Questions About Short-Term Rehabilitation For Seniors

Short-term rehabilitation centers are one option for seniors to heal after an injury. Many people are less familiar with this care option than nursing homes and other longer term care options. Here are some common questions about short-term rehabilitation for seniors. 

What is Short-Term Rehabilitation?

Short-term rehabilitation is designed to provide an intermediate level of care for seniors who have suffered a recent injury or illness. The stay may come directly after an inpatient hospital stay, when the patient is no longer sick enough to be in a hospital but not quite well enough to go back to their home. 

Short-term rehabilitation services can provide a variety of care types. Skilled nursing is a common one; medical staff will monitor the patient's vitals and provide nursing skills, such as administering IVs or changing dressings on wounds. There is also a level of emotional care that comes with short-term rehabilitation, since the attendants will be able to meet the person's needs for comfort and pain relief. It's a great option when family is not able to stay with the person as they heal or there is a higher level of medical attention needed. 

What Kinds of Facilities Are There?

Short-term rehabilitation options are varied. Some of the facilities are regular assisted living communities that provide short-term stay accommodations. Assisted living is a great option, because if the stay ends up being longer than expected, you're already comfortable with the staff and facility of your chosen assisted living home. There are also facilities designated specifically for short-term stays, with nurses and staff trained specifically to deal with these kinds of situations. 

How Can We Pay for Short-Term Rehabilitation?

One thing that prevents families from looking into assisted living for their senior loved ones is cost. But there are a few ways to pay for short-term stays without dipping into your own savings. The first thing to look into is medicare; the medicare program will sometimes pay for these stays as long as the patient requires skilled nursing care. Medicaid is another option for low-income seniors, and with this program, you have the potential to get a longer term stay covered. The assisted living facility itself may help you out by giving a discount or creating a payment plan for families in need. It is worth looking into by contacting a great facility like All Care Hawaii to see what your options are. 

Share