Anyone with advice on rehab care facilities for geriatric patients?

[WestHoustonDem]

My dad is in the hospital and very weak. He will probably leave Monday or Tuesday and go to an intermediate rehab facility, since my mom can't care for him by herself. Systemically, there is nothing wrong, but he is in a very weakened state and cannot walk or get into bed by himself. My mom is insisting on sending my sister and me home this week, but I'm not convinced I won't be needed again soon.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Not sure what time I'll be back online, but it will be tonight.

[fiddlestix]

1. Visit often

When the caretakers see that people care for the person, they care, too...

I know that sounds harsh, and in better places, it doesn't matter, but I've seen places that are not as good as they could be...

Good luck...

[WestHoustonDem]

2. Thanks for the response fiddlestix! Things are looking up!

We got him into a really good place and he is really improving. Even though it's one of the better places, it can get depressing seeing the condition some of the residents of the nursing home section are in.

I had to come back home after but I talk to him every day and my mom visits every day and several of his friends have loved ones there and check in on Dad when they visit them. It's a local place and we already know several people on the staff. The last director was our neighbor when I was growing up so I feel really good about it. Today he was complaining the Occupational Therapist woke him up at 5am so I know he's getting plenty of attention!

[Warpy]

3. There are a couple of levels of rehab

Typically, the intensive rehab is for younger patients after car crashes and early stroke. The intermediate rehab is for older folks who just need strength training so that they can manage to go home and be able to walk well enough to make it to the bathroom, answer the front door, go out and get the daily newspaper and pick up their mail. Intermediate rehab generally is done either once or twice a day, depending on how well the patient is responding. They teach patients how to use assistive equipment like canes, quad canes and walkers. Here in Florida, a patient has to be able to walk with a walker for about 25 feet to make it home alone with home health care services a couple of times a week.

I hope your mom is talking to those nurses, they can be a great help when it comes to showing her what equipment she'll need in order to care for him at home. Before you leave, talk to the nurses and go to a health care supply store, point out where she can get the things she'll need (even if she resists getting them at the time). When it comes time to discharge your dad, the rehab people will show her the easiest ways to move him, should she still need to.

The worst thing anybody can do to an older person is rob him or her of independence. As much as it hurts us to see them struggle, insisting on intruding into their lives to rescue them just makes it all worse. Your mother will tell you when it's time for her to throw in the towel.

In my case, it was my dad taking care of my mother, with the help of twice a week home care services. I was astonished at how long he managed to do it before calling for help.

[WestHoustonDem]

4. Thanks Warpy

I'm back in Houston (since I left my 16 year-old daughter home by herself for a week), but things seem to be under control as much as possible under the circumstances.

It sounds like he's getting intermediate rehab once a day. His weight is down to 116lbs so he's got a lot of strength training to do.

The rehab center we got him in into is 5 minutes from their home and since it's a small town, they know many people on the staff and many current and former patients. My mom talks to everyone. Sometimes too much but in this case it's a good thing, LOL. I don't know if there are any regulations in NY about how far the patient has to be able to walk, that's a good question to ask. I'm sure they'll get all of the latest and greatest equipment before Dad goes home. He's a gadget junky so he will probably enjoy that aspect of it.

I'm sure I'll have more questions as things progress.