How Gulfside Home Health Can Help After Surgeries

Surgeries and surgery recovery can look different for everyone, especially considering the abundance of procedures modern medicine has to offer. Regardless of the unique circumstances of any individual, there is always one common denominator after every surgery: a recovery period. Most times after surgery, the patient will need the help of others to complete daily tasks, creating an urgent need for assistance. 

Healthcare at home is a great resource for those who recently underwent a medical procedure. Many choose to opt for home health services as it could be safer, more comfortable and convenient for the patient. Those who have used these services report that they have achieved greater comfort in terms of controlling pain or anxiety and have gotten better sleep. Being taken care of at home can also lessen the likelihood of complications such as various infections. Furthermore, many patients feel that home healthcare is higher quality than traditional healthcare due to its patient-tailored approach. Each patient receives evidence-based care determined by their ailments, which is the best way home healthcare practitioners can ensure the patient receives the right type of care.  

Gulfside Home Health provides a wide range of services from a team of qualified professionals. The team will ensure that environmental hazards, infection and poor sanitization, which are commonly found in hospitals or other facilities, are avoided. The goal of home health with Gulfside is to help the patient handle their own autonomy and readmission to the hospital.  

Here are the Home Health services Gulfside provides: 

• Skilled nursing 
• Physical therapy 
• Occupational therapy 
• Speech therapy 
• Wound care 
• Post-surgery care and support 
• Home rehabilitation 
• Medical social work 

Skilled Nursing Care At Home After Surgery 

Many people have preconceived notions on the term “skilled nursing.” Most times, people will associate skilled nursing with a nursing home or assisted living and use the words interchangeably. However, they are quite different terms. Skilled nursing can offer a wide range of services and care, and is offered in certified locations such as hospitals, assisted living communities or home healthcare groups.  

Gulfside’s scope of skilled nursing services are specialized in wound care and dressing changes, patient and family education, medication management, injections, ostomy care, nutrition monitoring, catheter changes and pain management. Each of these services can help tremendously in the recovery process when performed by trained home health professionals. 

Therapy At Home After Surgery 

Physical therapy after surgery is an imperative part of rehabilitation for many types of surgeries, as it directly affects the healing process and helps the patient get back to normal operations in life. Physical therapy helps the patient regain mobility and independence faster, giving another reason as to why home health can help improve the quality of life for a patient going through such an isolating process. 

Many common surgeries require a certain amount of physical therapy throughout and beyond the recovery process, such as: 

• Shoulder or rotator cuff surgery
• Knee surgery or replacement 
• Hip surgery or replacement 
• Back and spine surgery 
• Ankle or foot surgery 

Wound Care At Home After Surgery 

Additional to physical therapies and exercise to get a person moving after a surgery, it is imperative to mention that wound care is the utmost important effort needed to get on the road to recovery. There are several reasons why a person might avoid treating their incisions. They may fear blood, be unsure of the proper hygiene practices, or fear inflicting pain on themselves or their loved one. Regardless of the reason, tending to surgery wounds in a correct and efficient manner is a priority that will be the key to infection prevention. Due to the patient or caregiver’s valid concerns or hesitations to wound care, a trained professional may have to step in to provide his or her expertise on the matter to fix the situation and ensure the wound heals properly. The help of a home healthcare practitioner can ensure wound care is done effectively so the patient can heal as quickly and completely as possible. 

In the United States, some of the most performed surgeries for individuals over 65 years old are knee replacements, cardiac surgeries or colorectal excisions. Tending for wounds after such major surgeries can make or break the recovery of a patient. If surgery wounds are left untreated, the patient has an increased risk of infection, a higher likelihood of having a longer recovery time, and a surge of pain.  

Medications & Lifestyle Changes After Surgery 

Furthermore, home health nurses can make the recovery process of a patient undergoing surgery recovery simpler because they are trained in medication management. All medications, whether they are prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, or supplements, cause side effects that can positively or negatively affect the patient’s symptoms. Monitoring medications is paramount to anyone’s general health, especially for those who are in a recovery period. Home health nurses can help educate patients on medications for a faster and safer recovery. 

Lifestyle changes due to medical procedures is also a valid reason for a person to warrant home healthcare. Major procedures like a colostomy require the use of an ostomy bag, causing a significant change in a patient’s daily routines. Gulfside’s team of home health nurses and doctors can ensure comfort in the uncomfortable changes in a patient’s life. They are there to help the patient with transitions, such as teaching and changing ostomy bags. 

Skilled Home Health Care from Gulfside 

Gulfside’s skilled nursing division has helped many patients recover from surgery since its beginning in 2019, leaving a legacy of satisfied patients who were able to reach some level of comfort and convenience with our help. In all, Gulfside has been providing quality, compassionate care to patients since 1989. 

If you believe that Home Health might be appropriate for you or your loved one, the team at Gulfside is available to answer your questions and start the enrollment process. Even if you are not sure, our team is happy to meet with you for a services evaluation to determine how Gulfside can best serve you. To get started, call us anytime at 800-817-9941 or complete the online referral form.