Preparing for Joint Replacement Surgery

Getting Your House Ready

Some common things in your home may now be dangerous. To prevent falls, you should remove or watch out for:

• Long phone or electrical cords that lie across the floor
• Loose rugs or carpet
• Furniture you might trip over in stairs and hallways
• Stacks of books, piles of magazines,mail, etc.
• Pets that run in your path
• Water spills on bare floors
• Bare bathroom tile or slippery floors
• Ice or mildew on outdoor steps

It would also help to:

• Arrange the most frequently used kitchen utensils and food on shelves and counters that can be reached easily.
• Have a chair or stool handy in the kitchen to sit in while preparing and cooking food.
• Leave most frequently used dishes in the dish rack, and most frequently used foods in the most accessible cabinets.
• Have a rolling cart to take food from the refrigerator to the counter, and from the counter to the table.
• Have a walker bag or apron with pockets to carry small items such as glasses, books, silverware, etc.
• Attach a cup holder to your walker to carry drinks in covered cups.
• Arrange for someone to care for or feed your pets.