Surgery Recovery Tech
Heal at home. Use the tools.
Set up BEFORE surgery
- Echo / Google Home by bedside — hands-free help.
- Echo Show with video calling — keep family in loop.
- Mom's Meals or Magic Kitchen — pre-order 14 days of meals.
- Medical alert button if living alone.
- Pillpack delivery set up for new prescriptions.
- Reacher / grabber tool — picks up dropped items.
- Phone charger by bed.
- Toilet riser / shower bench — borrow from PT or Medicare.
Voice commands during recovery
- "Alexa, call my daughter."
- "Alexa, set timer for next pain pill at 2 PM."
- "Hey Google, what time is it?"
- "Alexa, play classical music."
- "Hey Google, turn on bedroom light."
- "Alexa, drop in on living room" — see family camera.
- "Alexa, order more Tylenol."
Track recovery
- Medication app (Medisafe) for new pain meds.
- Apple Health — track walking, heart rate, sleep.
- Apple Watch detects falls — auto-calls 911.
- Patient portal (MyChart) — message surgeon between visits.
- Photo wound daily — show surgeon if concern.
- Physical therapy app for at-home exercises.
Free + insurance-covered help
- Home health aide — Medicare often covers post-hospital.
- Physical therapy at home — Medicare covered with referral.
- Mom's Meals — Medicare Advantage often covers 14-30 days post-hospital.
- Medical equipment rental — Medicare covers walkers, commodes.
- Senior companion volunteer — through AAA.
- Family medical leave — 12 weeks unpaid for working family caregivers.
Don't recover alone if avoidable
First 1-2 weeks are highest risk. Have someone stay overnight if possible. Hire night aide $20-30/hr. Worth it for peace of mind. Hospital re-admission is 30% in seniors recovering alone — half the cost of just having help.