Post op aftercare for hip / knee replacement

[Mascarponeandwine]

My 76yo DF was discharged 3 days after a hip replacement, with a grabber and crutches and a vague mention of a a follow up appointment in a months time. No care and no help. He lives on his own and has nobody overnight (though I’ve tried to help in the day but getting shopping in, but have 3 kids so it’s not like I can just decamp and look after him). Is this normal for the nhs? He told them he lives on his own and they said don’t worry you’ll manage. Worried he’ll fall and nobody will know for hours 🙁 is there anything I can do? Who could help us? No point phoning the gp as it’s the weekend. I’m not sleeping cos worrying about him so I’m less and less help in the day times.

When my mum had her hip replacement, they made sure she could get in and out of bed, up and down stairs, etc, before they sent her home. She also had a home visit from (I think) an OT before she had the op, to see if there would be any particular difficulties she would need help with, or any equipment they could supply.

Usual time in hospital after a hip replacement is up to a week, so they must think your dad is doing well to send him home after three days.

Can you get him one of those alarms to wear round his neck, so he can alert you if he needs help and can't get to the phone?

But he does need to be up and moving about, so you shouldn't let your worries discourage him from doing that.

A panic alarm. I would if I thought he’d wear it. He has a small bag to wear over his head/shoulder to keep his mobile in, every visit it’s lying on the lounge table 🙁

No home visit from OT. They got him to step up one step and down again and that was the deciding factor for him going home on his own.

Just had another thought - Isn’t a reablement team meant to step in?

3 days is the expected time to recover (medically). After a hip replacement you normal follow hip precautions.
Normally seen by OT and PT, and pre-assessed.
If you have concerns, ring the ward he was discharged from - they may have follow up clinics. If not, go to the gp, and ask for the intermediate care team.
They would have asked if he had any concerns, if he didn't report any, and was physically and medically ready to leave he will have been discharged. For any follow up/referrals you will need his consent to make them/discuss his care.

My mum was discharged with a set of exercises to do (which the physio had gone through with her in hospital), and then was given weekly follow up appointments with a physiotherapist, separate from her check ups with the surgical team. Has your dad been given the exercises? They are important to his rehab.

Sorry to be depressing but in my experience if it’s council reablement you have In mind they have waiting list and different criteria to the hospital OT. You will need to chase

The only concern he voiced was that he lives on his own and they just told him he’d manage 🙁. He’s not really doing much exercises as he’s tired and it hurts. I keep on at him to do them but I can’t force him and he doesn’t really listen to me.