Helping Your Elderly Loved One Safely Recover from a Hip Fracture

Did your elderly loved one recently fracture their hip? If so, they are going to have quite the recovery time. With this being said, after they go home from the hospital, they are going to need support. You can hire caregivers to help take care of them and their needs. They are also going to need a recovery plan. Their doctor likely sent them home with a plan to heal. Some of the following things may have been recommended by your elderly loved one’s doctor.  

Lifestyle Changes

Caregiver Long Prairie, MN: Hip Fractures

If your elderly loved one is recovering after a hip fracture, their doctor may want them to change around their lifestyle. They may need to eat healthier, exercise more often, rest when needed, get up and move around throughout the day to prevent severe stiffness, and some other lifestyle changes, as well. Depending on the extent of your elderly loved one’s injury, they may take days to months to recover. You can hire caregivers to watch over your elderly loved one to make sure they are making the lifestyle changes that were recommended.  

Attending Physical Therapy 

Many elderly adults need to attend physical therapy after they go home from the hospital following a hip fracture. This might be the case for your elderly loved one. If so, their doctor will likely tell them how often they need to be attending physical therapy. Generally, after a hip fracture, it is between 3 to 5 days a week. Physical therapy is going to help your elderly loved one get moving more. It is going to help their bones heal and their body get stronger. If you need someone to take your elderly loved one to physical therapy, you can hire caregivers to do this.  

Check-In with Family Members 

If you want to make sure your elderly loved one is recovering well from their hip fracture, you should have them do regular check-ins with their family members. For instance, you could call your elderly loved one on Tuesdays and Thursdays to ask how they are doing and if they need anything. If your elderly loved one has someone else in their life who can help, that person can check in with them, too. They could do it on different days than you are. This way your elderly loved one has people checking on them throughout the week to ensure they are following their recovery plan.  

Safety Proof Their House 

Before your elderly loved one comes home from the hospital following a hip fracture, someone should safety proof their house. A ramp may need to be put in. All rugs that your elderly loved one could slip on should be taken out of the home, as well. 

These are some of the things that your elderly loved one may need to do to safely recover from a hip fracture. Remember, the recovery times for this type of fracture can vary. However, if your elderly loved one is doing the things their doctor recommends, the recovery time could be quicker. 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering a Caregivre in Long Prairie, MN please contact the caring staff at Alternative Senior Care today. Providing Home Care in Central Minnesota and Surrounding Communities. Call us Today (320) 352-3350

Sources 

https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adulthipfx.html 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4610717/