How to Set Up a Recovery-Friendly Home After Surgery
After surgery, you’ll need to recover in a space that keeps you healthy and comfortable as you re-enter daily life. Before undergoing surgery, it’s wise to make some adjustments to your home to facilitate a smoother recovery. You’ll help the healing process and feel peace of mind when you head home from the hospital.
Keep reading to learn some smart tips to build a recovery-friendly home following surgery.
The Value of a Recovery-Friendly Living Space
When you’re discharged from the hospital, you may face some restrictions that last for days, weeks, or even longer. Maybe you’ll need to move slowly or with the help of another person or a walker. You may come home with crutches or a cane, too, if you’ve had surgery on your knee, hip, or ankle.
Particularly if you’d had surgery on your abdomen, bending or leaning may be off limits or just very challenging. And with some surgeries, you may face lifting restrictions to avoid straining sutures, increasing additional bleeding, or causing hernias. With all of these potential challenges, you’ll need to address your home’s layout to make everything more secure. That means removing area rugs that present tripping hazards and decluttering your main rooms. When your home feels more spacious, you’ll feel more comfortable moving around it.
Ultimately, each surgery will come with a different recovery timeline. Some may be quick, meaning that you can return to normal activities sooner rather than later. Rotator cuff repair and tonsillectomies, for instance, are among the surgeries with quicker recovery times. Spinal reconstruction surgery is more complex. But, thankfully, minimally invasive operations have helped speed up recovery times for patients.
Modify Your Bedroom
You may spend a lot of time resting following surgery. As a result, you’ll want a welcoming and comfortable bedroom after leaving your hospital bed. Make sure your bed height is conducive to standing or sitting with ease. A bed that’s too low may be hard to get into if you’re dealing with limited mobility or throbbing pain. Risers or mattress toppers can elevate your mattress to a more manageable height.
Additionally, plan on having a nightstand or cart with your essential items. Treat this piece of furniture as the central hub for your phone, water bottle, and medication. Keep a phone charger there, too, so you’re always able to communicate with people.
After days or weeks under intense hospital lights, you can graduate to softer, more pleasing lighting at home. Introduce lamps or tap lights where you can adjust the brilliance of the light source. Sometimes, softer lights can feel more soothing during your post-surgery recovery. Along the same lines, invest in some fresh bedsheets and pillow shams, plus a plush comforter, to make resting a more enjoyable experience.
Make Your Bathrooms Safer
Bathrooms can be challenging spaces to navigate when you’re dealing with physical limitations. After all, the floors can be slick, and you may be wary of standing for a shower. Fortunately, modifications can help make these vital spaces safer.
Foldable shower chairs, for example, allow you to sit while showering to avoid slipping. And because the chairs fold, you won’t need to feel like it’s in someone else’s way. You may want to install grab bars, too, near your shower or toilet for an extra layer of security. Steer clear of rugs that are prone to sliding, and consider alerting a friend or family member before you shower as a precautionary measure.
Upgrade Your Lighting Scenarios
Inevitably, you’ll need to use the bathroom at night or access the kitchen when it’s dark outside. In these situations, you’ll want to be sure you have plenty of light and an easy way to turn on the lights.
You can use app-controlled lights or voice-controlled ones to make turning lights on and off easier. That way, you won’t have to fumble through dark spaces trying to find a light switch. As another option, consider motion-sensor night lights. These will activate when you walk through a hallway or bathroom.
You won’t have to leave lights on constantly or take your chances walking in the dark. Under-bed lighting or light strips can be another subtle yet effective way to introduce more lighting into your living spaces. You’ll help reduce the risk of falls and keep your mind at ease.
Commit to Routine Tidying
Any space will benefit from regular cleaning, regardless of whether you’re recovering from surgery or not. But when you’re recovering, it’s especially important to make sure you’re removing clutter regularly. In fact, you may want to enlist a family member or caregiver to help with daily tidying. This can entail removing larger obstructions from hallways or common spaces. You’ll want to keep smaller items gathered in storage baskets or on shelves, as well.
Even if you live in a smaller home, you can build a recovery-friendly setup. Use wall hooks to create more floor space and buy an ottoman that doubles as a storage bin. Rolling carts and trays are other great solutions when you need to organize medications, books, or other recovery items.
Focus on Healing
You won’t recover from surgery overnight. That’s why you’ll need to be confident that you’re returning to a safe and inviting home. Maintain a clean layout and commit to regular tidying. Modify your bedroom and bathrooms, and introduce some additional lighting. With a few adjustments, you can transform your home into a space that allows you to heal while remaining independent.
