Hip and knee replacement surgery changes how you move for a while, and that includes how you get from place to place. You will need a ride home from the hospital, rides to follow-up visits, and rides to physical therapy over the weeks that follow. This guide explains how to plan each of those trips in Asheville and Western North Carolina so your recovery stays on schedule and your new joint stays protected.
Quick Summary
- Plan your ride home before surgery day, since discharge times can be hard to predict.
- Expect a series of recurring trips for follow-up visits and therapy appointments.
- Ask your surgical team for guidance on sitting, bending, and getting in and out of a vehicle, then share it with your driver.
- Door-to-door service with hands-on assistance reduces the strain of moving between home, vehicle, and appointment.
- Loyal Lifts serves Buncombe and surrounding counties with a wheelchair accessible vehicle, forward-facing seating, and consistent drivers.
Planning the Ride Home From the Hospital
The ride home is often the first real test of getting around with a new hip or knee. Hospital discharge tends to run on the hospital's timeline, and families sometimes learn the release time with little notice. Having transportation arranged ahead of time removes one source of stress on a day that already has plenty.
The family car can also present challenges. A low seat, a high step into an SUV, or a tight door opening can ask more of a healing joint than your surgeon may want. Our guide on how to plan hospital discharge transportation covers this process in more detail, including what to ask before the day arrives.
Steps to Take Before Surgery
Use this checklist in the days leading up to your procedure:
- Ask your surgical team about your expected discharge window and any precautions for riding in a vehicle.
- Book your ride home and share the hospital name, the unit, and whether you will use a walker or wheelchair.
- Collect your follow-up and therapy schedule so you can arrange recurring rides early.
- Decide who will be at home when you arrive.
- Ask your transportation provider whether a wheelchair can be supplied for the trip if you do not own one.
How Door-to-Door Service Supports Recovery
Many transportation services stop at the curb. For someone a few days out from joint replacement, the distance between a hospital entrance and a vehicle, or between a car door and the front porch, can feel long.
Loyal Lifts carries premium insurance, which allows our drivers to go beyond sidewalk drop-off and pickup. Your driver can assist you to the vehicle, secure you safely, and help you get settled once you arrive. Medical appointments often involve long corridors, and carrying a purse, a bag, or discharge paperwork through them adds strain you do not need.
Hospital Pickup for Retirement Community Residents
For residents of continuing care retirement communities, we can pick up from a hospital room and assist to the vehicle for the return home. You can learn more on our CCRC transportation page. Loyal Lifts is an authorized transportation service for Deerfield Retirement Community.
A Wheelchair When You Need One
If your recovery calls for a wheelchair for the trip, we can provide one upon request. We do not carry a wheelchair on every ride, so mention this when you book.
Recurring Rides During Recovery
The trip home is only the beginning. Recovery usually includes a schedule of follow-up visits and therapy sessions, and each one requires a dependable ride.
Follow-Up Appointments
Follow-up visits with your surgeon are a key part of the process. Our medical transportation services include non-emergency doctor visits and medical appointment transportation throughout our service area. We also work directly with some medical practices and their patient booking teams to create a seamless pickup process.
Physical Therapy Visits
Therapy appointments can stack up quickly. Booking them as a series of scheduled rides makes the routine easier to manage. Ask about rates for recurring, scheduled rides when you call.
Waiting or Returning
Your driver can wait during your appointment or return later to pick you up. Our base service fee is charged only once per trip. If the driver leaves and comes back, only mileage resumes. Contact us for current rates and wait time details.
Getting Back to Everyday Life
As you regain strength, you will want to do more than attend appointments. Our personal transportation service is designed for residents who are temporarily disabled due to injury, illness, or age, as well as those with permanent disabilities.
Trips we can help with include:
- Grocery and personal shopping
- Dining with friends and family
- Church services and social events
- Errands and sightseeing
Staying connected to your normal routine supports your sense of independence while your joint heals. You can read more about that idea in our article on maintaining autonomy with limited mobility.
Easing the Load on Family Caregivers
A spouse, adult child, or friend often steps in to drive after joint replacement. That help is valuable, though repeated trips to the hospital, the surgeon's office, and therapy can wear a caregiver down. Physically helping someone in and out of a car adds to the strain.
Our article on caregiver burnout and the transportation burden explores this challenge. Sharing the driving with a professional service gives caregivers time to rest, work, or simply be present as family.
What Riding With Loyal Lifts Is Like
Comfort counts during recovery, and our vehicle was chosen with that in mind. Here is what riders can expect:
- Forward-facing seating. Getting into the vehicle is easy, and all passengers face the front.
- Room to breathe. Only three people ride in the vehicle at a time.
- Comfort features. Heated front seats and a sunroof make the ride more pleasant.
- Discreet arrival. We arrive quietly, with no backup horns or large "disability" logos.
- Consistent drivers. We are family owned and local residents who know the area well.
Loyal Lifts is fully insured, and our drivers are highly trained and professional.
Tips for a Comfortable Ride
A few simple habits can make each trip smoother:
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing that is easy to move in.
- Bring your walker, cane, or other mobility aid, and let your driver know in advance.
- Keep your discharge papers, appointment details, and medication list in one folder.
- Share any movement precautions from your care team with your driver.
- Allow extra time so you never feel rushed getting in or out of the vehicle.
Scheduling and Policies
Our standard hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Weekend and after-hours rides may be available for an additional fee, so call to check. Rides must be canceled with more than 24 hours notice, or the service fee will be charged. We accept all major credit cards, checks, and cash, though drivers cannot provide change. Visit our services page for a full overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Loyal Lifts take me home from the hospital after joint replacement surgery?
Yes. We provide non-emergency transportation, and our premium insurance allows our drivers to go beyond the curb and assist you to the vehicle. Residents of continuing care retirement communities can be picked up from their hospital room.
Can my driver wait while I attend physical therapy?
Yes. Your driver can wait during your appointment or return afterward. The base service fee is charged only once per trip, and only mileage resumes if the driver returns later.
What if I do not have a wheelchair?
We can provide a wheelchair upon request. Since we do not carry one on every ride, please mention it when you schedule.
Do you offer rides outside Buncombe County?
Yes. We serve Buncombe and surrounding counties in Western North Carolina. Call us for pricing on trips outside Buncombe County.
How do I schedule recurring rides for my recovery?
Call us at 828-674-6471 or use our contact form. Share your appointment schedule, and ask about rates for recurring, scheduled rides.
Plan Your Recovery Rides With Confidence
Transportation after hip or knee replacement works best when it is planned before surgery and handled by people who understand mobility challenges. Loyal Lifts offers door-to-door, wheelchair accessible rides for discharge day, follow-up visits, therapy, and the everyday trips that help you feel like yourself again. Contact us or call 828-674-6471 to set up your next Loyal Lift ride.