Hip replacement - when should an 82 year old be discharged from hospital?

Nanabilly, day case hip replacement ops are happening already.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-46597998

He should have to pass a stair assessment if he doesnt plan one level living with the therapy team before leaving.

They may or may not inspect his home depending on various factors. If they don't it will be an active decision based on the information they have been given and how different he is to pre admission. Not every elderly person will have one. The therapy team should be able to discuss individual circumstances with you.

Staying in hospital at this time of year is quite risky for older people. They are particularly vulnerable to Norovirus, "pajama paralysis", and other serious complications that can turn a delayed discharge into a serious deterioration. It can even trigger or exacerbate dementia and deleriums and mental health issues as at this time of year there is an increased risk of bed or ward moves in the middle of the night which is avoided as much as possible but does have to happen during "winter pressures" and can really knock older patients back.

Thanks everyone for your input and advice. His op seems to have gone well though he is in a lot of pain post op and suffering side effects from pain relief. He certainly wouldn’t have been a candidate for day case, he’s way too frail and has had an amazingly hard time of it since breaking his hip. Admitted on Monday, 12 hour wait for ambulance, sent home next day with nothing in place and break not even diagnosed. He struggled until Thursday, readmitted and op on Friday. Hoping they will keep him in at least over Christmas to get him back on his feet, literally!

Also to clarify that although he lives alone he does have family and friends support. We’re all pulling together to make sure he has the best of care. Unfortunately our experience hasn’t been the best so far but are trying to get everything in place for his discharge. Everything takes time and at this time of year it seems putting together a fully functioning care package seems a bit disjointed as people go off on holiday etc.

When my mum broke her hip she was operated on the next day, kept in for 2 weeks and then sent for rehab for 2 weeks even though my dad was at home. She was in her 90's and when she came out there was a care plan in place!!

Dragonfly46. That’s more what I would have expected. I think one of the problems might be that he is a hardy old soul, doesn’t like to admit he’s in pain and not coping. How he managed to get around with a broken hip for 4 days beggars belief. Discharged first time around with a zimmer which he couldn’t use and a packet of cocodamol. He’s sitting up in bed now, chatting up the nurses and generally charming everyone, god bless him x

An update for all that have very kindly contributed. It’s now been agreed he will stay in hospital as long as it takes for him to be medically fit. The plan thereafter is that he will go into a dedicated unit for convalescence and rehab until he is fit to go home with a full care plan in place. After a bad start, it seems the NHS has come up trumps.

That sounds more like it, weeeme.
Best wishes to your Dad for a full & speedy recovery.

What a relief.

Come up trumps now - but the worry for everyone by not making this clear in the first place is unacceptable.

Don't talk to me about hospitals missing fractures on x-ray!! - my life has been turned around by that. Surgery that should have happened on Day One was not done because a fracture was missed - I am still paying the price many years later with pain and poor mobility. Grrrr!

That is what we should expect , but seldom get from our NHS , but when they do get it together care is second to none . Poor man , I hope all goes well and he is fully mobile soon

My 90 year old neighbour fell and broke her hp for the second time the week of her husbands funeral which she could then not attend. However she was moved to a care home after surgery to recuperate and now she is home and doing very well. She was told she would have carers every day for help with getting up. Within three days she had cut that down herself to three days a week. She does have a stair lift and a downstairs loo and indeed a very good daughter nearby (and a nice neighbour !)

Weeeme what a relief this must be for you and hopefully for your father. Please God he recuperates well and gets back home in a fit enough state to manage again.

That's good to hear Weeme
But I ask - why is the care plan not put into place automatically, resulting in much stress and worry to the patient and their family?

I hope your father makes a good recovery.