Does Your Loved One Need Short or Long Term Care?

When our loved ones age, they become increasingly more susceptible to infection, falls and other injuries, as well as devastating medical conditions. A car accident or dementia diagnosis takes a toll on the entire family; a skilled nursing facility can take some of the stress off your hands.

If you have an older family member in need of care, how can you know if short- or long-term care is best?

Reasons for Short-Term Rehabilitation

When someone experiences an acute trauma, like a slip and fall incident or minor surgery, short-term rehab helps them recover in a safe environment. Stays typically range from a few weeks to a couple months, during which the patient receives different therapies and slowly regains lost skills. Certain Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) may be difficult after an accident or infection, such as eating, dressing or bathing. Trained nurses will dress wounds, pass medications and monitor vital signs throughout your loved one’s stay, among other medical services. With short-term rehab, the patient is expected to recover to their former independence. Whether it’s several weeks of speech therapy or orthopedic rehabilitation, most patients are able to return to their homes after a short stay with us.

Reasons for Long-Term Care

Long-term care becomes necessary when the ability to perform several ADLs is lost due to a chronic illness, physical disability or mentally debilitating condition. Sometimes, patients who were expected to make a swift recovery become long-term residents. If your loved one is unsafe in his or her current living environment or needs round-the-clock assistance that you cannot provide, we deliver the best care possible living in one of our long-term units. Our skilled nursing staff can pass medications and perform different medical treatments as needed. The goal of long-term care is to improve the quality of life of residents suffering from dementia, physical disabilities or facing a serious, possibly terminal illness.

What to Expect at West Hartford Health & Rehabilitation Center

Our facility is a calm, nurturing and safe environment for your loved one. You can be confident mom or dad is receiving high-quality care, nutritious food and comfortable accommodations. Whether it’s for a short- or long-term stay, consider West Hartford Health & Rehabilitation Center your loved one’s home-away-from-home!

Contact us today to request more information about the facility.