Recovering from any hospital visit is difficult, regardless of your age or health status. Sometimes additional care may even be necessary before you make the journey home. This is when rehabilitation in a post-acute facility can be extremely beneficial.
A stay within a skilled nursing facility often provides the safest and most comfortable path to getting you back to independent living. Following are some things to consider when deciding whether post-acute rehabilitation is the best option for you.
Why a Post Acute Stay?
A hospitalization typically offers short-term treatment for serious illness, injury, surgery, or other urgent medical conditions. Once acute circumstances have been addressed, the recovery process may not yet be over. Some medical conditions require longer-term, hospital-level care combined with intensive rehabilitation services. These might include:
- Brain injuries
- Back surgeries
- Complex trauma
- Stroke
- Joint replacements
- Neurological conditions
In addition to the health implications, make sure to also think through the logistics of rehabilitating at home versus in a facility. Do you have someone that can give dedicated care? Are they trained? What about meal preparation and transportation? It’s not uncommon to underestimate the emotional toil, for patients and caregivers, of recovering from a serious medical issue. Specialized post-acute centers provide assistance with all of the needs that accompany your care as you relearn and adjust to daily life.
Perhaps most important is the goal to avoid returning to the hospital. The attention and aggressive rehabilitation therapies offered at a care facility dramatically improve the overall outcome and reduce further hospitalizations. Patients who choose not to follow their doctor’s recommendation to recover in a post-acute setting are twice as likely to require another hospital stay at 30 and 60 days post-discharge as those that do.
What to Expect from In-Patient Care
Moving from a hospital setting to a new, rehab facility might bring uncertainty and even some previous misconceptions about what post-acute care is and is not. Gone are the days of stereotypical nursing homes. Residents range in ages, background, health protocols, and length of stay.
All patients share access to individualized care from a team of doctors, nurses, and other health specialists. This can come in the form of respiratory therapy, pain management, physical and occupational therapy, speech and language services, wound care, and dietary supervision. Your family and other caregivers can count on support and assistance from dedicated case managers.
In-patient providers will work together to develop a coordinated plan that focuses on getting you back to a full life as quickly as possible.
Choosing the Right Post Acute Provider
Just as there is a diverse spectrum of medical conditions and treatments, there is also a wide range of post-acute facilities to choose from. So, how do you go about finding the right one?
Most importantly, consult with your doctor(s) first. You’ll then want to research facilities to understand and compare their areas of expertise, years of service, patient recovery statistics, as well as how they help you and your family meet your goals.
Take time to also familiarize yourself with knowledge around a facility’s staffing, costs, and follow-up care. In regards to the financial component, your private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid will likely offer coverage, but to what extent will depend on your policy, health history, care plan, and the specific facility.
South Coast Post Acute is Southern California’s Premier post-acute Partner
South Coast Post Acute is dedicated to excellent client service to ensure effective recovery and low occurrences of rehospitalization. We are passionate about providing the highest level of care that you’ve come to expect from Southern California’s leading post-acute provider.
As you are evaluating post-acute facilities with your doctor and loved ones, we invite you to explore the benefits of South Coast Post Acute’s innovative care, experienced staff, and welcoming accommodations. Contact us today for more information on how we can help on your journey back to restored health.