Health & Wellness Monday

Preparing Your Home and Care Team Before Surgery

If you or someone you love is scheduled for surgery, preparing for the procedure is only one part of the journey.

You also need to prepare for what happens after the patient comes home.

Before discharge, ask the hospital care team for clear written instructions. Do not be afraid to ask questions or have someone take notes. You need to understand:

What help will be needed at home
What activities are allowed or restricted
How medications should be taken
How to care for the incision or surgical area
What symptoms are expected
What warning signs require a call to the surgical team
Who to contact after hours
Whether home health, physical therapy, or occupational therapy will be ordered
When the follow-up appointment will take place

Whenever possible, start preparing your home before surgery. You may not have the strength, mobility, or energy to organize things after you return.

Where Will You Heal?

Think about where you will spend most of your recovery time.

Will you be in:

Your bedroom
The living room
A den or family room
Another comfortable area of the home

Consider where that space is located. Are there stairs? Is a bathroom nearby? Is there a clear path for a walker, cane, wheelchair, or other mobility equipment?

Remove loose rugs, boxes, electrical cords, and anything else that could become a tripping hazard. Make sure the path to the bathroom is well lit, especially at night.

Your healing area may need:

A comfortable bed or supportive chair
A table for medications, water, tissues, and personal items
A phone and charger within reach
Easy access to an electrical outlet without cords crossing the walkway
A walker, cane, raised toilet seat, shower chair, or other recommended equipment
Wound-care and personal-care supplies
Comfortable clothing that is easy to put on
Extra pillows or positioning supports approved by your care team
A trash container
A written medication schedule
Emergency and medical phone numbers

Do not wait until the day of discharge to discover that an important piece of equipment is missing.

Who Is on Your Home Care Team?

Identify the people who will help you before surgery takes place.

Ask yourself:

Does your support person live with you?
Will someone need to come into your home?
Who will bring you home from the hospital?
Who will help with meals, laundry, pets, trash, or errands?
Who can pick up prescriptions?
Who can take you to follow-up appointments?
Who will be available if you need help during the night?
What specific tasks will each person handle?

Do not simply assume that someone will help. Talk with them directly. Make sure they understand what you may need and ask whether they are willing and available.

Your care team may also include:

Home-health nurses
Physical or occupational therapists
Professional caregivers
Family members
Friends, neighbors, or members of your faith community
Meal or grocery-delivery services

If you may need ongoing assistance, contact your insurance plan, hospital social worker, or local aging and disability office. Depending on eligibility and where you live, Medicaid or other state-funded programs may offer caregiver services or programs that train and pay qualifying family members. These programs vary, so begin asking questions early.

Prepare Your Food

Ask whether you will have any dietary restrictions after surgery.

Before the procedure, consider preparing or purchasing:

Easy-to-heat meals
Protein-rich foods to support healing
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Simple breakfast foods
Healthy snacks
Plenty of water
Foods that support bowel regularity, especially if pain medication may cause constipation

Place commonly used items where they can be reached without bending, stretching, or climbing.

Preparation Is Part of Healing

Scheduled surgery gives you something emergency surgery does not: time to prepare.

Use that time wisely.

You may not be able to anticipate every need, but the more you arrange ahead of time, the less you and your loved ones will have to figure out while you are tired, uncomfortable, and trying to heal.

Prepare the space.

Prepare the supplies.

Prepare the meals.

Prepare the care team.

Ask the questions before you go home.

Your recovery does not begin after you walk through your front door.

It begins with the preparation you make before surgery. 🌻

Lady Flava Wellness 🌻