Navigating the dynamics of senior care services can be confusing and stressful, even when your elderly loved one only needs minor support. Fortunately, there are various senior care options with different levels of personal care, support, cost, and medical care. The communities where these senior care services are provided also differ significantly.
When your elderly loved one gets discharged from a hospital, your doctor might refer you to an inpatient rehabilitation center. A senior rehabilitation center offers your aged loved one a safe and supportive recovery environment, but families often struggle with this time-sensitive decision.
Understanding the type of care that senior rehabilitation centers offer, how to pay for them and how beneficial they are will help you choose the best senior rehab care available.
What’s a Senior Rehabilitation Center?
A senior rehabilitation center is a nursing facility/service designed to help aging adults recover from injuries and manage severe medical conditions. They help to reduce your loved one’s pain and improve their body function through different services like:
- Occupational therapy – To help with daily living activities, fine motor skills, and adaptive equipment like wheelchairs.
- Physical therapy – Improves balance and mobility, increases strength and flexibility, and manages pain.
- Speech therapy – assists with conditions that affect cognitive skills, communication, and swallowing.
Types of Senior Rehabilitation Services in Heber Springs, AR
The main difference between senior rehabilitation centers is where the services are offered. Of course, the service location depends on the level of professional care that an aged loved one needs.
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Rehabilitation services
A senior rehab center may offer professional inpatient and outpatient services. An inpatient rehabilitation facility is recommended for seniors who need continuous monitoring and round-the-clock care.
An inpatient rehab center works best for an elderly loved one recovering from a serious injury, major surgery, or a debilitating disease. Such a facility will offer intensive care that includes daily occupational, physical, and speech therapy.
Outpatient rehab also offers occupational, physical, and speech therapy, but seniors live at home and visit rehabilitation facilities. Outpatient rehab is best suited for mobile seniors who can access transportation to appointments.
Short-term and long-term rehabilitation services
Your aged loved one’s health condition will determine whether they need long-term or short-term rehabilitation. For instance, a senior might only need short-term inpatient rehabilitation after minor surgery. However, serious conditions like a traumatic brain injury, stroke, or heart disease might require months of rehabilitative services from a skilled nursing facility that offers round-the-clock care.
Your loved one’s medical professional will consider the extent of their injury or illness and advise you on the rehabilitative services they need to make a full recovery. You can discuss the situation together and know whether your aging loved one needs a skilled nursing facility or other options.
Benefits of Senior Rehabilitation Care
Senior rehab centers make life easier for everyone while your loved one goes through the recovery process. Other benefits of senior rehabilitation services include:
- Comprehensive treatment programs
Traveling back and forth to an outpatient medical facility can be difficult when dealing with severe injuries and chronic medical conditions. An inpatient rehab center like StoneBridge Senior Living in Heber Springs offers skilled medical care, occupational therapy, and other services in a safe and comfortable environment.
- Close supervision
Senior rehabilitation centers closely monitor their patients throughout their treatment to help them regain their independence as soon as possible. The skilled professionals will devote time to address any ongoing issue from your surgery or injury while building your skills and strength through therapy.
- Enhanced quality of life
Active participation in a senior rehabilitation program helps aged adults to regain a high level of function and enjoy a good quality of life.
- Reduced stress
Recovering from a chronic illness or serious injury can be stressful. A senior rehab center can offer counseling services to help patients remain positive and focus on recovering.
Choosing a Senior Rehab Care Location in Heber Springs
Depending on your loved one’s needs, senior rehab care in Heber Springs, AR, can take place in different settings, including:
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Skilled nursing facilities (rehab hospitals) offer short-term, in-house rehabilitation services for patients who need 24-hours of medical services and professional nursing care. These inpatient rehab centers have a clinical feel, with shared rooms, hospital beds, social services, and dietary counseling.
Some approved facilities might be covered by medicare, provided the patient moves into a skilled nursing home within a month of a hospital stay lasting over two days.
In-Home Rehabilitation
Some senior rehabilitation services can be offered in the comfort of your home through a health agency. Your medical insurance can pay the rehabilitation cost, providing affordable professional care from licensed medical professionals.
With in-home rehab, a licensed medical professional comes to your home and performs specific tasks ordered by your physician. These medical tasks may include providing wound care, administering injections, health monitoring, and physical therapy.
Assisted Living Facilities
A local assisted living facility in Heber Springs can help you or your loved one complete physical rehabilitation. Most of these facilities have occupational therapy and physical therapy rooms for the seniors to use advanced equipment for their well-being.
After rehabilitation, seniors who expect to live at home but aren’t ready should request short-term respite care in an assisted living facility. Respite care is excellent for seniors who have completed their rehab but are yet to regain the confidence to live at home.
Getting respite care in a local assisted living community gives you the comfort to recover quickly. It also gives you peace of mind knowing a well-trained professional can help you 24 hours a day.
Are you looking for an innovative senior rehab center in Heber Springs, AR? StoneBridge Senior Living can help!
StoneBridge Senior Living is a trusted, family-owned senior care facility that offers exceptional rehab care in Heber Springs, AR. Call 636.477.3280 to help your elderly loved ones recover comfortably!