My mom (aged 70) had both knees replaced last summer. I went to help. She was in hospital for like 3 days before they transferred her to a nursing home. She had planned to come home. But her house has like 10 steps to front door and then like 13 up to her bedroom and shower. She really thought she'd be able to just come home and walk on in. Nope. So they had to scramble to get her in a skilled nursing home (wish we had pre planned and chosen a really good one because the one she went to was a tad bit of a nightmare). She was at nursing home for 2 weeks and not really doing much to get herself out of there and would have stayed longer. Though the first 5 days she cried and wanted out. But once we got her settled and able to use toilet (use walker to get to toilet as she hated using bed pan) then she was A-OK to stay and wouldn't push herself to walk or get herself showered or in PT. But I live 5 hours away and was staying at her house and needed to get her at home and settled so I could get back home. I was at nursing home twice a day to get her going (about 2-4 hours each time...would come in AM to get her dressed and walk with her...then come in PM to get her ready for bed...had to make sure she got meds and take off and put on her blood clot stockings and swap out ice packs). If in a good nursing home, though, you maybe wouldn't have to be there.
So I got her up and going and ordered her an electric reclining chair. Set that up in her living room and bought a potty seat with handle bars and set that up on the toilet. They sent her home with a walker and grabber and ice packs. I got her a basket tray thing for her walker so she could get stuff in kitchen and walk it to her chair. I stayed 2 more weeks with her at her house. I set up grocery delivery (like Giant Pea Pod) and showed her how to continue that. About 2 days before I left she managed to get herself up stairs to shower. SHe had PT coming to her house. I took her to a couple of her DR appts (for re checks).
I was there helping for about 5 weeks and then went home. SHe wasn't able to drive and do things herself until about 8 weeks. And still, it's been 13 months, she has trouble walking and getting around. Oh, and also had to find neighborhood boy she could pay to cut her grass (one tip to others would be to schedule knee replacement in the fall).
So if your mom has nursing home set up for the 2-3 weeks after, then you should be good. Or if she also has a husband or other care giver to be there. Some tips...do NOT do 2 knees at same time (if one then she'll have other to rely on as she recovers). Get ice machine for knee (my mom did not but we wish she had...we had to keep freezing and swapping out ice packs and once she got to nursing home they disappeared and the staff would NEVER ice her knees or give her pains meds in time but that's another story). Smart to lose weight prior (my mom is heavy and never should have had both done or even one knee done until she lost some weight). And have her take plenty of Ibuprofin (my mom couldn't as she has stomach ulcer so that has been the #1 problem as she had a lot of pain and didn't want to get moving). Get a handicap parking permit (at least a temporary one for when she's recovering). ANd make sure there is 1st floor living set up until about 10 weeks post op. Good luck!
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