Nursing homes have changed many things that people knew about senior care. Contrary to what some people think, nursing homes don’t just offer assisted living options, but also short-term care. Short-term care, for the uninitiated, is when you send a senior to a nursing home for a finite period. This could refer to a period lasting for a week, or as long as months. The biggest difference between short-term care and long-term care is the condition of the patient. In short term care, the patient is expected to improve and can be sent home.
What to expect during short-term care?
The focus of short-term care is on wellness, and this is for a limited time. The nursing home will offer a care plan that enables the patient to have a peaceful recuperating period, while getting the assistance that he/she may need. The patient will get assistance and companionship of full-time caregivers. One of the foremost reasons to select short-term care is to get medical attention that may be hard to get a home. From the diet to basic chores of life, full-time caregivers will take care of everything. Respiratory care, wound care, administering IV and medicines – everything is sorted, and other things that can expected in short-term care include mental health and rehabilitation services.
Depending on the nursing home you have selected, condition of the patient, and the term of expected stay, you can also expect to get services like planned activities.
The relevance of short-term care
In most cases, short-term care is required after a medical procedure, surgery or accident. Sometimes, the patient may want to be in assisted living to recover from an illness better. If the patient had caregiver at home and that person needs a break, short-term care can be considered. People who can live independently but cannot manage a health condition on their own often need to get into short-term care, so that they can return to their normal life as soon as possible. The need for short-term care is also evident for patients who don’t have anyone at home to do the chores of daily life.
Final word
If you are selecting a short-term care facility, check what they can offer and do visit the place in person. Make sure that your loved one will get all the attention that they deserve, and this should as comprehensive as possible. You can check online for nursing homes near you!
