Deciding whether your parent could benefit from a senior rehab center, also known as a skilled nursing facility, can be an overwhelming decision. Understanding the benefits can bring clarity to your choice. If your loved one has endured deterioration in functioning, finding a skill-rehab center may be essential to getting them back on their feet and returning to daily life.
What is skilled rehab?
Skilled rehab provides seniors with the necessary tools to regain their independence and improve their overall quality of life. For seniors who require rehab, each aspect of their treatment is tailored based on their personal diagnosis and goals for recovery.
By focusing on preventative and restorative measures, rehabilitation can improve functioning in a physical, mental, or social manner. It allows seniors to return to their full range of functioning and encourages full control of their life for years to come.
Rehab may be an option for seniors who have faced a variety of illnesses or injuries. Perhaps your parent experienced a heart attack, stroke, surgery, or fall. A doctor’s referral to a skilled-nursing, or rehab facility, after a hospital stay may provide them with support they need to get back on their feet and return to their normal lifestyle.
The Different Elements of Rehab
Physical Therapy
In this form of rehabilitation, skilled nurses work with residents in training for increased mobility, gait stability, posture, and positioning. Your nurse will dedicate time to identifying which form of physical therapy will be most beneficial to your diagnosis and create an outlined plan toward reaching your recovery goals. This individualized treatment may also include joint and soft tissue mobilization along with wound care and pain management. Your nurse will also be able to provide you with exercise programs to increase muscle function and ensure you have a smooth recovery from start to finish.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is similar to physical therapy but instead focuses on providing you a way to be independent in your everyday activities. Our occupational therapists will work with residents in areas such as dressing, bathing, eating, grooming, and other aspects of daily living. Through this form of rehabilitation, your skilled nurse may provide adaptive techniques or equipment to help overcome barriers. You will also be given take-home exercises to increase independence in daily activities.
Speech Therapy
Skilled-nursing facilities also provided speech therapy. Speech therapy focuses on the improvement of language, communication, and swallowing dysfunction. In some cases after stroke, speech therapy is recommended after stroke. There are varying treatment plans which can include speech recovery, language, and memory skills. There is also a focus on finding activities to promote memory, orientation, and cognitive abilities as well. As your loved one goes through this form of rehabilitation, your skilled nurse will provide recommendations for oral muscle strength along with safe diet recommendations based on individual needs.
What are Short-Term Rehab Facilities?
Short-term rehab facilities are designed specifically for those who are recovering from surgery or injury and allow the patient to have access to the therapies and treatment they need to get home quicker. Rather than recovering at home, short-term rehab facilities provide a safe environment with specialized equipment along with access to therapists and nurses 24/7 to ensure patients receive the best care possible.
Patients have exposure to social interaction which can improve overall mood and well-being during an already stressful time. Knowing that your parent is surrounded by skilled nurses, and has access to social interaction and specialized equipment can provide ease to both the patient and family members during an overwhelming time.
Why Should You Consider a Rehab Facility for Your Loved One?
One of the greatest benefits of rehabilitation at a skilled nursing facility is the ability to create an individualized and tailored plan based on your needs and goals. Rehab is created to return a patient to their highest level of functioning and provide ways to make this transition as easy as possible.
Outside of personalization, rehab also allows patients to reach a higher quality of wellness and experience less long-term pain. Rehab provides patients with new forms of therapy and strategies to reduce pain, including management skills to make everyday life easier even after leaving a rehab program.
Naturally, many children of parents want to take an active role in their parents’ rehab. However, choosing a rehab center to take care of your parent’s treatment reduces stress on both parties involved. It can be overwhelming to be responsible for the entirety of your parent’s care, and by placing trust in a rehab center, your parent can receive the best care possible, while allowing you to be their support system rather than their sole caretaker.
Why Choose Charlestown Place?
If you find rehabilitation could be helpful to your parent’s recovery, Charlestown Place in Charlestown, Indiana could be the rehabilitation center for you. Treatments are offered throughout the week at our highly-equipped facility by licensed professional therapists so that no matter how busy your schedule may be, we can accommodate you and your patient’s needs.
Our office is also equipped with flat-screen TVs, telephones, and daily newspaper services so you can feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible while in our office.
Our number-one priority at Charlestown Place is providing your parent with a place you can trust to get them back on track. Our goal is simple: to help individuals live dignified and optimally independent lives. If you are looking for a rehab center dedicated to ensuring your parent can meet and maintain all their recovery needs then Charlestown Place is the center for you. To schedule a consultation, click here.
