Benefits of Staying at a Senior Rehabilitation Center
If you or your loved one has had a stroke, serious illness, major injury or other medical issue, including joint replacement surgery, your doctor may suggest recovering in a senior rehabilitation center before you return home. Choosing to stay in a senior rehab center allows you to fully focus on your recovery with daily rehab sessions and fewer distractions than staying in your own home. As a result, you may recover more fully and quickly get back to living your life. You may be asking yourself, “How do I evaluate the rehabilitation centers for seniors near me?” This post will show you the levels of care you can expect to find at a senior rehabilitation center and which ones could benefit you.
What is senior rehabilitation?
A short-term rehabilitation community offers personalized care in a relaxing homelike setting where you can focus on healing. They’ll have a dedicated team of professionals, including nurses, therapists, dietitians and social workers to address your or your loved one’s needs. They also feature private bedrooms and bathrooms, dining options, and other amenities to make your recovery as smooth as possible.
Most senior rehabilitation centers will offer a full spectrum of care, including:
- Physical Therapy: Typically used after a serious injury or joint replacement, physical therapy helps speed up the recovery process by improving mobility, strength and balance. It can also help alleviate pain from chronic conditions like arthritis or osteoporosis.
- Occupational Therapy: This therapy type is vital for seniors recovering from an injury, illness or stroke. Occupational therapy enables you to participate in activities of daily living, like bathing, dressing and eating. It also has tools to help with the early stages of memory loss.
- Speech/Language Therapy: After a stroke or traumatic brain injury, speech therapy can help teach safe techniques to decrease the risk of choking while eating and help those who have difficulty communicating, hearing, swallowing or eating. It may also be prescribed for those with communication problems due to dementia.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Rehabilitation
Regaining health and independence is the goal of both short- and long-term rehabilitation. Depending on your needs and your physician’s care plan, a stay in a short-term skilled rehabilitation center can last anywhere from a few days to about a month. If the illness or injury is more severe and requires care over several months, your doctor may recommend long-term rehabilitation.
Both short- and long-term rehabilitation centers provide around-the-clock care, treatment and supervision while closely monitoring the progress of your overall health.
Researching senior rehab centers near me.
If you or a loved one has an upcoming major surgery or are going to be discharged from the hospital, we’d be happy to discuss your short- or long-term rehabilitation options with you. To learn more, you can contact us here. One of our retirement counselors will be in touch with you soon.