Whether you or a loved one has had a joint replacement, serious illness, or head injury, an inpatient stay involving rehab from an Occupational Therapist is probably part of recovery. OTs assess basic skills such as bathing, dressing, and mobility as well as safety and technique to assure a patient is ready to go home. OTs can also help address and obtain adaptive equipment that may be needed.
The word acute in the medical field means sudden onset, so it is done in the hospital directly after the initial incident. The occupational therapist will make sure the patient can move around safely with or without a device, care for themselves by toileting, cleaning, and dressing with or without adaptive equipment, and has a basic understanding of what exercises or techniques need to be performed for a safe discharge from hospital. The patient will be encouraged to increase out of bed activity daily in anticipation of the release. When the patient is deemed medically stable and well enough to leave the hospital, it may be recommended, that for safety, they do not return home immediately. Instead, the doctor may request a short-term stay for further rehabilitation or nursing care. That’s where inpatient rehab facilities or skilled nursing facilities come into play.
Short-term rehab is more intense than acute care and involves longer treatment sessions, more direct training in exercises, and specific education on what may be needed upon return home. Some hospitals have inpatient rehab units specific for intense rehabilitation with a minimum of 3 hours/daily between disciplines. Another short-term rehab option is at a skilled nursing facility, in which patients will receive at least 2 hours of therapy/daily. The type of short-term rehab one will receive is patient-specific. With both options, patients have more time to practice with adaptive equipment such as a sock aid for the ease of lower body dressing. OTs will assess the patient’s ability to care for themselves in a more in-depth way, performing actual showers even. They can also offer recommendations for equipment and increased care levels such as a home health provider. An OT may even do a home assessment to have the patient show them they can maneuver in their home before the actual discharge.
In both settings, the Occupational Therapist can be the prime motivator, offering encouragement, advice, and/or education. OTs work hand in hand with nursing, social workers, and doctors to assure the patient is safe and ready to discharge home, more importantly, stay home. If you or a loved one has had a recent stroke, accident, or illness, short-term inpatient rehab may be what is best. Everyone wants to be home, but that might not be realistic for all. Do you want to go home for 10 days, 10 months, or 10 years? Getting strong enough to stay home is what’s important.
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