Transporting Your Loved One Following a Fall or Surgery

Between 30% and 40% of adults ages 65 years or older fall at least once each year and is the leading cause of injury-related visits to emergency departments by seniors.

Over half of all falls result in at least a slight injury, such as a bruise, sprained ligament, or strained muscle. However, more serious injuries include broken bones, torn ligaments, deep cuts, or damage to organs such as kidney or liver.

Common fractures include hip, wrist, humerus, and pelvis. Every year, over hundreds of thousands of seniors are hospitalized for hip fractures with women experiencing three-quarters of all hip fractures.

Falls are often related to balance problems, muscle weakness, vision loss or long-term health conditions such as heart disease, dementia or low blood pressure (hypotension) which can lead to dizziness and a brief loss of consciousness.

Should your loved one experience a fall, you want to convince them to see their doctor, especially if they are experiencing a loss of consciousness, they can’t explain how or why they fell, or they realize they were on the floor but can’t explain how it happened.

Even if your loved one does not display cuts, scrapes, bruises, or broken bones it does not mean they don’t have deep internal damage. Internal injuries can be painful and lead to complications such as infections or blood clots.

Things you can do to help mitigate the chances of your loved one falling in the home include the use of assistive devices such as a cane, walker, a wheelchair or scooter. You can improve and make the home environment safer by eliminating clutter, excessive furniture, corner objects, lose carpet or items on the floor that can either cause your loved one to trip or risk hitting in the event of a fall. You also want to help in offering reminders to ensure they are routine in taking necessary medication.

The amount of time it takes for a senior to recover from injuries resulting from a fall will vary depending on a variety of factors to include age and overall health, the severity of the injury, did they require surgery, and the type of rehabilitation program.

In the event of something like a hip replacement, if your loved one is in relatively good health, one can expect recovery to be within several weeks to a few months, but for those who are older or have underlying health conditions, recover can take longer.

The average hospital stay for a senior recovering from hip replacement can range from a few days to a week. Once discharged, they will need to continue with rehabilitation either at home or in a facility and will typically involve physical therapy and an exercise regime to help regain strength and mobility.

As your loved one recovers, they will need assistance with activities of daily living to include bathing, dressing, grooming, and help with mobility and transportation. This is where the help of professional caregivers can be essential.

When transporting a senior who is recovering from hip surgery, it is important to take necessary steps to ensure safety and comfort. Some key tips for transporting a senior who is recovering from hip surgery are as follows:

1. Use a vehicle with a wheelchair lift or ramp to make it easier for the senior to get in and out of the vehicle without straining their hip. This can also help to reduce the risk of falls or other injuries.

2. Help the senior to transfer into the vehicle safely. When helping the senior to transfer into the vehicle, make sure to provide them with plenty of support and stability. This may involve using a transfer belt or other assistive device to help them transfer from their seat at home into a wheelchair and into the vehicle.

3. Properly secure the wheelchair and the patient in the vehicle with appropriate restraints or tie-downs and a lap-belt to prevent them from moving around during transport and ensure safety.

4. Provide your loved one with pillows or cushions to add comfort while providing much needed support to their hip and back. In addition to reducing pain and discomfort, this can help prevent pressure sores.

5. Monitor the senior's condition during transport and to be prepared to respond to changes.

Since 1989, Van's Med Tec has specialized in local and long-distance transportation throughout Virginia and North Carolina. Unlike other services operating as a curb-to-curb service, Van's Med Tec is committed to safely escorting you or your loved one from residence or facility to a clean, comfortable, and modern wheelchair accessible vehicle. On arrival at your destination, our trained staff will escort your check-in.

If you or a loved one is recovering from hip replacement or any injury resulting from a fall and experienced, comforting, direct assistance is required for transportation, call Van's Med Tec at (434) 836-5252. We welcome the opportunity to provide you with safe, comfortable and reliable transportation service.

If you or a loved one are recovering from surgery or injury and direct assisted transportation is required, contact Van's Med Tec. Our experienced team of professionals welcome the opportunity to assist you.