Open heart surgery is a major procedure in which your loved one will require a fairly long hospital stay during which his recovery will take place. Once his doctors determine it is safe for him to go home to complete his recovery, you’ll want to ensure he has everything he needs for a successful and safe recovery. Arranging for live-in care services may be the first step you need to take for your loved one’s heart surgery recovery.
Live-in Care Can Help Your Loved One Recover Safely
If your loved one wants to recover in their own home or if they cannot stay with someone, or if a family member needs to stay with them, having a live-in care provider is a great option to ensure their care is consistent and their needs are taken care of. A live-in care provider can help him follow the instructions given by his doctor, as well as help with household tasks such as preparing meals, washing clothes, and cleaning the house – all of which will be difficult for your loved one to manage during those first weeks of recovery.
Five Areas of Recovery to Plan For After Heart Surgery
Whether your loved one has live-in care or if you are assisting in his recovery care, he’ll need a care plan to manage these recovery tasks.
Follow-up Appointments
Your loved one will have multiple follow-up appointments with his surgeon, his general practitioner, and possibly a rehabilitation team. Since he will not be able to drive on his own for several weeks to several months, make sure transportation is taken care of before those appointments arrive.
Medication
Your loved one will have medication to take after his surgery, plus he’ll resume any other medications he was on before his surgery. Talk with his doctors about the best times for him to receive proper dosing as well as what side effects to be on the watch for. If he has any medication to help manage his pain levels, make sure he always has his prescription filled so he doesn’t run out when he needs it the most.
Incision Care
Depending on the procedure, your loved one could have his chest incision to care for as well as incisions in his arm and/or his leg. You and your loved one will be given precise care procedures to ensure these incision areas heal up properly. You’ll want to make sure they do not get infected. Some warning signs to watch for include heat radiating from the incision, redness around the incision, drainage, and more pain than usual.
Exercise
While rest is extremely important, so is exercise as your loved one recovers. His healthcare team will send him home with daily exercises he should do to improve his strength as well as daily walking goals. His walks will start slow and short and gradually increase in duration as he builds up strength.
Daily Activities
Household chores that require exertion should be avoided during the first weeks of recovery, so plan for someone to help with meals, chores like laundry and garbage disposal, and possible pet care. A live-in care provider is a great resource to help ensure your loved one’s home is maintained while he is recovering from open heart surgery or any other major surgery.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring professional Live-In Care Services in Berkeley Heights, NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today.
Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris, and Hunterdon Counties. Call us today at (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534.
