Rehab Select Blog

Your home is your safe haven, and you have lived there for years. It stands to reason that it would also be the safest place to be as you grow older. You know every inch of your familiar home, so there are no surprises, no unforeseen risks that could cause falls, right?

Not necessarily. In fact, because you are so familiar with your home and therefore think you don't have to take precautions, falling can actually become even more of a risk. It doesn't have to be, though.

This is the last installment of a four-part series exploring how to navigate the complex landscape of Medicaid eligibility with success.  

This is the third of a four-part series exploring how to navigate the complex landscape of Medicaid eligibility effectively. 

This is the second of a four-part series exploring how to navigate the complex landscape of Medicaid eligibility with success.

This is the first of a four-part series exploring how to navigate the complex landscape of Medicaid eligibility with success.

Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy are three related disciplines in rehabilitation that work together to treat patients as a whole. Each discipline has a different focus, but there are some areas of overlap. For patients with injuries or medical conditions that limit their physical capabilities, a combination of the three therapies can help restore their life.

There’s no doubt the role of occupational therapy in a skilled nursing facility has evolved and grown over the last several years. Whether you’re a short-term resident recovering from an illness or injury or a long-term resident with chronic disease, the right occupational therapy team and plan can have a significant impact on your progress and your overall quality of life.

Chronic illnesses, sudden injuries, and mental and physical disabilities can make it difficult or even impossible for those suffering from them to perform many of the day-to-day functions most people take for granted.

As you get older, you may experience physical changes that impact flexibility, agility, strength and endurance such that falls become a significant risk to your independence.

Of course, preventing falls altogether is the ultimate goal. However, if you've already experienced a fall, the goal then is to attend a rehabilitation program so that you can return to normal function and prevent further falls from happening.

Occupational therapy (OT) for physical dysfunction helps patients remediate impairments and limitations by learning practical techniques to work around their challenges. It helps patients recovering from surgeries (e.g., joint replacement and other orthopedic surgeries,) rehabilitating after a stroke or cardiac event, or dealing with the loss of mobility due to chronic health conditions regain day-to-day functions and independence.