After Fall Recovery: Home Health Care Jericho NY
Your dad fell on the stairs from his deck to his backyard. He broke two ankle bones in the process. His medical team says he needs surgery and he’s going to be on crutches and had to have the bones set with pins and a plate. His surgeon says his recovery is going to take several months, but home health care can help ensure it will be safe and comfortable.
Pain Management
In the hospital, your dad was given IV medications for the pain. When he gets home, he may have prescription pain medications for a day or two. Home health care nurses can administer prescription medications.
He’ll shift to acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Often, those doses are two hours apart and that can be hard for your dad to remember, especially if he’s catching up on sleep. His nurses will remind him when it’s time for his next dose. As his ankle heals and the pain diminishes, he’ll rely on these pain medications less.
Physical Therapy
There are three key reasons to arrange physical therapy as soon as possible. First, your dad will need to learn to walk on crutches for an extended period. He may require a cane after that. His physical therapist can help him.
Second, he’s going to need to slowly rebuild the range of motion in his pinned ankle. He’ll have exercises to learn that strengthen the muscles, ligaments, and ankle joint. A physical therapist helps with this.
Third, something caused him to fall, and balance issues often play a role in this. Physical therapy can help him build strength and stamina and improve his balance. Keeping him from falling again is important.
After an ankle fracture, your dad cannot drive. He may be housebound for a bit, but physical therapists can come to him until he’s driving again.
Incision Care
Your dad may not be able to reach his ankle to check the healing incisions. His nurse can check the incision, change bandages as needed, and make sure there are no signs of infection. If there are concerns, his nurse consults with his surgeon and determines the next course of action.
Your dad may need an IV of antibiotics to treat the infection. Instead of having to go back to the hospital, the nurse can set up the IV in his home and make sure he has the antibiotics he needs.
Health Monitoring
If your dad has other health issues that impact his recovery, such as high blood pressure or an immunodeficiency disorder that impacts how quickly his body heals. His nurse can monitor his health and make sure that they’re managed to aid in a better ankle recovery.
Call a home health care agency to learn more about the benefits of home health care nurses during your dad’s recovery. He can have nurses help him with physical therapy exercises, medications, and incision care. His recovery will go smoothly, which gets him back on his feet.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Health Care in Jericho, NY please contact the caring staff at Brookville Homecare today. 516-802-7722