People need short-term rehabilitation for a variety of reasons. Maybe a loved one has surgery scheduled and the recovery plan includes physical and occupational therapy in order to get them to regain their mobility. Or they had a stroke, or their chronic illness flared up, and they need help to regain, maintain or improve abilities they need for their best possible daily life. Accidents and injuries happen, and healing from those can be easier with the support of a pro-fessional health care team in a residential setting.
Sometimes short-term rehabilitation is goal oriented with a specific program of therapies put into place to reach that goal – like dancing at a grandchild’s wedding or getting back to garden-ing.
When it’s time to find a short-term rehab program, it’s important to look for a few things and ask the right questions so a loved one has the best possible chance for a successful recovery.
Planned Stays in Residential Short-Term Rehabilitation Programs
If your loved one plans to move into residential short-term rehabilitation after surgery, or to address a specific health problem with targeted therapies, here are some things to consider.
The first factor to think about is location. The best short-term rehabilitation program won’t be effective if your loved one is lonely, or feeling isolated, on top of the distress of having a health challenge. Visitors give your loved one a chance to process their stress and worry with an em-pathetic person, which in turn lowers distress and promotes relief – and healing.
So, if possible, find a residential program that is near family and friends so it’s easy to visit.
Before you decide on a program, be sure to tour the location and see the space in person. How well is it maintained? What’s it like to interact with the staff? Do the meals look healthy and tasty?
On the more practical, and less “what’s the vibe” list are questions about actual care and avail-ability of services. Not all short-term rehabilitation programs offer every kind of therapy, so it’s important to know what is offered and make sure the therapies meet the needs of your loved one.
Some questions to ask include:
- Are there on-site physicians available, or will patients be able to see and work with their own provider or surgeon?
- How often does the program take care of individuals with your loved one’s specific health concern or medical problem? (This information should be backed by solid data.)
- What specific protocols, or plan, do they have for your loved one’s successful recovery?
- What therapies, including physical, mental, occupational and speech, are available?
- Which of these will be part of the rehab program, how often and for how long? Are ther-apeutic sessions available on the weekends?
- Will your loved one be cared for by the same therapists in each session?
- Does your loved one’s insurance, or Medicare, cover his or her entire stay and all treat-ments? If not, how are these expenses usually covered?
Again, since the point of residential short-term rehabilitation is to have the best possible recov-ery it’s important to make sure the program aligns with your loved one’s needs and goals. Any question you have, ask!
Unanticipated Stays in Short-Term Rehabilitation Programs
When you need to find a short-term rehabilitation program ASAP there are quick ways to re-search your options.
For instance, if residential rehab is recommended by hospital staff after a stay in the hospital, the health care team at the hospital will often have a list of recommended short-term rehabili-tation programs.
Ask the hospital staff if there’s a particular person you can talk to at each of the establishments. Then call that person to explain your situation and ask questions, starting with, “do you have room for my loved one?” If you run into hurdles, see if the staff at the hospital can help.
Most health care centers that offer short-term rehabilitation, including senior living communi-ties, have a solid online presence. Check out websites, reviews and testimonials. A great re-source for a quick overview of rehabilitation programs is the Care Compare website created by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The website features a quality rating system that gives each program or senior living community a rating of between one and five stars. The rating is based on health inspections, staffing and overall quality. Those with five stars are considered to have much above average quality while those with one star have quality much below average.
At Country Meadows, we are pleased to consistently be ranked as a high-quality senior living community. Our Bethlehem location, which offers short-term rehabilitation to residents and non-residents, continues to have a five-star rating from CMS. In many of our other campuses, we have our Pathways Restorative Services™ which provides short- and long-term assistance to people who need more support than a traditional personal-care setting.
As with any good short-term rehabilitation program, we are person-centered in our approach. All our therapeutic activities focus on energizing and strengthening residents to improve their ability to manage daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and walking.
Heading Home After a Stay in a Short-Term Rehabilitation Program
Successful short-term rehabilitation gives your loved one the opportunity to return home.
This transition, from full care to more independent, is something to be celebrated! It’s also a move that needs to be planned and managed in order to go well.
Ask the staff to take the time to teach your loved one, and you or other caregivers, about the care your loved one will need at home. If professional at-home care is needed, set that up be-fore your loved one is released from short term rehabilitation. Work with your loved one’s care team, including case managers and therapists, to make sure that any necessary assistive equipment, such as a walker, is in place. Also, make sure their home is well-adapted to their current abilities.
Once you have a plan for your loved one’s homecoming – enjoy! Your short-term rehabilitation efforts have succeeded.
Country Meadows Retirement Communities has campuses in Pennsylvania and Frederick, Md. Senior living options include independent living, assisted living/personal care and restorative care services. Schedule a personalized visit today to see why U.S. News & World Report rated Country Meadows communities as Best Senior Living options in 2024.
