Anyone known about post knee replacement recuperation/top tips?

[ChristmasMouseInHouse]

My FIL (80) is due to have a knee replacement in a few weeks. MIL died last year so he is living alone now with no family close by (nearest is an hour away).

Can anyone tell me about recuperation afterwards and what we and he can expect? In particular, is he likely to be able to cope by himself, or do you think he would be best to have some care put in place for the first few weeks?

He is usually quite mobile but there are no hand rails or anything in the house so no way to pull himself up after the loo and he has a bath and not a separate shower so wondering how he is going to cope with washing himself.

Thankfully he lives in a bungalow so no stairs!

Any top tips most welcome!

my best tip is for him to see a physio and do exercises before the operation.
and the physio straight after as well.
might need to go private but that's absolutely worth it!

My late mum had hers done. I stayed with her the first night, out of hospital but she was okay after that. Liquid morphine for a few days. Regular visits from nurses and physios. She walked a lot and up and down stairs and that really helped with her recovery.

@purplesequins

my best tip is for him to see a physio and do exercises before the operation. and the physio straight after as well. might need to go private but that's absolutely worth it!

Thanks. I know he has had physio pre op but it's all been on zoom so not sure how useful it has been as obviously nobody is there to manipulate the leg etc.

@Purpleavocado

My late mum had hers done. I stayed with her the first night, out of hospital but she was okay after that. Liquid morphine for a few days. Regular visits from nurses and physios. She walked a lot and up and down stairs and that really helped with her recovery.

Thanks Purpleavocado. Do you know if the hospital arranged for the nurses and physios to go on, or did you need to arrange that side of things?

I know when FIL had his done he was in a LOT of pain afterwards. So much so that he was originally meant to have his other knee done but decided against it - and FIL was not one to make a fuss normally.
He will need an occupational therapy assessment for equipment to help him eg a frame to fit around the toilet or a raised toilet seat, raisers for chair legs if he doesn't have a suitable armchair that he can get in/out of, a wheeled zimmer with a tray on if he's on crutches so he can carry things around the house, a perching stool for the kitchen if he can't stand for long to prep food. These are all things my DM had when she had her hip replacement. They might also send him to a rehab unit for a few days after he's discharged from hospital unless he's got someone to live with him or they might just put in a temporary care package of say 3 x visits a day for maximum 6 weeks.
You need to make sure he is properly assessed and everything is in place before he's discharged from hospital.

Thanks @bigbluebus. FIL is due to have both knees done too so really interested to hear that your FIL decided against having the other one done. Was the OT assessment arranged through the hospital or did he have to request one?

It should be part of the discharge process (assuming NHS - don't know how it works in private). Of course lots of things are done differently now due to Covid (my experience is pre Covid and OT did home visits to assess before discharge). You also need to make sure Fil isn't likely to tell them it's all fine because XY &Z will be there to do everything if that's not going to be the case!

My DH had his done and post op rehab/physio is really important, pay for it if you can as the NHS really can’t provide as much as is ideally needed.

DH also decided against having his other knee dont due to pain and length of recovery.