Every year, more than 300,000 adults over the age of 65 fracture a hip.
Many of these fractures are caused by a fall where the person lands on his or her side. Women are more likely to fracture a hip, and you’re learning this the hard way after your mom falls and breaks her hip.
Your first priority must be to get your mom to the hospital.
She’ll likely undergo surgery to repair the fracture with screws and/or plates or undergo a partial or total hip replacement. Regardless of the type of surgery she needs, home health care nurses are an important part of her recovery.
What to Expect as She Heals
The fracture determines the treatment. Often if the blood supply is impacted by the fracture, a partial or full hip replacement is necessary. Otherwise, she may just have screws and plates steadying the fracture while it heals.
The day after the surgery, your mom will start physical therapy to get her up and moving. The physical therapy sessions also help her build strength and improve her balance and motion. She will spend a few days in the hospital. After that, she goes home or to a nursing home to complete her recovery.
At-home recovery is almost always better. She’ll be more comfortable in a familiar setting. With home health care services to support her, she’ll be fine at home.
How Home Health Care Nurses Help Out
Your mom’s recovery at home continues with physical and occupational therapists who come to the home and work with her. She’ll continue to strengthen and use her hip during routine tasks like getting showered and dressed, standing up and sitting down, and walking around her house.
Home health care nurses will check her incision to make sure it’s clean and healing properly. If she has pain medications or an IV that needs attention, home care nurses help. If she has a catheter for any reason, catheter care is another task home care nurses help with.
She may need a walker for the first week or two and a cane after that. Make sure any furniture or clutter that could get in her way is cleared out.
If your mom is found to have osteoporosis, her doctor may advise that she works with a dietitian to make sure her diet is high in calcium and vitamin D. Home health care services can also include at-home visits from dietitians.
Talk to your mom’s medical team to see what her recovery will be like. As you better understand what she’ll need, reach out to a home health care specialist to make arrangements.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Birmingham, MI, or the surrounding area, please contact the caring staff at CareOne Senior Care today. Call us at (248) 308-2777.
