@comeoutdancing: That sounds like an ideal back-up plan! You're quite welcome for any info we can provide here; I'm certain members who have had it done will weigh it, too.

Let me know how it goes....best of luck to you and you'll be back dancing in 2027!

@comeoutdancing We have a friend in rehab right now who posed the same question to his care team. Their answer "It is not just the issue of getting up the stairs. There is a safety issue if you cannot also go down the stairs in case of an emergency. "
They refuse to release him until he can do both. Also, we never know how we will do after surgery- if all goes perfectly, going home might be possible, but if you have any complications, or a lot of pain, it might be wise to have help at hand. I have had 5 hip replacements/ revisions and every one was different. Finally help at hand for the first several days can make sure you are getting food, ice, hydration and pain meds on schedule, which can speed your recovery.

Perhaps a week or two in a rehab facility is the best bet?

@comeoutdancing
I am an active 71-year-old, 3 weeks post total knee replacement. My 2 levels of stairs are within my home, so I set up a bed downstairs in case I couldn't navigate the stairs. However, it turns out that I was able to go upstairs and preferred my adjustable bed in my bedroom. If you are just concerned about getting into your apartment on day 1, on the same day of surgery, I found that because there was a nerve block and other pain medicine, I was quite capable of going up stairs.
Alternatively, if you're unsure, and you have the option to go to skilled nursing/rehab for the first couple weeks, that might be a good solution, and you can get PT there.