Short term rehabilitation.

Sometimes after a long hospitalization, our loved ones are not quite ready to return to home.  She may need more nursing care due to the need for IV medications and/or she may be so debilitated from her prolonged hospitalization that she just cannot return home safely without some additional therapy to regain her strength.  The goal is still to return home. 

Usually people want to get home as quickly as possible, and insurance generally dictates how long someone is able to stay in a subacute rehabilitation facility.  Because of that, there are a few things to look at when selecting the right rehabilitation facility.

Considerations when selecting a short term rehabilitation facility.

1.  Ask for suggestions of local places from people who have family members who have utilized the rehabilitation side of long-term care facilities.  In my experience as an acute rehabilitation physician, I would often hear negative feedback of buildings and its rehabilitation, but very rarely heard the positive feedback.  I think it is the same when you read reviews of places online.  People are quick to type up a negative review, but the positive reviews are often harder to come by.  I would often tell families that it can often be said that no feedback might possibly translate into at least a fairly good facility.  When you directly ask someone if it was a positive or negative experience for their loved one, you will probably get a more detailed answer.

2. Look at the  Five Star Rating of the potential facilities on Medicare.gov. This data is gathered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It breaks down the ratings of individual nursing homes by overall rating, health inspection, staffing and quality measures. 

3.  Visit the prospective short term rehabilitation facility.  Once you have narrowed down your list based on suggestions and what is covered by your loved one’s insurance, get in the car and visit the buildings.  Do not make an appointment. Simply arrive and ask for a tour. You will get a more honest picture of how the place runs when you show up unannounced. That is what you want to know when you are sending your loved one to that place.

4. When you are at the facility, ask to talk to the support staff.  Meet some of the nurses and some of the aides as well.  These are the people who will be having direct contact with your loved one.  Do they seem happy?  Do they seem stressed out?  Do they seem to enjoy their job? Cheerful staff and a higher staff to patient ratio usually translates into better care for your loved one.

5. Ask to speak with the Director of Rehabilitation. Use this time to ask approximately how much therapy a patient will get each day. The amount of therapy a patient receives each day can be quite variable from one facility to another since Medicare’s requirements are fairly broad. Remember, you want your loved one getting the most therapy possible if it is your goal to get them back to home or at least to a greater level of independence after their short term rehabilitation stay.

© 2020 Jessica Kluetz, DO