Hip replacement is one of the most common major surgeries in the UK, with around 100,000 operations performed each year. It’s also generally a successful surgery – total hip replacement is often said to have a 98% satisfaction rate!

But what exactly is hip replacement? Why is it often performed on older people, and what might the operation be like?

To answer all your questions, we’ve put together this guide to hip replacement surgery in the elderly.

What is a hip joint?

A hip joint needs to move in lots of different directions, so it can’t be built like an elbow or knee that only moves one way.

The solution is a ball and socket joint. At the top of your thigh bone, there’s a ball of bone. This ball fits into a socket in your hip. Thanks to its round shape, the ball can move in lots of different directions, allowing flexibility in the hip.

To function at its best, the joint needs cushioning between the socket bone and the ball-shaped hip bone. This is called cartilage, and it prevents the hard parts of the joint from scraping against one another.

Why might a senior need a hip replacement?

Hip replacements can be done for many reasons, but the most common are arthritis and hip fractures.

Osteoarthritis is the most likely cause of a hip replacement. This type of arthritis is often considered to be a result of old age. Over time, movement in the hip joint wears away that soft cartilage that protects the inside of the joint. This can result in pain as bone scrapes against bone.

Rheumatoid arthritis can also damage the joint and cause pain and inflammation, resulting in the need for a hip replacement.

But arthritis isn’t the only reason an older person might need a hip replacement. Seniors are at higher risk of falling – in fact, each year one-third of elderly people in the UK will fall at least once.

Falls are also more likely to cause injury to seniors. For one, older people are at high risk of suffering weaker bones (osteoporosis) – especially women. Put together weakened bones and a fall, and you may end up with a hip fracture. When the hip is fractured, doctors may recommend hip replacement surgery.

So, overall, it’s easy to see why hip replacements are common in seniors.

What is hip replacement surgery?

There’s more than one kind of surgery that may be referred to as hip replacement.

Total hip replacement involves removing both the hip socket and the ball-shaped bone at the top of the hip. Both of these parts of the joint will be replaced with artificial components made of metal, ceramic or plastic.

Sometimes, people may have a partial hip replacement where only the ball at the top of the thigh bone is replaced.

There are also types of surgery that are called ‘minimally invasive,’ where the doctor tries to make a smaller cut to get to the hip. The goal with this type of surgery is to allow the patient to recover more quickly.

Before hip replacement surgery

Before hip replacement surgery, older patients need to focus on:

Making their bodies as strong and healthy as possible so they can recover well
Losing weight, if necessary, to reduce the strain on the hip joint
Being as clean as possible going into the surgery, to avoid chances of infection
Educating themselves about what surgery recovery will be like
Preparing for after the surgery (we’ll discuss this more later).

How can patients achieve these goals? They’ll often be given a list of instructions from their doctor, which may include:

Eating a healthy diet
Limiting alcohol intake
Stopping smoking
Exercising as appropriate to strengthen muscles in the hip (seek a doctor’s advice to ensure you are doing this safely for you)
Using special soaps before the surgery to reduce germs on the skin
Ensuring bedsheets and clothes are extra-clean – also to reduce the chances of infection.

Doctors will also likely do a general health check two or three weeks before the surgery. At this appointment, they’ll do blood tests and other tests to ensure the elderly person having the surgery is strong and well enough to endure it.

What happens during the surgery

During the surgery, the patient may be numbed from the waist down, or they may have a total anaesthetic where they ‘go to sleep’ for a while.

A standard total hip replacement operation typically lasts one or two hours. In the operation, the surgeon will remove the bone that forms the joint socket in the pelvis as well as the ball joint at the top of the thigh bone. The surgeon will replace them with artificial components, which may be attached to the bone using cement or screws.

Of course, the specific details of the surgery will vary depending on each person’s situation.

How to recover from your hip replacement

In hospital

A senior who has received a hip replacement often will stay in hospital for one to three nights.

They will experience pain and swelling after the surgery. It may be hard to walk, but hospital staff will encourage the person who’s had the hip replacement to move around as soon as they can. You’ll often be given a device to walk with such as a frame or crutches.

One reason for this is that there is a risk of dangerous blood clots after the surgery for an older person who is in bed and not moving about. To combat this risk, medical staff may also use pressure stockings or boots that fill with air and squeeze around the older person’s legs.

Take note: there are some symptoms following hip replacement surgery that mean you need to get help from a medical professional fast. Symptoms including chills and fever could indicate an infection. Moreover, chest pains or trouble with breathing could indicate a very dangerous blood clot in the lungs – which is a medical emergency. Take a look at the NHS guidance for hip replacement recovery to see when to call 111 or 999 when experiencing these symptoms and others.

At home

When an elderly person returns home after a hip replacement, they’ll need to ensure they are undertaking the right level of activity for their stage of recovery. As we’ve mentioned, not moving at all can be dangerous because of blood clots and other factors. But moving around too strenuously can also cause problems. So, it’s essential to follow your doctor’s directions and do any exercises from a physiotherapist.

Seniors who are having a hip replacement won’t be able to bend their hip more than ninety degrees (a right angle, as in a sitting position) for a while. So, before hip replacement surgery, they may wish to:

Purchase a grabbing tool to pick things up off the floor
Get shoes that can be slipped on without bending over to tie laces (these shoes should have a back, as backless shoes can lead to falls)
Put important objects at waist height so there’s no need to bend over to get them.

Seniors who have had hip replacement surgery may find it difficult to bathe, but it’s important to be clean to reduce the chance of infection. Showering is typically recommended rather than having a bath. An older person who’s concerned about this may want to consider getting help with personal care in the days following the surgery.

On a similar note, it may be wise to get a toilet seat raiser or a raised toilet seat. These devices make the toilet seat higher so that it’s easier to sit down on and get up from.

People recovering from hip replacements are usually told by their doctors not to drive for at least six weeks, so they’ll need to make a plan for transportation, too.

The main recovery time frame for the surgery is often about two to three months. If you have a physically demanding job, you may have to wait for additional time before you go back to work. Check with your doctor to see when it’s safe for you to resume specific activities.

How to prevent falls

Preventing falls in the elderly is always important. But it’s even more crucial when a senior is recovering from hip replacement surgery and their body is healing.

Fall-proofing your home is essential. Falls are more likely if an older person has limited mobility. They’re also more likely if a senior has already fallen before. So, it’s absolutely worth it to take the time to clear up trailing cords, secure carpets, install lighting and more. Grab bars by the toilet and bath or shower will likely be useful during recovery and far beyond.

Falls can also be caused by other factors, including medication side effects. If an older person is suffering from dizziness or confusion due to a medical problem, talk to a doctor.

Rushing to the bathroom can cause falls too, so it’s worth considering how a person with limited mobility after surgery will get to the toilet when needed. Getting a commode may be a good idea, especially if the toilet is upstairs and difficult to reach.

All of these steps can decrease the risk of calls. But of course, there’s no way to absolutely eliminate the chance of falling. That’s why elderly people also need personal alarms.

Why a personal alarm is so valuable to seniors with hip replacements

There are numerous risks that seniors face in connection to falls. We can divide these risks into two categories:

Harms that happen at the moment of falling, such as fracturing a bone.
Harms that happen after the fall.

When a fall has already occurred, it’s obviously impossible to prevent the first category of harms. But it’s still possible to prevent the second category.

What kind of harms happen after a fall?

Primarily, these dangers happen if a senior falls when no-one else is around to help. The older person may be stuck on the floor, unable to get up. When this situation goes on for more than an hour, it’s called a ‘long lie.’

When a senior is lying on the floor alone, they can end up suffering from:

Hypothermia or overheating if they’re unable to get to a warm blanket or into a cooler place
Hunger and dehydration
Pressure sores, especially if they can’t get up to go to the bathroom
Fear and distress
Other medical problems if they need help for a cut or injury and can’t get it.

In other words, the effects of a long lie are serious. And they can be long-lasting. Elderly people who have endured a long lie can end up so fearful of falling again that they walk less – and actually increase their risk of falling more.

Naturally, all of these dangers are even more serious for a person who’s in a fragile medical condition just after surgery.

It’s clear that having a way to call for help after a fall is vital. And a personal alarm does just that. It’s worn on the body as a pendant or wrist alarm, so it’s always within reach. And an alarm with fall detection is constantly working to sense falls – so it will call for help all on its own if it believes a fall has occurred. That can make all the difference for an older person who’s unconscious after a fall.

How SureSafe protects seniors who are at risk of falls

At SureSafe, we’ve been supplying UK seniors and their families with reliable, affordable elderly personal alarms for over 10 years.

We frequently see families purchasing personal alarms for older loved ones after a fall has occurred. And that’s smart because, as we’ve mentioned, having one fall increases an older person’s chances of falling again.

We also know that preventing the harms of a fall is important for every senior – because of the serious dangers that can result if an older person can’t get help fast.

Our customers often tell us about the peace of mind they feel from the protection of a personal alarm. We believe every senior deserves that same peace of mind, especially if they’re recovering from the physical hardship of surgery.

So, if you’d like to chat with us about how a personal alarm can help you or an older loved one who’s facing hip replacement, our expert team is here to help. You can get in touch with us by calling 0808 189 1671, through live chat or by requesting a call back.