care?
Home care can be beneficial for individuals who are getting older, are chronically ill, are recovering from a surgery or are disabled. Perhaps your loved one needs assistance with day-to-day tasks but does not need to be in a nursing home or hospital. Home care could be the right fit for them.
What Types of Home Care Services Are Available?
Home care looks different for everyone. Each individual’s needs are unique, and home care can be tailored to fit those needs. Depending on what your loved one’s needs are, caregiving services can be available 24-hours a day or a few hours each week. Some of the services include:
Personal care:
Bathing, Grooming, Dressing
Toileting and Incontinence
Medication Reminders
Mobility Assistance
Repositioning to Avoid Bedsores
Transportation to and from Medical Appointments
Homemaking:
Grocery Shopping, Cooking and Clean-up
Errands and Shopping
Transportation
Light Housekeeping, Laundry and Ironing
Changing Bed Linens
Companionship:
Conversation
Reading Aloud
Hobbies and Projects
Outings and Events
Morning Wake-Up & Evening Tuck-In
Assistance with Attending Religious Services
Home Care Interventions for Patients being discharged for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacements
The readmission rate within 30 days after hip and knee replacement in 2013 was 34 for every 1,000 patients. (www.forbes.com) While readmission rates are low, it is still important to take precaution in order to prevent readmission to the hospital. Home care can help after hip and knee surgery so readmission is less likely.
Our agency uses evidence-based practices that are proven to reduce the risk of readmission and promote the health of those who have recently had total hip and total knee replacements:
1. Transportation
Most patients cannot drive for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, and some individuals will not be able to drive past the 6-week mark. Additionally, individuals on certain medications, such as narcotics, should not drive at all. Home care specialists can help with transportation by driving patients to and from dr. appointments, social gatherings, running errands, and more. (source): www.aahks.org
2. Physical Activity Assistance
Individuals who have had a hip or knee replacement need to watch for swelling and reduce the risk of blood clots in the veins of your legs. Basic exercises such as walking will help maintain blood flow. A home care specialist can walk with patients and remind them to do their physical therapy exercises. Something as simple as pumping feet up and down 20 times per hour can help reduce blood clots.
(source): www.emoryhealthcare.org
3. Medication Reminders
Some individuals will be placed on Aspirin or Coumadin to thin their blood and reduce the risk of blood clots forming. Patients may also be on antibiotics to protect the joint replacement from infection. Home care specialists can help keep medications straight and remind patients of the proper timing and dosage to take. (source): www.emoryhealthcare.org
