Returning home after a stay in a short term rehab facility can be challenging on multiple levels. Recovery from a serious illness, injury, surgery, or stroke can be a long, draining journey, and the impact of that process may not stop at the physical level. The rehabilitation experience can affect a person emotionally and psychologically – and the same can be said for caregivers. Here are some tips on how to make the transition out of a short-term care facility smoother and less stressful for all.
1. Set Realistic Expectations
Expecting to walk right back into life as you knew it after leaving a short-term rehab facility typically isn't realistic. In fact, it may lead to deep feelings of disappointment and frustration that can slow your recovery. Make sure you're listening closely to your care team and honestly assessing anticipated changes in your lifestyle and ability levels – both temporary and permanent.
Bear in mind that recovery frequently comes in gradual steps, so focus on celebrating small milestones rather than solely reaching your end goal.
2. Coordinate With Your Care Team Early
A smooth transition takes planning, and the earlier you start discussing your post-discharge strategy with your rehab team, the better. The goal of early planning is to have everything you need in place – before you leave the short-term care facility – to make your transition as easy and organized as possible. Working with staff can ensure you have the most accurate guidance, so do reach out to them for help.
Find out whether your physical and occupational therapists feel you'll need extra help around the house, and which special equipment or home modifications will make your return safer, easier, and more comfortable. A good short-term rehab facility will offer a home visit from a therapist to assess these needs.
3. Investigate the Best, Most Cost-Effective Services and Equipment
Avoiding unnecessary aggravation is crucial to successful rehabilitation. Discovering that you have excessive bills to pay for the care or equipment necessary after leaving a short-term care facility, or that you haven’t secured the services or mobility aids best suited to your needs, can add stress that hinders your recovery. Before you’re discharged, look into:
- Projected costs of at-home care, equipment, and medications. Be sure to have a full list of the apparatuses or furniture required for your long-term care plan and the type(s) of caregivers needed, like skilled nurses, physical therapists, or personal care aides who can help with bathing, dressing, and meals.
- What’s covered by insurance and what you must pay out of pocket. Medicare, for example, covers home health care after a stay in a short-term rehab facility and Medicare Part B covers 80% of the approved amount for durable medical equipment like wheelchairs or hospital beds.
4. Establish Appropriate Recovery Goals
As you leave the short-term rehab facility, setting realistic goals to work toward can help speed your progress and keep you motivated. Your care team, especially physical and occupational therapists, can help you gain a clear understanding of what to focus on and help make a list of steps to accomplish your ultimate goal.
5. Build Your Support Network and Resources
Don’t be afraid to reach out to family and friends for help. Take advantage of local community resources, like meal delivery, and connect with appropriate support systems including your local senior center or faith groups. Your short-term rehab facility's discharge planners or social workers can help you find what’s available in your community. Also have backup transportation options for errands and appointments, which may include rideshare operators.
6. Prepare Your Home for Emotional and Psychological Comfort
When you’ve received treatment in a top short-term care facility, you may or may not have noticed the tactics they use to ensure you don’t feel like you’re recovering in a strictly clinical setting. But taking note of some of those strategies and enlisting your support network to achieve them can do wonders for your psyche, especially given that up to 40% of rehabilitating patients have some form of depression or anxiety. Try eliminating harsh lighting, surrounding yourself with pleasant and calming scents from candles, wax melts, or essential oils, playing soothing music, and placing plush blankets in highly trafficked areas of your home.
7. Set up Your Space for Physical Safety and Independence
Similarly, before heading home from a short-term rehab facility, ask family and friends for help transforming your space to make it more accessible and tailored to your physical needs. Clear pathways of clutter, cords, and loose rugs to reduce fall risks. Add safety equipment like grab bars and non-slip mats in the bathroom, nightlights, and sturdy railings on stairs. Find a way to keep essentials, like medications, water, and your phone, within reach, and arrange furniture to allow plenty of room for movement. Adaptive tools like shower chairs, raised toilet seats, or extension poles for reaching items on high shelves can also make daily activities easier and safer.
8. Create an Emergency Plan
Even despite best-laid plans, emergencies can still happen during recovery. Be sure to have an emergency plan including:
- Keeping a list of important phone numbers (doctor, pharmacy, nearby hospital, family or friends) in an easy-to-find spot
- Noting instructions and backup options in case any special equipment you have can’t be used, like during a power outage or when a malfunction occurs
- Sharing plan specifics with important contacts so everyone knows what to do if a problem arises
9. Keep a Journal With Your Daily Routine and Important Notes
With a lot on your mind after settling in back home, you may worry about something slipping through the cracks. Write things down in a notebook or simple journal, including your daily routine (meals, exercises, medications, and sleep habits), pain levels, and new symptoms. This makes it easier to spot patterns and share accurate updates with your care team. You can also jot down questions for appointments and reminders from therapists and doctors.
10. Advocate for Yourself in Your Recovery
While you may be surrounded by a full circle of support as you get better, remember that no one knows your mind and body like you do. Using your journal as a key tool, voice your concerns, needs, and any changes you notice (big or small) after leaving the short-term rehab facility. Be sure to follow up if instructions for medications, exercises, or other follow-up care aren’t clear. Always trust your instincts and speak up if something doesn’t feel right in your recovery.
Choose a Short-Term Care Facility That’ll Support Your Whole Recovery
In Alabama, you have several different options for short-term rehab. But you must select a center that understands rehabilitation is an ongoing process and will support you every step of the way, even after you return home.
Rehab Select has four locations in the state and highly skilled and empathetic staff who are here to answer all your questions as you embark on this road. Contact us today to schedule a tour and learn more about our programs and what sets us apart.
