Care package and support for hip replacement

[anxiouslyanxious]

My mother is 72 and will be having a hip replacement within the next few weeks (she's just had her pre op and was told it will be before Christmas).
She has already had a knee replacement and at the time I had just been made redundant so used the free time to travel 80+ miles to stay with her and care for her, while my dad worked. Unfortunately I cannot do that this time, but she has my father, now retired, there and he drives and cooks and will look after her very well. So I want to put together a care package type thing but I'm unsure what would be useful as I don't know if occupational therapy will provide her with some bits. Any advise would be greatly appreciated

I have just had a hip replacement and the ladies on the ward who had knee replacement operations seemed to have a much longer recovery, so your Mum might be pleasantly surprised!
I was discharged with crutches and raised toilet seats for use at home but I bought a long handled grabber which I found really helpful, it's like a litter picker, I think it's called a helping hand?
I also have some bio oil gel for the scar which has been great.
I hope your Mum's operation is a great success.

Thank you, that is helpful. She would be over the moon if the hip is easier than the knee as she really struggled. I hope you have a speedy recovery 💐

It's a much simpler operation than a knee, I am practically skipping around like a spring lamb just a few weeks later, it's been truly life changing for me. I hope your Mum has a similar experience

My DP had one. It is important not to bend it too much at first as it is at risk of dislocation. We had grabbers and also raised the height of an armchair and our bed so that he could sit down safely. I used to put his socks and shoes on for him for a couple of weeks. His recovery was pretty quick though.

My mum had one on Saturday and was sent home with crutches. We already had raised toilet seats for my Dad. Paracetamol and an ice pack will be her friend but I'm surprised how mobile my mum is a week on. She will need to keep moving but not too much if that makes sense!

Providing it all goes well, they will have her up the next day walking around. She should then be discharged in a few days.

Hip replacement patients are generally discharged with the same equipment! Anything that is too low (armchair, toilet seat, etc) will need to be raised plus she'll probably have some sort of frame or stick. She'll also be given instructions for what she should and shouldn't do in terms of bending that joint and physio exercises. It's very very important for her to do the exercises and will help her long term to strengthen the muscles around that joint. I think the general advice is to try and keep moving (within reason).

On the ward, the physios will advise on frames, sticks, exercises and movements. Occupational therapists will advise on raising armchairs and toilet frames.

Hip replacements are so common now. She'll be fine.

Make sure her bed, chair and toilet are a couple of inches higher than the measurement from floor to back of knee. Normally she should get a call in advance to check these heights and order any equipment pre- op. She will find a grabber and maybe long handled show horn useful for getting dressed and if she lived alone, a gismo for putting socks and tights on its useful but your dad can do that for a while for her.
Get her to practise with the grabber putting knickers over get without bending, then she will be an expert before her surgery.
If she had your dad she will be fine and at that age should not need more than a few days in hospital.

All the above advice but also check from the staff that her BP ok on discharge.

yes she will be so pleased when she is walking the same day with no pain - yes the scar might be a bit sore but nothing too much. she will be fine and walking on her own in a few weeks

OP my DM had a hip op 4 weeks ago. They hospital sent her home once she could do stairs, after 3 nights.

I'm nearby and the only help she has needed has been a few nights sleeping over to make sure she feels confident to get up and pee in the night.

She needs me to change her pressure stockings when she has a shower.

I'm doing her food shopping and keeping her chatting each day and getting her loads of books to read. Because she's bored.

She did need lots of hugs and there have been some tears. But she's doing amazingly well and keeping up with all her physio.

So, i'd say a cleaner once a week would be great, help with the pressure socks and cooking and housework - they can't bend at the hip more than 90 degrees initially.

It's a 3 month recovery time. So lots of love, encouragement and reminding her how much better she will feel.

Good luck to your mumma! ❤️

@LINDAHOAD and @GreenVelvetCushions given the mum in question is nearly 12 months post op I hope she is now well on the way to recovery