First published 7 February 2022. Updated 15 August 2024.
It’s good to know that help is also available for you at home. St John of God Healthcare at Home CEO Leanne Merchant explains.
Hospital care in your home
When you return home after orthopaedic surgery you might feel a little worried about caring for yourself.
Going home, it can feel like you are all alone, but our home visiting nurses are able to answer any concerns or questions you may have relating to your care while delivering a high standard of clinical care and expertise in the comfort of your own home.
We can also liaise with your specialist and/or your GP, to ensure prompt and appropriate intervention is provided in a timely manner.
Through St John of God Healthcare at Home, one of our experienced home visiting nurses can come to your home to help care for your wound and general wellbeing.
Rehabilitation care in your home
Our Rehabilitation at home program enables you to continue your recovery after surgery in the comfort of your own home. The service is available to those based in the Perth metropolitan region who have recently had orthopaedic surgery or need to build up strength and endurance, or balance due to cancer treatment, recurrent falls or an extended hospital stay.
Rehabilitation at home offers home visits from our rehabilitation clinicians, including, but not limited to:
- physiotherapists
- occupational therapists
Accessing the service is easy and you don't need a referral. Find out more about the service or book a visit.
Our home visiting nurses and rehabilitation clinicians
Our home visiting nurses can provide a range of treatments after your orthopaedic surgery, including:
- complex and simple wound management – changing and maintenance of vacuum assisted closure (VAC) wound dressings and monitoring of incision wound and removal of clips or stitches as required
- drain management – monitoring, maintenance and removal
- IV antibiotics - used to treat various conditions such as pneumonia, cellulitis or osteomyelitis
- anticoagulation treatment – used to treat deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism i.e. Clexane administration.
When you leave hospital, you will be given medications to help with pain relief and combat infection and other instruction to assist in your recovery. In terms of rehabilitation, you may be recommended or referred to our rehabilitation at home service if you live in Perth, or given exercises to help with your rehabilitation.
If you are unclear, our nurses or rehabilitation clinicians can support you in understanding these instructions, including ensuring you are taking the correct medications, in the right dosage, at the right times.
We are here to help and will resolve any uncertainties you may have about your recovery process or put you in touch with the right people to have your questions answered.
We can also facilitate assistance with personal care or other needs if required.
Where can I receive Healthcare at Home services?
After hospital care at home is available in:
- Victoria – Ballarat, Bendigo, Berwick and Geelong
- Western Australia – across metropolitan Perth, Mandurah and Bunbury (including Busselton, Collie and Harvey).
Rehabilitation at home is available in:
- Western Australia – across metropolitan Perth
