When people think about rehabilitation services, what normally comes to mind is a nursing home. Patients who have suffered a serious illness, or who have been the victim of an accident that has left them with some type of disability, will often need to spend some time in a facility after leaving the hospital where they will receive rehabilitation services. A nursing home is the place most people will receive the kind of care they need without remaining in the hospital, but are still not quite ready for life at home.
Nursing homes offer 24 hr skilled care, in addition to different types of therapy seven days a week. Elderly people who need a high level of medical care will stay in a nursing home as opposed to a senior living facility because the staff at a nursing home is trained to handle the types of treatment required. There are also accommodations at some facilities for older married couples who both need medical care to be able to stay together. A nursing home will offer both long term care services and short term care services. The staff is trained to care for individuals suffering from various pulmonary disorders, dementia, and chronic heart ailments, in addition to an unlimited number of other diseases and disorders. They are trained in speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.
People will choose different nursing home facilities depending upon what type of care they require. While, as stated before, some nursing homes are more of a hospital set up, others are created to be more of a community, and will offer a common room where residents can relax and spend time together, and even a kitchen that will be open to everyone. Rehabilitation services will be offered in both types of nursing homes; however, the level of care will always depend upon the needs of the clients. Many nursing homes have a special section specifically for Alzheimer’s patients, as well as patients suffering from other memory loss conditions.
Physical therapy one of the most successful types of rehabilitation services. PT helps a person who has been the victim of a debilitating accident, as well as someone who has been seriously ill and needs to gain back the ability to function normally again. Physical therapy strengthens the body, assists the patient in getting back to normal life, and can help in the recovery process after an illness or surgery.
Speech therapy is also a very important service when, for example, a patient has suffered a stroke which has affected his or her ability to speak. These types of therapies are offered by nursing facilities for patients whether they need long or short term care.
When in need of finding a nursing home for a family member, or other individual who needs the type of care it can offer following a hospital stay, it is best to shop around and find a facility that offers exactly what the patient needs. The individual’s physical health, and probably their emotional health as well, are both important and need to be strengthened and healed.