Ten Ways to Gain Independence After Inpatient Rehabilitation
Most of our residents are here (at inpatient rehabilitation) temporarily.
That may contradict what you think of when you hear “skilled nursing facility.” Many think of these places as nothing more than mere nursing homes.
In actuality, our dynamic approach to rehabilitation means that we are often a temporary place where residents learn new skills to help them live independently in their own homes.
We’d like to take a few moments and outline the many ways we help you regain your independence so you can return to the activities—and people—you love.
10 Ways We Help You Return Home After Treatment
1. Physical Therapy
Many of our residents have arrived at our community as the result of a fall that required emergency surgery or a joint replacement that requires extensive inpatient rehabilitation.
Through physical therapy, we’ll help you learn how to walk again and how to properly use a walker or cane. We utilize exercises to strengthen core muscles that are needed in order to live independently.
We also keep a close eye on your progress, customizing our plan of care to help you in any way possible.
2. We Give You a Break
What do we mean by this?
It means that while you’re recovering, we take care of the mundane things so you can concentrate on getting better and regaining independence.
We handle housekeeping, daily chores and prepare delicious home-cooked meals.
By freeing yourself from these mundane tasks, you’re able to focus on your physical and occupational therapy.
3. We Work With Your Health Care Team
It’s only through being partners in your care that we are able to truly work together and help you achieve your goals.
We follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter and regularly meet as a team to discuss your situation, your progress, and the best course of treatment.
4. Medication Management
You may have other health care conditions in addition to the reason that brought you to Bladen East. In fact, studies show that 2 in 5 American adults over 65 took five or more prescription medications.
Through assisting you in managing your medication, we once again allow you time and energy to focus on getting better and making progress to your goal of being discharged to your home.
5. We Ensure You Have What You Need
Not sure what type of walker is right for you? What if you need to practice with a tool to help you put on your socks?
We’ll supply some of these during your stay so you won’t need to worry about going to the store and purchasing them.
Don’t worry, we’ll ensure that you have everything you need to make the progress you need.
6. We Provide Occupational Therapy
A common misconception is that occupational therapy helps prepare you for a job or career. In actuality, occupational therapy helps you complete tasks of everyday living.
For example, suppose you are recovering from a hip replacement. You’ll likely not be able to bend over to put on pants. Our occupational therapist will work with you to show you new techniques to accomplish these tasks.
7. We Provide Social Outlets
No one undergoes this journey alone.
You’ll find that we have many residents who are facing challenges similar to yours and having social outlets can help you gain perspective on the overall picture of your treatment.
We also realize that rehabilitation is a lot of work, and interaction with others is often a nice break or distraction.
8. We Encourage You
Physical rehabilitation is only part of the picture.
You see, at Bladen East, we treat the entire resident, providing supportive encouragement at every corner. We realize that this is a major change for you, and it’s easy to get frustrated.
Don’t worry. We’ve helped hundreds of patients who have been on this journey, and we can help you as well.
9. Our Staff Helps You With Daily Activities Until You Can Do Them on Your Own
The ultimate goal is for you to be able to perform activities of daily living on your own. However, we realize that when you’re just starting rehabilitation, this can be difficult. Therefore, we’re on hand to help you with showering and other needs.
This is also important because it helps safeguard you from falling or experiencing any complications.
As we mentioned earlier, your occupational therapist will work with you to help you eventually be able to do these activities on your own.
10. Complete Discharge Planning
We’re not going to send you home without any guidance.
We’ll help you make sure your home is safe for your return. We’ll provide a list of guidelines to aid you. This may include a checklist to be sure there are no tripping hazards in your home. In addition, if it is necessary, we will conduct a home visit and an evaluation to ensure you have what you need.
We want to be sure your road to recovery continues until you are able to return to the activities you love.
Bladen East: A Stop on Your Pathway to Independence
We value our residents. We recognize that each one is on a journey, and we respect and honor that path with dignity.
For a large portion of our residents, this means staying at Bladen East only as long as needed to be able to be discharged home, where they can live independently.
We concentrate on giving you the tools for what you need, when you need it.
Want to know more? Discover why our residents love the Bladen East community and learn how we can help you regain the skills you need after a hip or knee replacement, stroke, or injury. Schedule a virtual tour today.