2 Tips for Preparing for Recovery at Home After Knee Surgery When You Live Alone

For a couple of days after your upcoming knee surgery, you will be cared for in the hospital. However, once you are discharged and sent home, you may have some trepidation about taking care of yourself during the recovery phase, especially if you live alone and have no one to take care of you. If so, use the following tips before your knee surgery to help make things easier on yourself.

1.  Plan Your Meals Before Your Surgery

Proper nutrition is important when you are recovering from your surgery, as it gives your body the fuel and nutrients it needs to heal. However, preparing meals while your ability to move around is hindered can be a challenge, so you need to make plans beforehand on how you are going to feed yourself.

You have a couple of options when planning your meals before surgery. First, you can plan on having food delivered every day. However, this can become expensive, and many foods that are delivered may not provide you with proper nutrition. Eating pizza and takeout foods every day is not ideal for your body.

Second, you can pre-make your meals before the day of your surgery. Cook up large batches of some of your favorite foods, package them in meal-size containers, and then heat them up. If you do not like to cook, you can always try to find healthy options for frozen dinners and stock up.

2.  Set up Your Living Areas

After your surgery, you will not be able to move around very well, especially in the first few days after arriving home from the hospital. If everything you need on a daily basis is spread out throughout your home, you will find it difficult to retrieve the things you need.

Before your surgery, set up your living areas with anything you think you will need. In the living room, select a favorite sitting area, such as a chair or couch, and have a table set up next to it. Have the remote control, books, magazines, and phone on the table ready to go. Also, set up your bedside table with items you may need at bedtime.

Making preparations at home before the day of your knee surgery can help you take care of yourself when you are living by yourself. For more tips on home recovery when you live alone, speak with your orthopedic surgeon during one of your pre-op appointments.