Sometimes patients do not want to ask for help, but your loved ones will need assistance in the first six weeks after treatment. Your healthcare professional can guide you on the specific ways in which you can help them, so be sure to ask for advice.
Lead up to the procedure
You may need to ensure that the patient has additional help with routine tasks for a few weeks after treatment, planning for this is essential in ensuring a smooth post-treatment transition.
- Write a plan with the patient before treatment and ask a clinician to review it for you. Talk to friends, family, carers and clinicians and think about how you are going to manage the care of your loved one after treatment.
- Eat Healthily. Before the procedure, you should ensure that the patient eats a balanced diet as this helps recovery.
- Regular weight checking. The patient should check their weight regularly to ensure they are not experiencing rapid weight gain or loss
- Talk to them. Talk to your loved ones about how they feel about the upcoming procedure. Research any concerns you have together, ask your clinician, valve disease clinic or Heart Valve Voice about anything that is worrying either of you.
- Set goals and milestones. Set goals for recovery and plan an activity in the future for both of you that you can work towards.