The in's and out's of short-term rehabilitation therapy - - what it is and who needs it.
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If you’ve experienced an accident, illness, or had any surgery lately, you’ll know that hospitals stays have become shorter and shorter. As the largest collector of longitudinal hospital care data in the United States, The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) published a report in June of 2017 on the subject of the length of hospital stays with data collected between 2005 and 2014, and confirmed what you experienced - - the length of hospital stays are in fact decreasing. So what do you do when it’s time to leave the hospital but you’re not ready to resume independent living?
That’s where short-term rehab, also known as post-acute rehab, comes into play. Short-term rehab is a form of secondary healthcare where patients receive active but short-term treatment required after a hospital stay for an accident, illness, or surgery and prescribed by a physician. And while it may be tempting to have a family member or friend help during this time, there is no replacement for the professional care you’ll receive at a short-term rehab facility such as Cortland Acres’ Blackwater Short-Term Rehab Center.
So when you’re searching for a short-term rehab facility, here's what you need to know.
What is Short Term Rehab?
Short-term rehabilitation provides around-the-clock medical care and therapeutic services designed to help a person get back to a level where they will no longer need such focused care and therapy. On average, short-term rehabilitation lasts just a few weeks, but on rare occasions, can sometimes extend up to 100 days. The good news is that Medicare and other insurance may cover part or all of this rehab, depending on the patient's coverage level and medical needs.
Short-term rehab facilities including Blackwater Short-Term Rehab Center are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with medical staff on-site to monitor recovery and administer care. With this professional level of care available, they are able to quickly respond to an emergency or a setback – an important part of a successful recovery.
The inpatient setting at Cortland Acres Blackwater Short-Term Rehab provides patients with access to physical, occupational, and speech therapy as needed to help patients reach their goals and transition home. Therapy helps ensure that patients return home safely and are able to resume their normal routine by rebuilding strength, coordination, balance, good circulation, and stamina.
Short term rehab is typically not done in a hospital setting, but rather in a more inviting and comfortable facility. The rooms at Cortland’s Blackwater Short-Term Rehab Center offer a home-like setting and large private rooms equipped with flat screen cable TV, simulated front porch seating area, wireless internet & private telephone,
Specialized dietary services and The Cortland Café restaurant private dining area as well as housekeeping and laundry services.
Who Needs Short Term Rehab?
Typically, doctors will recommend short-term rehabilitation if the health problems are more than can be handled at home with help from family or friends. The following is a brief list of medical conditions that normally require short-term rehabilitation by your doctor:
Surgical and Medical Recovery – Short-term rehab is often prescribed for people recovering from a surgical procedure. For older adults, even relatively minor surgery can require some extra care, and the professionals at The Blackwater Short-Term Rehab Center are able to accommodate them.
Other times, a prolonged illness or infection may require additional care in order to make a full recovery and having medical staff around at all times will ensure that you get well.
Orthopedics and Joint Replacement – Joint replacement is major surgery, and recovery often requires extended physical therapy designed to help strengthen the muscles, minimize pain or the risk of complications, and increase circulation.
Heart Failure – Heart failure patients require monitoring and specialized care to ensure their symptoms are continually managed. Physical therapy in a short-term rehab environment can help increase their activity level properly.
Cardiac and Pulmonary Care – As with those suffering from heart failure, cardiac and pulmonary patients require close monitoring, and access to medical professionals. Patients receive medications, therapies, nutrition, and physical activity as prescribed by their physician.
Respiratory Rehabilitation - Patients with ongoing breathing problems such as OSPD will receive a broad spectrum of rehab care to help them to function and breathe at the highest possible level. In addition, patients recovering from a lung infection such as pneumonia may also require respiratory.
IV Therapy – After leaving the hospital, some infections or medical conditions may require medication to be administered intravenously. Nurses at a short-term rehab facility can oversee proper dosage, and monitor patient health to make sure treatment is progressing as it should.
Choosing the right short-term rehab care facility is a very personal decision. So when it comes time to consider short-term or long-term skilled nursing care, you naturally want the best. Cortland Acres Blackwater Short-Term Rehab Center has earned a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is recognized as one of the 2017-18 Best Nursing Homes by U.S. News & World Report.
Cortland Acres’ Blackwater Short-Term Rehab Center is located on a spacious 35-acre wooded campus in the heart of scenic Tucker County, West Virginia. To schedule a tour or speak to one of our social workers, simply call (304) 463-4181.
