When your loved one visits the hospital for a knee replacement, you can often expect that he or she will be in the hospital for a couple days before being released to your care. Once back at home, you'll need to play the role of caregiver until your loved one has regained his or her mobility. You can make this process easier on both of you by visiting a medical equipment service in the days before the surgery, and renting or buying a number of key items that will provide assistance in a variety of different ways. Here are some devices that you should make sure to have at home before your loved one returns from the surgery.

Medical Commode

Bending is extremely challenging for someone who has just had a knee replacement, and one of the times that he or she will need to bend is to use the toilet. Lowering one's self onto a toilet with a recently replaced knee can be highly difficult and even dangerous because the surgery is still fresh. A medical commode is typically taller than a standard toilet, meaning it's easier for people recovering from knee replacement surgery. Also, because there's a bucket built in it, the commode can be placed anywhere in the home for ease of access.

Seating Pad

Your loved one will spend much of the time recuperating from the surgery in the seated position. A sturdy chair tends to be ideal because it's easier to get up from, but if you expect your loved one will also sit on the couch, a seating pad is valuable. These thick, sturdy pads will not only serve to raise the seat of the couch to make sitting down easier, but also prevent sinking into the couch, which can make getting back up difficult.

Reaching Tool

You should also make sure to pick up a reaching tool. Because your loved one's mobility will be limited, he or she will need to rely on you for virtually everything. With a telescoping reaching tool with a pincher at the end, your loved one will be able to grab nearby objects, whether it's the newspaper, remote control or anything else that is close but not close enough to reach with the hand.

Walker

A walker is an essential piece of medical equipment to have as your loved one recuperates from knee surgery. It will allow him or her to move around the house while remaining supported, which is ideal because keeping the knee joint moving is often recommended by doctors. Pick a model that has hand brakes so that your loved one can lock the walker in position when standing still.

Contact a service like Wishing Well Medical Supply to learn more.

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