Recovering at Home vs Convalescent Care: How to Decide After Major Surgery

After major surgery, many patients’ first instinct is to go home and recover. 

However, that isn’t always the best approach. Some individuals can benefit more from something called “convalescent care” — a kind of a halfway house between long-term home care and acute hospital stays. 

If you’re currently looking after somebody who has been through major surgery, you may have asked yourself whether they should recover at home or in a professional setting. Fortunately, this guide gives you an honest and straightforward comparison of these options. 

At Rustington Convalescence Home in Rustington, West Sussex, we understand how challenging it can be for major surgery patients to regain their health. We explain what each care option involves and then provide a decision checklist so you can make a more informed decision. 

What does “recovering at home” actually involve?

Recovering at home is the preferred option for many families and their loved ones. In fact, it was probably the first thing that popped into your head when you thought about how your relative would recover post-op!

Many people prefer getting better at home because they’re in familiar surroundings and it’s emotionally comfortable. Financially, there are also fewer direct costs, which is appealing for those on limited budgets.

However, costs are not zero. Recovering at home means patients are reliant on family and friends — or even paid carers — to take care of them during the recovery phase. 

They may also need to invest in various home adaptations, including:

• raised toilet seats
• downstairs sleeping arrangements
• rails on front doors and stairs

Then, there is the requirement for physiotherapy and follow-up appointments, which recovering patients can find challenging to access.

Overall, the hidden costs of recovering at home can be quite high. It may curtail family time, or cause relatives to miss work and lose out on pay. Carers (like you) can burn out, leading to further expenses down the line.

What is convalescent care, exactly?

Of course, many people aren’t 100% sure what convalescence care is in the first place. What does it actually involve?

Unlike conventional care, convalescent care is short-term, lasting between one and six weeks, and is focused on recovery. However, it still includes meals, accommodation, personal care, and 24/7 nursing support, similar to a nursing home.

Many convalescent centres offer adjacent services to assist with recovery, too. These can include:

• Mobility support
• Medication management
• Physiotherapy access

Convalescent care is different from other forms of support in important ways, For example, it does not permit long-term residents like nursing homes, or provide acute medical support like hospitals. 

Ultimately, you can think of convalescent care as a form of aftercare. Most patients use it for short-term post-operative recovery services or post-hospital step-down. 

With that said, it does have other uses. Respite care for family carers is often essential (when you take a break from looking after your loved one). This gives everyone a break and prevents people from burning out.

Convalescence care is also used for illness recovery. Sometimes serious illnesses can take the same or more of a toll on the body than surgery, necessitating a medically supportive environment. Read more on what a convalescent home offers here.

Side-by-side comparison — home recovery vs convalescent care

We think visual comparisons can often be better than theoretical ones. Therefore, we’ve prepared the following table which compares various dimensions of home recovery versus convalescent care:

Table: Convalescent home vs home recovery

When home recovery is the right choice

We’ll be blunt with you: home recovery is genuinely the right choice in many cases for recovering surgery patients. 

For instance, it’s usually best if you or another loved one is able to be there for the patient full time, especially during the critical first two weeks. As long as you’re committed and not at risk of burning out, it can work well.

It can also work if the home is set up for a person recovering from surgery. Single-story properties that have been adapted with facilities downstairs, including a bed, are usually best. 

Home recovery also makes sense when the patient is generally fit pre-surgery, and the procedure went well. Fortunately, most surgeries go to plan, and so the home-based recovery option makes sense. However, the reverse is true if there are complications. Patients need easier access to immediate care just in case their recovery goes off track.

Finally, recovery at home may be the right option if your loved one strongly prefers being in their house. For some people, the emotional benefits of staying in the home outweigh other factors like close access to medical support and rehabilitation services. 

Just make sure that, if you are planning home recovery, follow-up appointments and physiotherapy are accessible. If your loved one can’t get to these appointments, it can impact their recovery and prevent them from living the full lifestyle that they want in the future.

When convalescent care is the right choice

By contrast, sometimes convalescent care is the right choice. 

For example, let’s say that a patient lives alone or with someone who cannot provide them with full-time support. In these cases, it can pay dividends for them to remain in a convalescent home where they can get the around-the-clock care they need to make a full recovery. Being stuck at home by oneself can actually delay care and prevent individuals from getting the support they need to get back to their best.

Convalescent care is also right when a home has accessibility issues like steep stairs, narrow doorways, and high steps through the front door. These can make independent living more challenging and force high spending on home modifications. 

For example, you might have to install a chair lift or a new bathroom to make it safe for somebody recovering from surgery. Both of these options require spending several thousand pounds.

When the surgery is major (for example, on the heart, abdomen, knee, or hip) and recovery is likely to take longer than three weeks, convalescent care can be the best option. Specialists are often needed to monitor the patient during the critical recovery phase. 

Finally, convalescence care might be the best option if you, your extended family, or the patient themselves is anxious about the recovery process. For example, they might not want to be left alone, or a carer might have other financial commitments that they can’t escape. Sometimes family carers need to protect their time for work or recover from caring fatigue.

The decision checklist

Below, we present our decision checklist — a series of questions with simple yes or no answers. Our view is that if you answer three or more of the following questions with a yes, it strongly signals that convalescent care is worth considering in your situation.

Here are the questions to ask yourself:

• Will the patient be alone for any part of the first 14 days?
• Are there stairs between the bedroom and bathroom?
• Is the patient over 70?
• Has there been a fall in the last 12 months?
• Will the main carer need to be out of the house for work?
• Does the patient have diabetes, heart disease, or a similar condition?
• Will physiotherapy require travel?
• Does anyone in the family feel anxious about coping?

For example, let’s say that the surgery patient is over age 70 and has had a fall in the last 12 months. If the main carer also needs to be out of the house for work, it would make sense for that person to be in a safe environment like convalescent care.

Similarly, if people in the family feel anxious about coping with the responsibility of looking after somebody at home and physiotherapy will require travel, then lack of accessibility between the bathroom and the bedroom, means staying in a convalescence facility may be better.

Combining the two — using convalescent care as a bridge

Of course, decisions about convalescent care don’t have to be all or nothing. You can always combine it with home care, depending on your loved one’s situation.

For example, many people choose a two- to three-week convalescent stay post-op, followed by a home stay for the remainder of the recovery. The convalescent centre deals with the most challenging phase of recovery, and then the rest happens in a familiar environment.

In fact, this is the most common pattern that we see at Rustington Convalescent Home. It doesn’t have to be either/or; it can be both. Convalescent care is like a bridge between a conventional acute hospital stay and full home independence. It’s something you can add on to your loved one’s recovery plan depending on their needs and doctor’s recommendations.

How to arrange convalescent care

Arranging convalescence care is simple with Rustington Convalescent Home in West Sussex. Thanks to our charity status, we subsidise the cost of care by over 50%. 

To get in touch, you can:

• Call us on 01903 783 368
• Email us an enquiry telling us about your requirements for yourself or a loved one

Please provide your:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Email address
• The type of enquiry you want to make

Send us any details you think are relevant, and we can get back to you. 

You can also book your stay directly from our website. Simply provide your information and request a booking. We’d love to hear from you or your loved one and welcome you to our outstanding facilities. Discuss a stay with us today.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a convalescent home and a nursing home?

A convalescent home is for short-term recovery and rehabilitation, usually after a major medical event like a hip replacement, severe illness, or stroke. It is a halfway house between the hospital and returning home.

By contrast, a nursing home is for long-term and complex care. The goal of this type of facility is to manage chronic and ongoing or progressive conditions where independent recovery is no longer possible or likely. Residents remain in nursing homes long-term, usually with a registered nurse on site 24/7 to manage their medical needs.

How long do people typically stay in convalescent care?

People typically stay in convalescent care for one to six weeks. State-funded intermediate care often lasts up to six weeks, but self-funding privately can extend your stay for longer if necessary. 

Can I book convalescent care before surgery?

You can book convalescent care before surgery if you’re self-funding or going private. In fact, this is highly recommended, especially if you are undergoing surgery that requires a long recovery period, like a hip arthroplasty.

Will the NHS arrange convalescent care for me?

The NHS and local authorities do not pre-book or guarantee free convalescent care before surgery. Funding allocation is reactionary and decided by the hospital discharge team. As such, the NHS will only arrange convalescent care for you if they believe it is medically necessary.

Do I need a referral from my GP or consultant?

If you are self-funding your convalescent care, you do not require a formal GP referral. However, you will need a medical assessment, even if you are paying out of pocket.

If you want to go the NHS route, you will need a referral from your GP or consultant. Medical professionals will conduct a formal assessment of your condition before deciding whether convalescent care is right for you.