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Chaplain’s Corner: Changes
September 13, 2024
When identifying the next best steps for yourself or your loved one after a medical event or decline in function, it is important to find the appropriate fit. Without the right rehab setting, it can be challenging to drive successful outcomes. Often, the choice is between inpatient rehab and subacute rehab. Inpatient rehab is typically located at a standalone rehab hospital or on a rehab unit attached to a hospital. Subacute rehab is completed through a rehab unit located within a skilled nursing facility. Both inpatient rehab and subacute, or skilled nursing rehab, specialize in physical rehabilitation and medical care with the focus of restoring independence and enabling patients to return to their prior living situation.
Subacute Rehab is one of the many services offered at Kirkwood by the River through our partnership with RehabCare. Rehabilitation at Kirkwood includes, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy. Often it is stated that skilled nursing rehab is less intense than inpatient rehab and in part, that can be true. At Kirkwood, the therapy department focuses on identifying the perfect level of challenge for each patient and work with them to achieve goals. Perhaps that “just right challenge” is more difficult and we are working to send them home independently, therefore, we push hard to meet strength and endurance goals. Or maybe the goal is to transition to one of our community’s other levels of care (Independent living, assisted living, memory care or skilled nursing). With this plan, we may choose a more moderate challenge level. Either way, during this time we work diligently with you to try and ease the stresses of your coming transition.
At times, we are used to help you bridge the gap between levels of care and are working to improve the patients ability to safely live on a lower level of care by enhancing environmental engagement in order to participate in self-care tasks. Other times, we are helping with leisure pursuits to improve a patient’s quality of life. By providing this patient-centered, individualized approach we, as a team, are able to work to get you or your loved one operating at your best.
Rehabilitation at Kirkwood by the River is available 7 days a week and typically starts on the first day of admission. Therapy sessions can include a variety of group and individualized treatment sessions with varied durations based on the patient’s needs. Navigating the world of post-acute rehab options can be challenging, but it is important to remember you are not alone in the process, we are here to help!
