When Facing Surgery
How many times does a person really understand a planned surgery? For the elderly, it is just as essential and perhaps moreso that one has a clear understanding of a surgery recommended to them. There's a clear difference in medical care and procedures from "the way it was" years ago and present standards of medical care. For an elderly person to make an informed decision they must ask questions and receive thorough answers. And perhaps have several follow-up conversations with reviewing their medical needs.

Today this author drove her new housemate to have out-patient surgery on his hand, crippled by arthritis. He does not know what the surgeon will do or even why the surgery is being done. Let alone which hand will be operated on! He will be ready to come home this afternoon and I'll return to get him. I wrote out my contact details and gave it to the office staff checking him in pre-surgery. Now I can only hope that this staff will see to it that the information is directed on through the various medical staff today.

I've told "Bill" that he may have to sign a consent form at the hospital for any staff to talk with me and receive his discharge home health plan. I told him to expect to sign two consent forms pre-surgery: one for the surgeon and one for the anaesthesiologist. A few days ago Thursday I asked him to call his social worker with the VA hospital to see about having a visiting nurse stop in daily following surgery. However he does not know if his social worker got his phone message or if anyone will contact him.

I rented a nice home just two weeks ago and moved myself and my young adult son with disabilities into it, with this man as our housemate. We'd met when I'd rented a "room-for-rent" in the previous home. He'd wanted for years to move to a better home, but had not because he had no furniture of his own. With previous surgeries for knee replacement, foot surgery and who-knows-what else (he's unclear on some of his medical history) "Bill" was reluctant to move to an unknown place. So instead of finding a two-room apartment for my son and I, we found a nice 3 bedroom home so he might join us.

Since my son had an emergency neurosurgery just two weeks ago and has home health nurses coming in daily for 8 hours, I have enough to care for him and work as well. So "Bill" needs to set up anything he can do to have his own needs looked after. "Nursing" is not my "thing" (teaching is) so I can only hope that later today my elderly housemate has just what he needs to recover well. At least I asked for and received his family contact information in case I'd need to call them. They are far away and he's got no family or friends locally to help. I would bet that there are many senior citizens in this position. "The kindness of strangers" comes to mind. But back to the topic of this post: at the least, people can help the elderly facing surgery by helping them to be advocates for their own health care. And perhaps by explaining what they may need to inquire about pre-surgery. If you don't know to "ask the questions" you may be at risk if the professionals who care for you do not thoroughly prepare you. Good advice for all, but especially for the elderly.

- posted by BJ @ 7:39 AM |