Once in a while, surgery is an absolute necessity within the elderly population, and when it is, there are a whole set of complications that can occur because of the surgery. Surgical procedures occur for all sorts of reasons ranging in severity. Strokes, heart failure, trauma, spinal cord injuries, and a multitude of chronic diseases were all accounted for in a recent study. Researchers used a simple questionnaire, and it has been cited as being a successful indicator of just how at risk a senior citizen might be of becoming disabled after a surgery takes place. They are not 100 percent accurate, of course, but they can help improve the long term outlook for many people. The questionnaire consisted of 12 questions and was given to about 500 senior citizens after surgery. It asked them to rate things that had to do with recovery, including cognition, self care, mobility, relationships, roles within their family, and social life. The goal is to use this feedback to apply to people with similar surgeries before they go into surgery in the future in order to help to better identify what might happen to them post surgery. At the very least, the goal is to raise awareness about the risks of surgery and help deter people from having a procedure that will not truly benefit them.
Your elderly parent’s doctor is likely very aware of all of the complications that a surgery creates, and they’ve more than likely already taken this into account. However, having concerns on your part is completely normal and you should feel free to talk over them with your doctor if you wish or if it would make you more comfortable. Your loved one’s safety and health is your priority here, and there’s no harm in asking a few questions to reassure yourself and your parent that you are doing the right thing.
Avoiding disability in the elderly can do some amazing things. It can increase their happiness and freedom for longer. It can also decrease their reliance on things like in-home care and assisted living. By keeping your loved one happier, you are doing them a big favor, and this simple step can help doctors to better prepare for your mom or dad’s future and take more appropriate steps beforehand. The most important thing here is that patients are made better aware of the risks and the problems that might come with recovery, and it also helps doctors to find out just what factors they may not have considered before the surgery. In the end, the goal i that patients will be better able to figure out if the surgery will make things better or worse for them once they know exactly what the chances of a full recovery actually are. And if disability is a high risk, you can take steps on your end to better their lives by doing things like setting up senior care, selecting a top in-home caregiver, or beginning to find a therapy center that can help your loved one to speed up their recovery process a little bit.
Leave a Reply