Lumbar spinal fusion is a type of back surgery often performed on those who suffer from degenerative disc disease or severe arthritis of the spine. With this type of procedure, two or more bones of the back are fused to prevent movement between them. By preventing movement, it reduces the pain caused by that movement. The recovery time from this form of surgery can last from 4-6 weeks for most to even return to light activity and up to a year for a full recovery, so having a care plan, including in-home rehabilitation services set up for your elderly loved one is important to prepare for his recovery.
Preparing For Your Loved One’s Recovery
Your loved one will feel sore and stiff immediately after the surgery and may struggle to sit or stand in one position for more than a short period. This can make getting anything done around the home nearly impossible and may need round-the-clock care, to begin with. You will need to decide if your loved one will come and stay with you as he recovers if someone will stay with him, or if you’ll hire someone to care for him such as a home care provider.
Key Areas to Focus on During Recovery
Diet: Your loved one will not have any dietary restrictions, but eating a healthy diet that promotes a strong immune system and provides needed nutrients for strength and stamina will help his recovery. With a lack of physical movement at the beginning stages of recovery, your loved one might need to add more fiber to his diet to help with bowel movements. Drinking plenty of fluids will help with that as well as promote better blood flow.
Exercise: Your loved one will need to avoid any strenuous type of exercise while recovering, such as strenuous household or lawncare chores. He will also need to avoid lifting any heavy objects, including grandchildren, his cat, or a basket of laundry. Having someone visit weekly for chores that involve lifting like laundry, garbage removal, or filling and emptying litter boxes should be planned.
Some physical activity is important to recovery, so your loved one should be encouraged to walk a bit each day, practice his back exercises recommended by the doctor, and change his position often.
You might consider having an in-home rehabilitation professional come to the home to help your loved one with his back exercises. For many recovering from back surgery, even a 30-minute car ride can become quite uncomfortable so having someone who can provide in-home rehabilitation can bring relief from not having to travel. An individual trained in in-home rehabilitation can also ensure your loved one understands the exercises he’s supposed to do, does them properly, and stops before he overdoes them.
Medication Management: Your loved one will be prescribed some pain medication to help him recover. Make sure he shares with his doctor any other medications he may be taking for other conditions so that he can learn which medications to take and when to take them. His pain medications may have different instructions than other medications (such as one needs to be taken with food and the other on an empty stomach). Understanding how and when to take his medications will ensure he gets the most benefit from them without other side effects.
The recovery may seem long but will be worth the reduction in pain that your loved one has been living with.
If you or an aging loved one are considering In-Home Rehabilitation Services in Great Neck NY, please contact the caring staff at Star Multi Care today. Call (631) 424-7827
Star Multi Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Long Island and in NYC including Dix Hills, Floral Park, Great Neck, Huntington, Manhasset, Massapequa, Northport, Plainview, Rockville Center, Stonybrook, Suffolk County, Nassau County, and Queens County.
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