Five Questions to Consider When Opting for a Short Term Rehab Facility

Entering into the world of short term rehab can be uncomfortable for people who don’t know much about it. Searching for the right short term rehab facility can certainly take a lot of time, and people want the best for their loved one. Here is a shortlist of questions you should consider as you make this important journey.

Does the short term rehab facility have a specialty?

“skilled nursing facility” is a term that’s thrown around a lot today, but there are many different types of facilities that do different things have a particular specialty, while others cater to many different populations.

One of the main things to check when looking into facilities is what type of facility it is, and whether or not it’s even a short term rehab facility. Some cater to long term care and may not offer rehab at all, while others provide services for subacute care and others service acute care cases. A short term rehab facility that specializes in subacute care will have services geared toward cases that are not acute, but need extra support and assistance. An acute care facility, on the other hand, has more intense services that assist patients with acute needs and a full rehab program. Sinai Post Acute Care in Newark, New Jersey, is an acute care facility and provides care for a large range of conditions and illnesses, with a full array of therapies and programs for all rehab needs. A nursing home, on the other hand, may not offer any type of rehab at all, rather nursing care. And some facilities, like Sinai, offer all of these options.

What kinds of amenities are there?

In most facilities, there are private and semi-private rooms. Private rooms are usually limited, and may be possible to book in advance when surgery is planned, for example for a hip replacement, and the patient knows in advance that he’ll need rehab in a short term rehab facility. However, semi-private rooms have a divider and usually have a private feel.

In all cases, the rooms should come with amenities that make the stay more comfortable, such as TV and wi-fi access and should be elegantly equipped. The facility itself should have rooms available for family visits, a recreation area, and recreation al activities. Some facilities also have religious services.

Is there an outpatient program?

After the stay, the patient may still need to avail himself of a therapy program on a more limited, outpatient basis. Look into the outpatient programs offered at the facility to see how comprehensive they are and how they work with Medicare and Medicaid.

Is the staff pleasant and professional?

Since the patient is going to be living in the facility for some amount of time, you want to check that the staff is warm, caring, and professional. Does the receptionist greet you nicely? Do the therapists make you feel good, or do they just do their job? The staff should be warm and welcoming in addition to being fully certified and experienced.

Will the short tern rehab facility work for you, on your schedule?

Sometimes, a short term rehab facility has high expectations of a patient’s progress and creates a program to generate that progress instead of going along with the patient’s natural rhythm. Find out about how they tailor their programs and whether or not it will work for your personal schedule.