Your mom’s gone in for surgery. Whether it’s minor or more complicated than that, you need to make sure her recovery at home goes well. One of the things to consider is how much help you can be. Is it best to hire home health care nurses to provide the care she needs?
Pain Management
IVs and injectable pain medications are well out of your abilities. You can’t do that for your mom. You don’t have the training. She doesn’t have to avoid pain medications that are administered through an IV or needle. A skilled nurse can be in her home and administer the pain medications she needs as she recovers from her surgery.
Wound Care
Your mom will have an incision that needs care. For a few days, she may not be allowed to shower. After that, she will change her pressure bandage and check on the healing process. If the wound is in a location she can’t easily see or reach, she needs help.
You have no training in knowing if a wound is healing properly or in need of medical attention. You may not be comfortable helping your mom care for her incision. This is one area where a home health care nurse is essential.
Nurses know what to look for. They can remove the pressure bandage when it’s time and clean the dry blood being careful not to irritate the healing incision. After that, the nurse can cover the wound with a new bandage. If there are problems, the nurse will talk to your surgeon about the next steps to take.
Special Diets
Depending on the surgery, your family may need to learn more about a new diet that your mom must follow. She had heart surgery and has to be on a low-fat, low-sugar, low-sodium diet now. It’s all new to your family and your mom.
You can hire home health care professionals to come to the home to teach you about your mom’s new diet. You’ll learn the foods she can and cannot have. And, you’ll learn how to cook the meals that she needs.
Physical Therapy
After a surgery like a hip or a knee replacement, your mom needs physical therapy sessions. Instead of making her get in and out of a car for her therapy sessions, she can have her therapist come to her home.
If you’re not able to help your mom in the ways she needs, don’t feel like a failure. Call a home care health agency and ask about the different services that help her with her recovery. They have the training you don’t, which can make a big difference for her.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering home health care in Madison, WI please contact the caring staff at Agape Senior Services Madison today. (608) 841-1004
