How to Prepare Your Home for Your Post-Surgery Recovery

Brian Acton

Preparing for surgery can be a stressful experience, and you may naturally be super focused on the procedure and the hospital stay itself. But if you’re going to spend any time recovering at home, you also need to think about how to set yourself up for a successful recovery once you leave the hospital.

Preparing your home for recovery will take some planning and preparation. Here’s how to get your home ready for post-surgery recovery.

Talk to Your Doctor

First, talk to your doctor about the best way to prepare for recovery. Your needs and limitations will vary depending on the type of procedure. Your doctor can give you some tips on what you need to do and how best to promote home recovery.

Prepare Your Home

Make sure to clean ahead of time, as the last thing you want to deal with is a messy home when you get back from surgery. Rearrange furniture to remove obstacles and tripping hazards, from clutter to throw rugs, especially on your most heavily trafficked routes.

If your home has stairs and you think you’ll have trouble with them, consider staying on the main level of for the time being. You can sleep on the main floor in a guest bed or fold out couch or move your bed downstairs if it makes sense. Since quality rest is an essential part of recovery, make sure you have comfortable bedding and a pillow that provides the right level of support for your head and neck.

You may need to consider other things - like how to get in and out of bed, or whether you should install railings in your shower - depending on the nature of the surgery. In short, make sure your home is hazard free and you will be able to accomplish basic tasks as easily as you can.

Recruit Some Help

You may need to rely on help from others while you recover. Friends and family can support you by cooking meals, doing laundry, helping you get to the bathroom, and more depending on your needs post-surgery. If you already live with someone, hopefully you can rely on them for support.

If you live alone, you may need to recruit some people to pop in on a regular basis and help you with basic tasks. Whether you’re relying on people that live with you or outside help, make sure you clearly set expectations around when you’ll need help, how much help you’ll need, and what you’ll need help with.

You may even want to hire professional help, depending on factors like cost and whether your insurance can help pay for it. Home health aides and other caregivers can help you work through recovery or help with tasks around the home.

Stock Your Fridge and Pantry

Make sure to stock the pantry and refrigerator with healthy foods that are simple to prepare. Nutritious, easy meals will be less hassle to cook and promote faster healing in many instances. Talk to your doctor about the best nutritional plan for your recovery before you go shopping.

Stock Up on Supplies

Make a checklist of all the medical supplies you’ll need at home, and work on getting them ahead of time so you aren’t left scrambling after your surgery. You can start with simple items like bandages and over-the-counter medicines. Make sure you have a plan for how to fill any prescriptions you receive after surgery.

Depending on the procedure, you may need a support wrap or brace to provide stability and promote recovery to the affected area. Without them, you could run the risk of reinjuring yourself and prolonging your recovery.

In Closing

Your post-surgery recovery might involve a lot more than kicking your feet up at home. You may need to do physical therapy, go to follow up visits with your doctor, and more. But the more preparation you do at home, the more your domicile will be able to help, not hinder, the recovery process.