Helping Your Loved One Recover from Eye Surgery
Even if the surgery is somewhat routine and the recovery time is short, if your elderly loved one is scheduled to have some eye surgery in the future, helping him plan for his recovery time is a great way to help him feel more comfortable about his upcoming surgery. Arranging for a home care assistance provider would be helpful for both pre- and post-surgery timing.
For many people who need a scheduled surgery, their biggest fear doesn’t lie in the procedure itself, but is more embedded in fears about how they’ll manage the recovery time – will it be painful, how will they get things done, are there complications they need to worry about? It’s often these anxieties that prevent someone from having a necessary eye surgery that could, in the long run, make their lives better. Sitting down with your elderly loved one and talking about how you’ll help him manage his aftercare can be the first step in convincing him to have the procedure done.
Five Steps to Preparing for Eye Surgery
Whether it’s cataract surgery, LASIK surgery, or something else related to his sight, planning for these five areas can help your loved one feel more confident as he goes into surgery.
Attend the pre-surgery appointments with him. Ask your loved one if you can come with them. Oftentimes, anxiety and fear make it more difficult to hear all that the doctor has to say or to understand it. A second pair of ears can make sure you both know what to fully expect after surgery.
Plan for his trip home. Many eye surgeries are same-day surgeries, where your loved one may be returning home shortly after the surgery without a hospital stay. Make sure you have a safe and secure way for him to get home. A cab is often not an option because he’ll need help getting to his door and inside his home, and situated. A family member, friend, or home care assistance provider is a better choice.
Have his recovery areas set up before he gets home. Make sure he has what he needs nearby as he recovers so that he can comfortably settle in. If he needs prescriptions, have those picked up and ready for him when he gets home.
Plan for how his daily chores will be taken care of during his recovery. It can help to have friends and family step in and help, but sometimes it isn’t logistical. A home care assistance team that can make daily visits is a reliable and safe source of help that will help your loved one with chores he cannot do immediately after surgery. His home care assistance team may help with any activities his doctor has recommended that he stay away from. These often include lifting objects or strenuous activities like vacuuming or walking the dog (especially an active dog).
Plan for entertainment. Your loved one’s ability to do some things that he normally loves for entertainment, like watching TV, reading a book, or working on puzzles, may be sidelined for a bit. Help him find new ways to spend his days while his vision is recovering. Audio books are great, as well as having plenty of visitors come and shoot the breeze with him. Recovery can feel like it’s going much more quickly if he has plenty to keep him busy.
Before you and your loved one know it, he’ll be feeling the positive improvements from his surgery and seeing life in a much better light.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Assistance Services in the Belton, MO area, please contact the caring staff at Elder Care of Kansas City today.
Proudly serving Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in Missouri, as well as Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas for over 30 years. Call us at 816-333-3322.
Prior to purchasing Elder Care, Kevin spent over 20 years in the health insurance industry.In his most recent position, he was in a financial operations role with Humana where he worked with doctors, nurses and other health professionals developing programs to keep Humana members healthy.Their focus on primary care and medication adherence improved the lives of thousands of seniors in Kansas City and the surrounding area.
Kevin and his wife, Lori, have three children.Kevin has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.
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