You may have heard your loved one’s doctor use the terms short-term rehabilitation. What does this mean exactly? What are the benefits of this form of rehabilitation. These are excellent questions, which will be addressed in this article. Keep reading to find out more information about short-term rehabilitation and why your loved one may benefit from this service per their doctor’s recommendations.

What is Short-Term Rehabilitation?

Short-term rehabilitation provides 24/7 medical care and therapeutic services to help a patient recover from an illness, surgery, or even an accident. The ultimate goal is to help the patient achieve independence and a better quality of life, thus no longer needing this type of focused care. This type of care usually lasts a few weeks, but can last for a few months depending on the patient’s needs and recovery rate. Unlike hospital settings, rehabilitation centers offer a more comfortable and welcoming environment for patients.

For costs, Medicare and other insurance companies may cover some or all of the patient’s rehabilitation services. This also depends on the patient’s type of coverage and their specific health needs.

To provide around-the-clock care, an entire team of experts are involved. This team includes doctors and nurses that provide on-site care and help monitor patients during their recovery process after a hospital stay. If an emergency arises, the rehabilitation center can quickly respond to these issues. Indeed, this 24/7 care helps ensure that patients receive proper medical attention, which helps promote a successful recovery back to their prior living setting.

Therapy Services

Aside from medical care, short-term rehabilitation centers provide physical, occupational, and speech therapy for patients. The type of therapy provided will depend on the patient’s health needs. Therapy services are an effective way to help patients regain their balance, strength, coordination, speech, and/or function, so they can safely return to their prior living setting.

Who Can Benefit from Short-Term Rehab?

A patient’s doctor may suggest short-term rehabilitation when the patient’s health issues require around-the-clock medical care and support. There are several types of health issues that can benefit from this type of rehabilitation.

• Surgery or Serious Illness: After a surgery or an ongoing illness, an aging patient may benefit from recovering in a short-term rehab facility. This will help promote a successful recovery, and it will provide the patient with additional care and support from a team of experts.
• Orthopedics and Joint Replacement: This is a major surgery that typically requires long-term physical therapy to fully recover. Physical therapists can help patients do exercises designed to strengthen their muscles, improve their circulation, reduce pain, and prevent potential risks post-surgery. Additionally, patients can benefit from occupational therapy to regain skills needed in everyday life by overcoming physical impairments or limitations.
• Heart Failure: Patients with heart failure require special care and monitoring to manage and treat their symptoms. These patients can benefit from physical therapy, which will slowly increase their daily activity level, improve mobility, reduce pain, and prevent or limit permanent disabilities caused by injury or disease. This care and support helps restore patients’ function and reduces future complications.
• Cardiac and Pulmonary Care: Patients with cardiac and pulmonary conditions need to be monitored closely and receive care from health professionals and therapists. A short-term rehabilitation facility can help ensure patients receive the proper medicine, therapy, physical activity, and nutrition as prescribed by their doctor.
• Respiratory Rehabilitation: Patients with breathing issues will benefit from a facility that provides around-the-clock care and has the resources to help improve their breathing quality as much as possible. 
• IV Therapy: Patients needing IV therapy can benefit from being in a short-term rehabilitation facility because they will have a team of health professionals to care for them. Nurses will ensure patients receive the correct dosages and monitor patients’ health, so patients can be on the road towards achieving a better quality of life.
• Palliative Care: Patients with serious or long-term health conditions can benefit from short-term rehab care. This facility can help reduce the patient’s pain, symptoms, and discomfort related to their health conditions.
• Hospice Care: Patients deserve the highest quality of care at all stages of their life, including end of life care. Short-term rehabilitation centers are equipped with caring staff that will provide comfort, respect, and understanding for patients and their families.

Liberty Healthcare and Rehabilitation is a Provider of Choice in NC

Whether you have a loved one that needs short-term rehabilitation care or maybe they will need it down the road, you can still benefit from knowing what this type of care is and how beneficial it is for aging patients. All patients deserve to receive the proper care, support, and therapy needed to fully recover and return to their prior living setting. Here at Liberty Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services, we provide expert short-term rehabilitation services for patients that need and can benefit from it. Contact us today to learn more about our rehabilitation services and how we can help your loved one.