Submitted by Heritage Health, Chillicothe
Daydreams of warm weather and summer planning encourage us through the
frigid, dismal days of winter. Despite its nasty reputation, winter is
the perfect time for seniors to knock out surgeries and receive
rehabilitative therapy. Procedures that used to require months to heal
can now take weeks thanks to improved surgery methods and comprehensive
therapy programs.
As with most areas in life, it is better to do therapy right the first
time, to fully heal, rather than readmit to a hospital later. Choose a
premier senior therapy care provider to put the spring back in your step
and take part in beloved warm weather activities.
One characteristic of premier senior therapy providers is comprehensive
care. Comprehensive senior care considers the bigger picture of senior
health and addresses variables affecting true healing. To make sure they
get back on their feet in time for spring, seniors should seek skilled
nursing providers that offer an array of therapies — physical,
occupational, speech, and cardiac rehabilitative therapy to name a few.
This option offers seniors thorough, targeted therapy treatment from
multiple disciplines by one interdisciplinary team that works together
so patients recover more effectively. By choosing a comprehensive senior
therapy care provider, seniors put themselves on the fast track to full
recovery and the activities they enjoy most.
Another mark of premier senior therapy care is precise coaching. Leading
orthopedic therapy programs demonstrate the power of blending science
with compassion. Effective physical therapy programs aim to build
strength, develop balance, and improve flexibility all while seniors
hear a steady stream of support and encouragement. Licensed therapists
use cutting-edge technology to measure variables and assess each
patient’s progress in live time; this real-time feedback refines each
patient’s personalized program, leading to quicker results. Seniors
recovering from a hip replacement or pelvic fracture not only learn to
walk again and build their strength, but occupational therapists boost
seniors’ confidence with strategies and exercises to do at home on their
own. An in-home assessment by therapy professionals can help identify
areas of safety and improvement within the home that will allow seniors
to return home and live independently again.
Receiving a personalized and tailored therapy program is another
important component seniors should consider when seeking therapy
services. Every patient has different strengths, weaknesses, and goals
in mind. For some it may be regaining the ability to walk 18 holes on
the golf course, for someone else to be able to return to dancing.
Therapy programs should be designed to ensure each patient builds
strength, endurance, and the confidence necessary to help them return to
their active lifestyle.
Interdisciplinary care is another factor to consider. A premier therapy
program works in conjunction with the nursing staff, pharmaceutical
team, dietary department, and other areas to provide holistic care for
the patient. This group of professionals working in tandem means seniors
receive the medical care, medication oversight, and nutrition support
they need while receiving therapy.
As spring draws near, and with it the promise of returning to your
favorite activities, consider a rehabilitative therapy program to help
get you ready. Don’t spend your days sitting on the sidelines — take the
initiative to learn about what a high-caliber therapy program can offer
you.
If you would like to learn more about short-term therapy options in
your community, please contact Missy Herridge, Community Relations
Coordinator for Heritage Health in Chillicothe. Missy can be reached at
309-274-2194 or mherridge@heritageofcare.com. To find other homes in the
Heritage family, please visit our website at www.HeritageOfCare.com.