If you live alone...Go to In Patient Rehab or Recovery Home Alone?

[Michegon]

@Zebra Hi , In my instance i could have done a call service and i would have been ok. I did not have stairs or any problems with rain,inclines, ect. I felt so much better getting in my home with everything set up for me. If you have a Buddy or Girl , i got a ride and called them when i was ready, so easy. ps just get the walker, that's all you will need.

 

[bottomshollow]

@Zebra, You must pass certain PT test to be allowed to be discharged to go home. You could call a taxi or other transportation for hire to pick you up at the hospital and take you home.

I did have family that took me home. At home I had my semi-invalid hubby and two cats. We were snowed in the first week---I managed to take care of me and hubby and the cats. I had lots of microwave meals, soup, and sandwich fixings, so very little cooking was needed. I fed the cats on the kitchen bar so I didn't have to lean over.

I used a walker for six weeks with only 20% weight bearing, have a great electric lift recliner that I lived in most of the time for the first four weeks, and had a handicap toilet in the bathroom off the bedroom which was high enough for me as I am quite short.

Although my hubby was with me, I was the one taking care of me and him. So it can be done. I didn't have any other family come by for 3 weeks and then they only came to visit. So it can be done on your own.

Also if your OS orders in home PT for you after you go home, you will have a nurse come by to evaluate you and a PT who will usually come by for an hour twice a week for about 6 weeks. And you can usually call for the nurse to come by if you feel the need.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/alternative-pain-medications-for-those-with-liver-issues.16138/
Hope this helps. Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Poppet]

I had my hubby with me for the first six weeks, but I was fairly independent after two weeks - in fact I think he had more naps than I did - keep coming back to BoneSmart we will be here to help you

 

[zauberflöte]

@Zebra , @Poppet is soooo right- keep coming back here!

My insurance didn't cover home health! I was very very fortunate to have hubby working from home my first week, but 9 days post op he left town for a couple of days and I was fine. The cats thought it great fun to eat on the dining room table!

For me, rehab would have done little but make me lonesome for the comforts of home. Resting, icing, and little walks are great rehab!


My phone sent this using BoneSmart Forum, clever phone!

 

[PuppyLove]

@Zebra I went home after posterior approach. I had family to help, but I am very independent and try to do everything myself. I had everything planned out in advance- set up my recovery station next to the power recliner with power strip, basket of supplies (tissues, wet wipes, Chapstick, phone and charger, etc). Same next to my bed. I also had a basket to carry things attached to walker. I would recommend a walker tray ( this one is on Walgreens websitehttps://www.walgreens.com/store/bro...u6080534&id=prod6088866&vpd=true&overlay=true) as carrying food to the recliner or table was difficult. My hubby took off the day I came home, but I sent him back to work after that. I had a teenage son home with me half days. He got ice bags, etc for me but I could have done it if I had to. I did showers with a stool without assistance (long handled scrubbers and long handled grabbers were necessary). I even did laundry after the first week with a chair and grabber. We have a doggy door, so dogs were covered.

I guess it depends on how well you're doing when you leave the hospital, but if you're ultra-prepared it is doable.

 

[PhatTxDiva]

Hi Zebra,
I'm in the same position. I don't have any family here so I plan on just hiring help as needed. I am not allowed to go to in-patient rehab because I'm only getting one hip done. The only place I would be able to go to is a nursing home which my doc does not recommend.

I actually have my Recovery Planning Class tomorrow. I'm anxious to see what advice I will receive.

One thing that is bothering me though, is their requirement that somebody accompany me on the morning of the surgery. They won't tell me why, just that it is a hospitable requirement. I am puzzling over how to find someone, even for hire, to go with me to a 6am appointment. They haven't told me yet whether that person has to wait until the procedure is done.

The advice here seems solid and thorough and everyone is so helpful. However, if I do happen to learn something new tomorrow, I will certainly share.

 

[Zebra]

@PhatTxDiva , not that this is any solace, but most Acute In Patient Rehab centers require you to do 3 hours of intensive physical therapy every day. Not sure that you would want to do that recovering from hip surgery anyway.

What is your doctor's objection to the rehab wing of a nursing home? Does he think it's not safe?

That seems like my only option at this point. Only other option is maybe hiring a home health care aide to
be at my house all day. Not sure if the hospital will release me to my own house if I am completely alone.

Any ideas of where to hire help? Besides visiting nurse services?

I was told that requirement you mentioned about someone needing to accompany me to the hospital by my local community hospital. They also couldn't state a reason why.

Not sure the hospital where I am now going has any stipulation like that. I actually have somebody to bring me to the hospital that is the only piece I have. I don't have anyone to pick me up and bring me home though. My tentative plan was to go to Rehab. When I found out all that ins. would pay for was nursing home, I was a little leery of that too. Mostly concerned about quality of care, food, staff, etc.

Still trying to figure out the recovery piece. Pretty sure the hospital won't just let me get a car service and go home alone though. Doubt it. On all those pain meds, would probably need to be accompanied by a "responsible adult." It is a dilemma.

 

[newLifeX2]

Hey @Zebra, I found this:
https://www.hss.edu/case-management-discharge-planning.asp#.U_QcVMnD_qA

Have you spoken to a case manager yet?

 

[PhatTxDiva]

Hi there @Zebra, regarding the nursing home, my doc just doesn't believe I would be comfortable or would need that amount of help. I admire his confidence in me! LOL He didn't make implications regarding safety.

I just Googled to find local home health companies. I found one that had reasonable quotes with varying levels of service that could be customized, but when I tried to check up on them last week their web site was down. It's still down right now. It does not bode well.

I hope to get more leads on home health aides tomorrow in class. Supposedly there is a social worker/discharge planning department at this hospital. I am smack dab in the middle of the Texas Medical Center so I can't imagine not being able to find someone, even if just a nursing student wanting some extra cash. From what I've been reading here, I should only need someone "hands on" for the first 2 weeks or so.

I don't know what type of transportation they will require upon discharge. Guess I need to ask that tomorrow as well. I'll compare notes tomorrow.

 

[toohip]

@Zebra - I've been talking to my friends and family (it's amazing how many of my friends know other people who've been through this) and most of the men that have been through this some as recently as four weeks ago have stayed in nursing/rehab places for about 1-2 weeks after surgery. 4 out of 4 so far have stayed at least a week in nursing/rehab units...out of the 4, 3 are married and 1 is widowed...and 3 are in NY/NJ and 1 is down south...so it's not uncommon to go into a nursing/rehab place...they all had the most positive things to say about the places all were different places. I don't know though if they made the arrangements beforehand or during their hospital stay...i know one did have the plan to stay in nursing facility for about 2 weeks ahead of time because he didn't have anyone at home (widowed), but then had an adult child caring for him for about a week or two when he got home.

 

[Knitter4444]

I was in rehab for 3 weeks, for one hip.. only 2 weeks for BTKR but had also had thumb joint replacements recently so I didn't have full use of my hands. Medicare (US) and secondary paid the entire bill including ambulance (non emergency) transport to rehab.

 

[Zebra]

@Knitter4444 , did you go to an "acute" ortho rehab or the rehab wing of a nursing home? What was your experience like with the staff, food, PT? Did you check out these places in advance or the hospital selected them?

 

[Zebra]

3 are in NY/NJ and 1 is down south...so it's not uncommon to go into a nursing/rehab place...they all had the most positive things to say about the places all were different places.

@toohip, did they mention any specific places in NY/NJ I can check out? I've been trying to research sub-acute nursing homes with rehab and there is very little objective info. The actual "acute" ones like Burke, Kessler, are easy they are top notch, but ins. won't admit with only one hip, according to those FAQs.

 

[Knitter4444]

I think I has unusual experiences. I stayed first time in what was known as the Hyatt VI.. in the acute rehab section. The food was wonderful.. Steak.. Perrier water.. I kid you not. Staff wonderful very high end.
The second time.. As the Vi didnt have room I stayed at the other high end rehab facility. They cooked what I wanted.. There was no way you could lose wright. They were constantly bringing food and snacks. Staff was often the same as at the Hyatt. Some worked both places.
It costs over $1 million to buy into these places as a resident. I am not rich at all. But I wasnt buying.
I have moved to OR but will have my other hip done in CA because of the surgeon and rehab.
There are tricks for getting into rehab and also not leaving when they think you need to. The most important is letting your dr know that you are alone and/or have absolutely no help. But this needs to be discussed at every
Disclosure. These places were in Silicon Valley where we have Apple, Facebook, Google,Yahoo, LinkedIn and more. These companies drive the economy up hence my very opulent stays. I think the VI is in other locations,around the country. I remember Jamie asking about it after I posted about my experiences which I found out were unusual.

 

[toohip]

Hi @Zebra - There is one in Glen Cove (it's big and well known), I'm not sure of the name, I can't ask him, he's an acquaintance so don't have contact info right now. and the other one used one in Staten Island (it was either Lutheran or Catholic rehab/nursing), I'll try and ask them for the name. I am not sure about the 3rd, i'll ask my friend to ask them where they stayed (it might have been western LI or queens area) since they live in that area.

 

[Zebra]

Hi @toohip, that's OK. I live in New Jersey. I thought you might have one in NJ or Rockland County north of the border. Long Island is way out of my area. Thanks so much for your help though.

 

[Zebra]

OK so I just visited the "sub acute" rehab wing of a local nursing home. OMG. They don't even have ice or ice packs in the rehab gymn, which is about the size of my living room. No way in the room.

Only 30 beds are rehab designated out of the 200 long term care beds available, so obviously "rehab" not a big priority.

For single hips, insurance is only paying for "sub acute" nursing homes, so this is what you get. Since I live alone, and can't do stairs with my "better leg" which has advanced OA, this is where I might wind up!

I asked if I could get ice or ice packs and they said only if the doctor ordered it. And the doctor is the one they assign you at the nursing home, who they said will write new meds and make all the decisions. But I don't think they have ice packs or ice anyway they didn't even know what I was asking about!

So the scripts will come from the OS and then this local GP who visits nursing homes will decide what actually I am given. It's like you completely lose control of your own recovery.

There were not any hip or knee patients there for rehab. Only medical.

I asked if they had a high hip chair in the room to sit on. The rehab person said maybe I could get a cushion to put on the chair in the room. Like from where?

You share a bathroom with the other person in the room, so god knows how the "commode" raised toilet seat works out. I asked the director how that works and she said, well maybe the other person might need to use the commode too. Gross.

I can't believe I'm gonna get THR at HSS one of the top orthopedics hospitals with low infection rates and then get sent to a dump like the one I saw today!

 

[MajorHeidi]

@Zebra Have you tried contacting a group like Visiting Angels? Google that... they are all over and provide
onsite care or take you to appointments and the like.....
Also, just thinking... could you not use a walker (no wheels; I didn't want it to move on me; I wanted to move it)
to climb stairs one stair at a time? That's what we had to show in the hospital to pass the test......
You can get a simple dog leash to counter the log leg to pull it up on the bed and over the side....

 

[Zebra]

could you not use a walker (no wheels; I didn't want it to move on me; I wanted to move it)
to climb stairs one stair at a time? That's what we had to show in the hospital to pass the test......

@MajorHeidi , that's a good idea I just tried it, but I can't raise my "better" left leg high enough to climb the stair.
My right leg (the one to be done first) I cannot raise it at all, so guessing it will take some time after the THR for those muscles (atrophy) to get strong enough to do stairs. Both my hips are fused or stuck, no movement at the joint.

I have looked into home health care agencies, just added Visiting Angels to the list, but don't see how to hire them in advance, since I really don't have anything for the person to do now.

 

[PuppyLove]

Have you tried contacting the Social Worker or a Case Manager at HSS for advice? Certainly they wouldn't want to send you to a facility like you visited. Are there any schools for CNA (certified nursing assistants) in your area? Perhaps they would have students who could act as a "sitter" and visit when you need it?

If you do need to go home alone, you can get a basket for your walker (I went home with a rolling walker and never used crutches), pre- stock your freezer with microwaveable meals (you may have to suffer until you can cook). I bought a case of adult disposable washcloths (not flushable) at Costco in case I couldn't shower. I had a cane with a flat foam (not curved) handle as a leg lifter. I hooked the handle under my foot and found it easier than a flexible leash lifter.

I agree with you on sharing a raised seat with your roommate. Heebie jeebies! I hope you get some optimistic options. Surgery is stressful enough with all the added stress!