Making a full recovery from joint replacement surgery can be a slow process, and during this time it can be helpful to have the support of a spouse or child who lives with you. However, for many older Americans who are considering knee or joint replacement, they live by themselves. Joint replacement should help you maintain this independence and an elevated quality of life, but the recovery process can be a bit more challenging if you’re doing it on your own. In today’s blog, we share five tips for recovering after joint replacement surgery if you live alone.
Recovering On Your Own After Joint Replacement Surgery
Nobody is going to be able to do your physical therapy exercises for you, so in that aspect, you’re going to be on your own when it comes to your recovery exercises. That said, it’s oftentimes helpful to have assistance with other daily tasks like cooking or cleaning while you’re recovering from surgery. Here’s our advice on how to thrive during your recovery if you live alone.
- Meal Prep – Instead of waiting until after surgery to start thinking about your food situation, take some time in the days before your operation to do some food prep. Creating some healthy and easy to reheat meals so that you can have a lunch or dinner option in a couple of minutes without all the hassle of cooking from scratch. Instead of relying on unhealthy takeout or delivery, prepare some healthy options that you can freeze in the days before your operation.
- Cleaning Service – Consider hiring a cleaning service to come in and help with certain tasks during the initial stages of your rehab. If you live by yourself, your house probably doesn’t get all that messy, but it can still be helpful to have some assistance with some cleaning tasks when movement may be difficult. We also recommend doing some cleaning the day before your operation. If the house is clean and the laundry is done, you’ll be able to put off some chores until you’re a little more progressed in your recovery.
- Connect With Friends – Of course you can also reach out to family or friends for help or assistance, but even if you don’t need anything specific from them, it can still be beneficial to your mental health to reach out and connect with those close to you during your recovery. If you live alone, you may sometimes grapple with feelings of loneliness, and those feelings can become amplified if you are physically limited and unable to participate in some of your normal daily activities. Simply having a 15-minute phone call or having a friend stop over for dinner can make a world of difference for your mental health, and that can make a major difference during your recovery.
- Plan Rides Early In Advance – You’ll also find it helpful to organize rides early in advance. If you know that you need to get to a follow up appointment or have to stop at the bank, try to organize rides with a friend or family member well in advance. Most close friends would be more than happy to help out, and giving them more time to adjust their schedule will be appreciated. You’d likely give a ride to someone in your shoes, so don’t feel like a burden by asking for a ride from others. Just make things easier on them by asking far enough in advance that they can better plan their day.
- Prepare Your Home Base – Finally, before surgery, take time to set up your “home base.” Whether that will be in your bedroom or the living room, make sure that you have things that you’ll need nearby so that they aren’t far from arm’s reach. Consider having plenty of pillows, blankets, your laptop, a phone charger, a large water bottle, your books and any other entertainment options right in this home base area so that you don’t need to cross the house or get on the floor to grab something after surgery. Set this up ahead of time so that you can easily access the area once you’ve returned home after surgery.
Keep these tips in mind, and reach out to a specialist like Dr. Botero if you have questions or concerns about a new knee or hip issue. For more information, give Dr. Botero’s office a call today at (865) 558-4444.
