Quality Life Services Home Health Care Blog
If surgery is on the horizon, you may be curious about how you can recover quicker. Although your desire to “get up and running” seems necessary, the quality of your recovery is of the utmost importance.
At Quality Life Services Home Health, we provide pre-and post-surgical recovery services to seven local counties in Southwest Ohio. Providing holistic, high-quality treatment in the comfort of our patient’s homes, our local team shares a goal of consistently delivering top-notch patient care that meets our patient’s and their families expectations.
If you (or a loved one) is scheduled to have surgery, read on to learn how to expedite the healing process and recover quickly.
How to Ensure a Smooth Recovery after Surgery
You can apply specific measures after surgery to heal faster and get back to doing the activities you enjoy.
1. Follow Your Patient Discharge Instructions
After major surgery or a small elective operation, you will be given discharge instructions to go through with your surgical team.
These instructions should include condition-specific guidance. For example, patients recuperating from heart surgery may need to monitor their respiratory health closely to avoid pneumonia and bronchitis.
When you get home, go through these guidelines again and make sure you follow them precisely.
2. Rest and allow your body to recuperate
Depending on the procedure, you may require two to three weeks or longer to recuperate after surgery. Don’t rush back into your previous activities even if you start feeling better.
Heed the advice of your healthcare provider on how long you should rest. These recommendations are supplied to ensure that you heal correctly.
3. Eat a Healthy Diet
Food can heal your body, so focus on proper nutrition. Eat regular, small meals to maintain your strength. Consume as much fruit and vegetables as possible, along with healthy grains and lean meat. It is also vital to ensure that you are well hydrated at all times.
3. Get Some Steps in
One of the most critical things to do following surgery is walk, even if it’s just a few steps at a time. Walking can help avoid serious complications (such as blood clots), and it gets the bowels moving, which is beneficial because anesthesia can cause constipation.
While walking is recommended, you should avoid strenuous activities such as running and workouts until your healthcare team gives you the all-clear. Do not swim until your wound has fully healed.
4. Take Pain Medication as Advised
Although there’s really no such thing as an entirely painless surgical procedure, the correct drug at the right dose may reduce pain and discomfort.
As a patient, it is crucial to adhere to any medication guidelines your healthcare provider provides. This will not only accelerate your recovery but will also help you avoid long-term health issues.
5. Attend Follow-Up Appointments
Typically, you will have your initial follow-up appointment a few days after surgery. Even if you may feel exhausted or ill, you should not skip this appointment.
Always be honest about your symptoms and pain level. This will allow your medical team to treat the areas causing you the most discomfort and keep you as comfortable as possible. Furthermore, this is an excellent time to discuss any issues that have arisen since the day of your procedure.
7. Think About Home Care Services
Home health care helpers assist with surgically recovering patients. Ultimately, their objective is either to aid the patient in recovering and regaining independence or, if the condition is persistent, to maintain the maximum possible quality of life and assist with daily duties.
Home care support can reassure your family that you are safe and that all of your needs are being met. At QLS, skilled and knowledgeable nurses can help you transition from the hospital to your home. They can also assist with minor housework and food preparation, provide companionship, and simplify the process of navigating your home.
8. Care for Your Incision
Many individuals go to great lengths to maintain a clean incision.
Scabbing around surgical staples may be unattractive, but it is normal. Removing scabs may impede the healing process. Similarly, bathing an incision can be hazardous since it might weaken the incision line.
Many doctors prescribe showers instead of baths after surgery and prohibit swimming during the initial healing period. Consult your surgeon for any further concerns or questions.
9. Avoid Infection
Any wound, regardless of its size, can get infected. Modern minimally invasive surgical treatments can reduce the danger of infection, but you still need to practice basic wound care to protect your health. Your surgeon’s discharge instructions should provide all the information necessary to care for the incisions.
If you require assistance with cleaning or treating the wound, seek assistance from a caregiver or loved one. Call your doctor immediately if you notice any of the usual indicators of infection following surgery, such as heightened pain, fever, or a large amount of discharge.
10. Quit Smoking
Smoking harms circulation and can drastically slow down the healing process, which might result in significant difficulties during recovery.
Nicotine delays recovery and raises the likelihood of problems, which can have long-lasting detrimental effects on your health and outcomes.
Pre-and Post-Surgical Recovery Therapy Available in Southwest Ohio
Quality Life Services offers physical therapy services tailored to your specific condition and needs.
Our team can liaise with your physician to help support your recovery after surgery. We make house calls so you can get top-quality physical and occupational therapy at home.
If you’d like to get more information on our home health services, schedule an appointment or contact us at (513) 860-1481.
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Understanding the effects of ostomy surgery and supporting the patient are essential parts of the recovery process. You may already be familiar with the fundamentals of an ostomy, but do you know how to care for someone with an ostomy?
New ostomates experience a wide range of emotions. It is crucial to recognize that physical and emotional recovery following surgery may occur at varying rates, given that everyone processes emotions differently.
Often, people have various questions about ostomies or colostomies, and we would like to assist. At Quality Life Services Home Health, we offer ostomy care in addition to pre-and post-operative recuperation. Continue reading to better understand what these procedures entail and how you can help and care for a loved one with an ostomy.
What is an Ostomy?
Ostomy surgery is a life-saving procedure that permits human waste to flow through a surgically constructed stoma on the abdomen into a prosthetic pouch or ostomy bag outside the body. Numerous medical conditions, including birth abnormalities, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, and incontinence, may necessitate an ostomy.
Ostomy surgery can be performed at any age, does not reduce life expectancy, and often marks the beginning of a “new normal” life.
What is the Purpose of an Ostomy?
An ostomy allows bodily waste to be expelled via a new opening (stoma) in the abdominal wall. An ostomy can be permanent or temporary. When someone has an ostomy, they must wear a special pouch over the stoma to collect waste.
What’s the Difference Between an Ostomy and a Colostomy?
There is no significant difference between an ostomy and a colostomy. A colostomy is a type of ostomy that enables the body to pass feces when the colon is not functioning normally or when a portion of the colon must be removed due to illness.
Five Chief Concerns When Caring for Someone With a New Ostomy
You may have questions regarding your loved one’s ostomy, how to care for their stoma, and how to help them to continue living the life they choose, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. At QLS, we offer support for people living with an ostomy.
Below are five common ostomy concerns:
1. Leakage beneath the pouching system
Sometimes, patients experience leakage below the pouching system. To help fix this problem, consider how the skin is prepared before putting it on the pouch. If the products are not appropriately applied, adhesion difficulties may arise. Ask the patient whether they are cleaning out the bag or placing anything in it.
The most important thing, however, is to find out where the leak is. If it’s always in the same spot, check to see if there are any folds or uneven surfaces, like scar tissue, incisions, or your belly button, that could make the surface under the barrier uneven. If this is the case, you could try a barrier ring as a filler to make the surface area more even.
Always ensure that the stoma size in the barrier is correct. When the barrier fits where the skin and the stoma meet, it’s a good fit. There should be no exposed skin between the stoma and the barrier’s opening.
2. Irritated, weepy skin
Irritated skin can be a struggle for many individuals with an ostomy. There should not be any skin breakdown, open sores, or a rash under the barrier. You’ll need to examine where precisely the skin is breaking down and how long it has been occurring.
Could something have led to this irritation, such as leakage, or perhaps the barrier being removed too quickly? How is the skin prepared for the skin barrier? You could try using stoma powder to absorb moisture from broken skin surrounding the stoma, which may allow for better adhesion of the skin barrier.
It’s vital that all aspects of this issue are considered and that the underlying causes of the skin irritation are addressed.
3. There’s an odor that others may notice
There can be an odor when the pouch is emptied and a slightly different smell when it leaks—the trick is to figure out which one it is. When emptying an ostomy bag, a lubricating deodorant is a great way to neutralize the smell of the stool.
You may also want to consider a pouch with a filter that neutralizes gas-induced odor. Ensure that stool leakage does not reach the exterior of the closure system. If neither of these explanations is the case, the barrier may be starting to separate from the skin, allowing odor to escape; signaling the beginnings of a leak.
4. Pouching system doesn’t remain fixed or stay on
If the pouch system is not staying on, the barrier seal could be an issue. To determine how long the system should be worn, remember that each individual is unique and will have different needs.
A general rule of thumb is to assess how many days the product can be relied upon to produce a secure seal without leaking. When switching pouching systems, observe the back of the barrier.
If stool or urine from the stoma has leaked under the barrier, the barrier seal has been compromised and may stop sticking to the skin. Should this occur, the barrier must be changed. It is essential to regularly replace the product, which can be determined by the lack of stoma drainage under the barrier and the condition of your skin.
5. Worry about the pouching system being seen
When a pouch is filled with gas or drainage, it will expand and may become visible beneath clothing. A pouch with a filter can assist in the gas release.
Help your loved one empty their pouch when it’s between one-third to half-full. When a pouch is filled, the additional weight on the barrier may result in leakage. Finding the right pouching system for the patient is essential when it comes to discretion.
Ostomy Care in Cincinnati, Ohio
As someone caring for an ostomy patient, it is imperative to remember that new life adjustments take time but will eventually become more manageable.
With the assistance of a skilled and qualified nurse from Quality Life Services Home Health, you can take it step by step. If you or a loved one requires ostomy care at home, please contact us at (513) 860-1405. Alternatively, you can also request additional information by filling out this online form.
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The question “Do I need physical therapy or occupational therapy?” probably didn’t come to mind until you sustained an injury or developed a chronic illness. It’s understandable to assume that physical therapy and occupational therapy are the same because they both aim to improve your overall functioning, quality of life, and knowledge about how to maintain your health and well-being.
Quality Life Services offers physical therapy, occupational therapy and other rehabilitation services to help you or your loved one to regain a sense of independence and adapt to any lifestyle changes. In this article, we’ll help you to understand the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy (OT) refers to a type of non-invasive healthcare that helps to resolve the problems that interfere with your or your loved one’s ability to perform everyday activities such as getting dressed, eating, moving around the house, going to work or school, and participating in social activities.
During the sessions, you will work with your occupational therapist to determine the goals you want to meet. With their help, you will also focus on any of the following during your sessions:
- Mental tasks
- Strength
- Balance
- Coordination
- Social interaction
OT is used to treat conditions such as:
- Cerebral palsy
- Arthritis
- Chronic pain
- Stroke
- Mental health and behavioral issues
- Brain injury
- Multiple sclerosis
- Cancer
- Poor balance
Examples of Occupational Therapy
When it comes to occupational therapy, multiple types will benefit different patients. Listed below are some of the specializations:
General Occupation Therapy
This type focuses on helping patients whose functional capabilities are severely affected by injury, pain, disability, or illness.
Geriatric Occupational Therapy
Geriatric occupational therapy can help seniors to cope with and manage their new challenges so they can retain their dignity and some sense of independence.
What is Physical Therapy?
Physical Therapy (PT) helps you or your loved ones to develop, maintain and restore maximum body movement and physical function without surgery or medication. It can help you to recover from an injury, relieve pain, prevent future injury or deal with a chronic condition.
PT is used to treat conditions such as:
- Cystic fibrosis
- Rotator cuff tears
- Parkinson’s disease
- Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
- Urinary incontinence
- Back pain
Examples of Physical Therapy
There are different types of PT used to treat a variety of conditions. A few of them are:
Orthopedic Physical Therapy
This treats musculoskeletal injuries, fractures, sprains, bursitis, tendinitis and chronic health problems.
Geriatric Physical Therapy
This type helps the elderly with conditions that affect their mobility and physical function, such as arthritis, hip and joint replacement and balance disorders.
Neurological Physical Therapy
Neurological physical therapy is ideal for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, and stroke.
Differences Between Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy
In a nutshell, Physical Therapy focuses on the restoration or improvement of mobility, strength, and range of motion while Occupational Therapy aims to improve the motor skills you need to perform everyday tasks.
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Available in Southwest, Ohio
The type of therapy you choose depends on your specific condition and needs. The team at Quality Life Services can liaise with your physician to help you decide which therapy is best suited for you or your loved ones. What’s more, we make house calls so that you can get top-quality physical therapy and occupational therapy at home.
If you’d like to get more information on our home health services schedule an appointment or contact us at (513) 860-1481.