Post-Surgery Recovery: 8 Best Supplies for After Hospital Care at Home of 2024
If you or a loved one have been hospitalized for planned or unplanned reasons, discharge is something to look forward to after what may have been a rough few days or weeks. Unfortunately, the transition to after-hospital care at home isn’t always so simple.
Many people don’t realize that while it’s great to recover in familiar surroundings, the home environment isn’t ideal for someone with limited mobility or advanced healthcare needs. Luckily, these eight products can help you — as a patient or caregiver — feel better equipped for hospital discharge:
8 Supplies for After Hospital Care at Home
Hand-held reacher
If you’ve just had surgery, your range of movement may be somewhat limited. This can make reaching for items in high or low places more difficult, and even painful. By using a hand-held reacher, you’ll be able to pick up daily items such as remotes, pillboxes, or food containers with a lot less hassle.
Key features:
Extremely helpful for after-hospital care at home, to pick up items that are difficult to reach
Examples of use include reaching items that have dropped on the floor or items on high shelves
Minimize bending and stretching movements that may harm post-surgery recovery
Ultra-lightweight frame made of durable aluminum and plastic to resist wear
Includes a full handgrip to allow the use of all four fingers for greater grip strength
Pistol trigger design demands only 7 oz. of pressure from the user
Reacher jaws open 2.5 inches wide to pick up larger objects
Non-slip rubber tabs and magnetic tips latch onto items more securely
Price: $12.25 - $14.69
Blood pressure monitors
During your post-surgery recovery, your doctor or health care practitioner may advise you to keep track of your blood pressure to measure how well the body is moving blood through your arteries.
Both low and high blood pressure carry their own risks. For example, low blood pressure may leave you or your loved one more vulnerable to having falls after surgery. And high blood pressure may increase the chance of a cardiovascular event.
Regular measurements, either daily or several times a day, can provide you with reassurance that your blood pressure is in good check.
Key features:
Reusable blood pressure monitor for peace of mind during post-surgery recovery
Hand-held and pocket-sized for practical use
Navy blue nylon cuff with easy-read range markings
Comes with an inflation bladder and bulb and an enamel 300mmHg manometer
Also includes a chrome-plated deflation valve and zippered carry case
5-year calibration warranty and 1-year inflation system warranty to guarantee security
Price: $18.99 - $22.89
Rinse-free bath wipes
Limited range of motion following surgery can also affect bathing. Stocking up on bath wipes can help navigate this potential issue, especially for caregivers or those who are bedridden.
The rinse-free wipes below don’t fulfill just one job. They are designed to act as a body wash, shampoo, and cleanser for sensitive areas.
Key features:
pH-balanced, pre-moistened cloths
Conditions and moisturizes hard to reach places
Multi-purpose body wash, shampoo, and perineal cleanse
Microwaveable
Pleasantly scented and no rinsing required
Safe for use in sensitive areas of the body, such as between the anus and genitals
CHG compatible
Hear it from a caregiver
"These are perfect when it's hard to move around and they get the job done"
- Shirley F.
Price: $3.38 - $164.18
SUGGESTED READ: 11 Best Cleansing Wipes Reviewed to Keep your Skin Soft, Healthy, and Clean
Bath bench
A bath bench is handy in every household, but it can be particularly useful for the transition after surgery. The benefits are pretty obvious. Users can safely rest on the bench as they bathe, rather than having to stand uncomfortably in a shower.
It’s also easier to get up from a seated position rather than a laying down position in a bathtub.
Key features:
Aluminum bath bench to make bathing safer during recovery
Ergonomic design featuring a curved seat with handles and angled legs on non-skid tips for comfort and stability
Drainage holes are easy to clean and reduce the risk of slipping
Highly accessible with a tool-free assembly
Height adjusts in 1-inch increments using pinch-free, push-button design with an audible click to ensure secure positioning
Corrosion-resistant material that’s built to last
Supports a weight capacity of up to 350 lbs
Price: $46.87 - $57.26
Adult diapers with tabs
Incontinence is a common problem after certain surgeries, such as prostate surgery. Fortunately, there are a whole host of options for managing incontinence with comfort and dignity.
Adult diapers with tabs are recommended for people who can’t get to the toilet in time due to mobility restrictions, as well as those who need protection through the night.
Key features:
Ideal for those who have low mobility or are bedridden, need overnight protection from incontinence or have caregivers to help them change
360 Breathable Zones let air circulate through every part of the diaper, so the skin stays cool and healthy
Silent, cloth-like backing
Dri-Fit fabric leaves the material feeling dry and soft against the skin
Refastenable tabs attach to the front of the diaper as many times as you need, to provide a secure fit
Omni Odor-Guard locks away odors for freshness and dignity
QUICK WICK with MaxSoft design soaks up moisture into the core
Stretchy side panels comfortably stretch around the body
Features ingredients like aloe, chamomile, and vitamin E for added skin protection
Skin smart fabric is hypoallergenic
Microclimate care maintains the ideal temperature for skin wellness
Price: $11.99 - $52.38
SUGGESTED READ: 10 Best Adult Diapers for 2021— Detailed Review
Bath grab bar
Just like seats and benches, bath grab bars can do wonders to make after-hospital care at home more straightforward. The bars can be secured parallel to the bathtub, offering stability when you step in and out of the tub.
Key features:
Bathtub safety rail to benefit from extra stability in the bathroom
Handle provides a secure hand position that’s parallel to the tub
Adjustable clamp locking mechanism provides tool-free installation to mount securely
Non-wearing rubber pads tighten securely to all bathtub contact points while providing scratch-proof protection
Width adjusts from 3 – 7 inches to fit most bathtubs
Powder-coated steel design has heavy-duty durability
Hear it from a caregiver
"Very sturdy. Was exactly what I was hoping for and expecting."
- Sally W.
Price: $37.57 - $196.50
SUGGESTED READ: Home Improvement: Upgrades and Home Renovations for Improved Senior Safety
Medical tape
Medical tape is another useful thing to have stored at home for after surgery. Cheap to purchase, the tape can help secure any devices or dressings that need to stay comfortably in place on your skin.
Key features:
3M™ Micropore™ Surgical Tape reliably secures dressings and devices to the skin for after hospital care at home
Gentle and highly breathable to maintain skin integrity
Hypoallergenic, made with paper materials
Price: $1.99 - $76.03
Wound dressing
If surgery has left one or several wounds that need to heal, then wound dressing is another essential. Petrolatum (petroleum jelly) dressings, such as those sold by McKesson, lower the risk of infections by keeping wounds moist and allowing them to heal as they should.
Key features:
Helps to maintain a healthy, moist wound-healing environment
Contains 3% Bismuth Tribromophenate to reduce the risk of infection and deodorize the wound
Single-use dressings for wounds with light or no exudate (pus-like or clear fluid)
Price: $1.78 - $232.07
BONUS Tip: Bottled water!
Hydration is absolutely vital for our health.
Harvard Health outlines how important it is to stay hydrated—many people don’t know the full range of benefits that water has on the body.
These benefits include:
Maintaining the function of your organs
Transporting nutrients to cells around the body
Protecting against infections
Keeping joints “spongy” and well-lubricated
Balancing your body temperature at a healthy level
When your body feels sore or tender post-surgery or your energy isn’t yet back to normal, forgetting to drink enough throughout the day is a risk. Make sure you have plenty of water on hand in a place where you or your loved one can see it.
Of course, drinking at regular intervals can feel like an inconvenience, particularly if going to the bathroom requires planning. But since good hydration promotes cognition, mood, and sleep quality, it’s a health essential we simply can’t afford to cut corners with.
SUGGESTED READ: Making Family Caregiving Easier
Thanks for reading!
If you would like some guidance on what the best things to have after surgery are, or to prepare for after-hospital care at home, then please call the Carewell support team at (800) 696-CARE.
Our lines are open 24/7!
Or, if email is easier for you, you can contact us at support@carewell.com.
Take care!
The Carewell Family
SUGGESTED READ: 5 Long-Distance Caregiving Tips for When You Live Miles Apart from Your Loved One
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Read More >Declan Davey is a health and wellness copywriter from London, UK. His background includes roles as a psychological therapist for Islington Memory Service, where he worked with family caregivers, and as a rehab assistant at Camden Neurology & Stroke Service.
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