Knee replacement tips?

[Bearpawk]

Hi all
Parent is soon to be having a full knee replacement age Late 70s.
Apart from the arthritis they are physically good for age - reasonably active/ not overweight etc. still drive, live independently. Mentally, a bit doddery though.

I live other end of the country but going to stay for the first 2 weeks then there are lots of friends and some family members nearby who are keen to help. Luckily they have a wetroom shower bathroom downstairs and a downstairs bedroom which I'll get set up for them (assuming they won't be up and down stairs for a while!).

I suppose I'm asking for any tips - I've no idea what the recovery will be like. Will they be able to shuffle around unaided after a week or so?

I'm thinking of booking a cleaner to visit weekly and setting up a weekly grocery delivery for them when I'm gone. I'll fill the freezer with home cooked pre-portioned meals for the microwave.

I had a full replacement a few years ago. They encourage you to mobilise almost straightaway. I spent a couple of days in hospital and wasn't allowed leave before demonstrating that I could go up a couple of steps.

I had to rest my knee a lot for the following couple of weeks as it was swollen and needed to be elevated but in between I was able to manage most things around the house which is just as well as I am a carer for my DH.

In fact the very next day after discharge I was climbing into an ambulance and then hanging around A&E with him for hours as he had come down with pneumonia. They gave him a choice of being admitted or stay at home being cared for by me. He chose to go home and we managed ok. We could have had some carers come in to help but it would have been more bother than it was worth

I think I got over the op quite quickly as I did not have a general anaesthetic. I was awake throughout and found the procedure quite interesting. I think it takes quite a long time for older people to get the anaesthetic out of their system and they can be confused for quite a long time afterwards.

I was back driving about a month afterwards. This was my right knee. I am now waiting to have the left one done and hope to be driving much sooner as I drive an automatic

I realise that I was very lucky last time as I didn't suffer any complications . There is quite a high risk of infection with knee ops and people's experiences can vary enormously.

Thank you @msbevvy that's really useful info and has put my mind at rest a little.
Your recovery sounds very swift, hope your next one is the same.

When you say "mentally a bit doddery". Is she going to remember, and be willing to do the Physio exercises?

Yes @SiouxsieSiouxStiletto I just mean compared to their physical health their mental isn't as impressive for their age but they'll be fine with that.

Get a CryoCuff to help with the swelling - hospital may be able to loan them one, or you can get them on eBay fairly cheaply. They're absolutely brilliant. It circulates ice cold water around a cuff around the knee, and you can have it on all day which you can't do with ice packs.

It's a major operation so they shouldn't rush themselves, but make sure they do the physio exercises they are set, even when it hurts - I can't stress this enough. Especially in the first two weeks, make sure they take their painkillers on a schedule - don't wait for the pain to get bad for taking them as then it's harder to get the pain down to a manageable level. Takes about 3 months to feel normal in my experience.

They'll need a lot of help in the first week but should be walking to bathroom etc with crutches or a frame from day one. Good luck and you sound like you have it in hand.

They should be fairly mobile very soon, the difficulty was carrying stuff eg between microwave and table so mine went into a home for first two weeks to make sure meals, laundry etc taken care of. Driving took six weeks, I think?

Keep on top of pain relief, and make sure they do the physio exercises. In fact, double check they will get access to a physio over the rehab period - some of the specialist hospitals that only do this type of op and bring patients in over a long distance then don't have the physio back up available. The exercises are painful and hard work but are the key to being mobile and getting plenty of functionality back.