24-Hour Home Care Helps After Spinal Fusion Surgery

 March 21, 2025

What is Spinal Fusion Surgery and Why Do Some Seniors Get it

Although it might sound a bit scary, spinal fusion surgery is a fairly common surgery that has a high success rate and a low risk of negative health consequences. Of course, it’s still a major surgery, so understanding what it is and why your loved one needs it is important as you plan for his recovery after surgery. 

Spinal fusion surgery’s purpose is to connect two or more vertebrae of the spine. The structure and the strength of the fusion will help the back regain its strength and should relieve the person of any back pain he’s been struggling with. 

A spinal fusion can help your loved one find relief from muscle weakness, numbness, and pain due to a health issue that doesn’t or can’t respond to any other type of treatment. Some common conditions that lead to spinal fusion in seniors include a bad vertebrae break due to a fall or accident, a pinched nerve, a herniated disc, and spinal stenosis. 

Preparing for Home Recovery

Most patients who receive spinal fusion therapy will complete the majority of their recovery at home after spending a few days in the hospital to ensure that there are no complications. If your loved one is having surgery, it’s important to decide beforehand, where he will spend his recovery time. Most likely, he will need to have someone nearby most of the time during those first weeks of surgery to help him with activities that he is restricted from. 

24-Hour Home Care Can Support Your Loved One During Recovery

If your loved one’s home is where he wants to be during his recovery, having someone stay with him for 24-hour home care will provide him with the best support he can have and reduce his risk of engaging in some activity that he shouldn’t. Some areas that his 24-hour home care team can help him with include:

• Getting in and out of bed, as well as in and out of a chair. Your loved one will want to try to avoid all twisting or straining on his back and that might mean he’ll need to hold onto or lean on someone when he needs to change positions. 
• Getting items on a different floor of the home. If your loved one’s home has multiple floors, he may not be allowed to use stairs for a while and once he can, he might need someone to help him up and down the stairs. A 24-hour home care team can help him get what he wants from another floor (like the laundry from the basement or a favorite book from the attic) so that he doesn’t have to. 
• Lifting items he shouldn’t. Spinal fusion surgery recovery will put limits on what your loved one can lift. Many surgeons will say to not lift anything more than five pounds for a while. Five pounds isn’t a lot and can mean your loved one will need help with laundry, groceries, pet care, and more. 
• Personal Grooming. Learning how to shower safely and even get on and off the toilet can be a challenge. Having 24-hour home care there to keep your loved one safe in the bathroom will provide you and him with peace of mind. 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring 24-hour Home Care in Fox Chapel, PA, please contact the caring staff at In-Home Quality Care today. Serving the Greater Pittsburgh Area since 1990! Call 412-421-5202