6 Tips to Take Care of Someone After a Surgery

Recovering from surgery is very challenging. The after-effects can take a toll on you, mentally and physically. But if you have to witness your loved one going through the same experience, helplessness may creep into you. But in reality, it is not entirely the case. You can help your loved one go through the emotional and physical struggles of recovery. 

The actual help you can lend depends on the specific type of surgery they went through. For instance, if your loved one went through a knee replacement, they will likely need help with movement. Similarly, if it was a C-section, they may be entirely at your mercy for movement, walking, eating, and feeding their baby. If your loved one recently went through a surgical treatment, here is what you can do to help with recovery.  

1. Hire a nurse for complete care

Some people have the resources to ask for the help of professionals. For instance, they can hire qualified nurses. If the patient is elderly, nurses can help them in other aspects of their life, such as bathing, changing clothes, eating, walking, etc. 

When hiring a nurse, ensure their qualification an assisted living placement agency could be a really great help for this. The more qualified a nurse is, the better care services they can offer. A bachelor's degree is the threshold criteria for considering a nurse qualified for this job. Finding a suitable bachelor's nurse is not difficult these days. 

Most patients have become conscious of the qualifications of their caregivers. Therefore, hospitals require their nurses to have a bachelor's degree and encourage them to earn BSN degree online while working simultaneously. So, it is improbable that you will not find a suitable candidate. Connect with the hospital's management and discuss your decision to hire a full-time caregiver. They will connect you to the most suitable candidate. 

2. Make a schedule

Some people prefer to take care of their loved ones themselves. But, taking care of a loved one after surgery is a team sport, so you cannot do it alone. If you are blessed enough to have an extended family, things can become easy. 

If your loved one needs a few days of hospital stay after the surgery, you can divide the days of the week among the people willing to care for the patient. For instance, parents can stay through the weekdays; spouses can take a shift on the weekends when the work is off; lastly, the friends and family can drop by and spend some time. 

Before the planned time of the surgery, you can inform everyone about their responsibilities. You also have to ensure help for other tasks in the house, such as dropping kids to school, doing laundry, and helping kids with the homework. As for the patient, make sure to prudently design the help schedule so that the patient is never alone and gets the help whenever needed. 

3. Be the strong pillar they want to lean on 

Surgery is a critical time. Therefore, your loved ones need someone to give them strength and hope for better days. Be that pillar for them! Tell them that you are there to help. At the same time, prepare yourself mentally for the ensuing days and your expected duties. They will most likely look at you for making decisions and help. 

You may have to face the stress and withdrawal symptoms displayed by the patient too. While it is common to exhibit such symptoms, it is not easy to manage such patients. They may seem irritated, angry, or even cry often. Therefore, be prepared! Your anticipation can help you to develop an outlook on their recovery. 

4. Keep in contact with the doctor

Even if your patient is already home, you cannot stop being in contact with the doctor about important matters. Ask them many questions such as time for follow-up appointments, frequency of meetings, dose requirements, preventive measures, etc. You should discuss the diet requirement of your loved one and any special therapy or palliative treatment requirements. 

The more frequently you contact the doctor, the less ambiguity you will feel. You will also be more confident about the help you are lending. Moreover, the recovery period also goes much more smoothly without unnecessary glitches. 

5. Maintain good communication with your loved one

It is likely for the patient to be emotionally vulnerable in the aftermath of critical surgery. And why not! They have been through a very uncertain and challenging time. Therefore, your loved one needs your emotional help—coupled with the physical and material help you are already bequeathing. So talk to your loved ones, be open to them, and discuss their situation. There is no need to discuss every minute and stressful detail; at the same time, there is no point in hiding everything either. A balanced communication is healthy for your loved one to be prepared. You can talk to them about the medication requirements, the diet they need to take, and what therapies can improve their condition. 

At the same time, be a good listener too.  They went through surgery, but they still have their opinion. Respect their preferences about many aspects of their treatment. The more you ask their opinion, the more empowered they will feel, which is good for their recovery. 

6. Don’t neglect your health

While helping your loved one, you have many responsibilities to fulfill. You might be the driver, cook, and cleaner on top of being a caregiver. All these activities can be mentally and physically draining. The secret to fulfilling all these duties lies in taking care of your own health. 

It is unwise to neglect your health and well-being at the cost of helping your loved one. Because, in the end, you both will be unfit to care for each other. So, if you want to help your loved one recover, help yourself first. Make sure about the following: 

• Have a sufficient sleep at night or take a nap during the day to make for the missed sleep
• Take out time to have your meals and engage in physical exercise (to strengthen your muscles)
• Keep in touch with friends and talk to them frequently
• Recognize when you need outside help, such as that of a nurse
• Don’t overdo to drain yourself

Conclusion

Caring for your loved one is satisfying and fulfilling, but it is taxing and tiring too. It requires you to work on various fronts simultaneously, which is naturally overwhelming. But if you plan it systematically and ask for additional help, the whole process can be much smoother. It can also lead to faster recovery of your loved one.