The Perks of Recovering in Rehab

older lady using machinery for rehab with nurse guidance

Dear Jeremy,

My mother-in-law will be having hip surgery in a Columbus area hospital later this month. Her physician has recommended she transition to a short-term rehab center to continue her recovery after she is discharged from the hospital.

Unfortunately, she is fairly stubborn and refuses to even consider the idea. She thinks she can come to our house and have us care for her. My husband and I both work full-time and there would be no one around to help her during the daytime. In addition, our home is older and has a lot of stairs. The bathtub seems like it could be especially challenging to get her in and out of every few days.

I have visions of her falling during the day when we are at work or when we are trying to help her take a shower and injuring her new hip.

Do you have any suggestions that might help us change her mind? Her surgery is getting close!

Tina

The Advantages of Recovering in a Short-term Rehab Center

Dear Tina:

It sounds as if you and your husband are in a tight spot! But you are right to be concerned that your home environment might not be the best for someone recovering from hip surgery. A fall could definitely have devastating consequences.

One barrier we sometimes run into with older adults is that they have outdated ideas about what a skilled nursing and rehab center is. They may have been in one several decades ago and still cling to old-fashioned ideas about nursing homes.

Today’s short-term rehab centers, like Whetstone Care Center, offer many perks. A few include:

  • The comfort of a private room that has a phone, Wi-Fi access, and flat screen television with cable
  • Hospital style beds
  • Delicious, chef-prepared meals and snacks
  • A café to allow family and friends to join patients at mealtime
  • Variety of opportunities to socialize with other older adults who are recovering
  • Outdoor walking paths to enjoy sunshine and fresh air
  • Personal bathing choices
  • Beauty and barber shop services onsite
  • Access to other services such as a dentist or a podiatrist

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One more advantage is that all of your mother-in-law’s medications will be covered during her short-term rehab stay.

My final suggestion is to try to get your mother-in-law to agree to come with you and visit us in person before her surgery. We can take her on a personal tour and introduce her to the rehab team that will help her get back on her feet again after surgery. I’m confident you will both like what you see!

Please contact us to arrange a time that is convenient for you to stop by. The two of you can even stay for lunch.

Kind Regards,

Jeremy Evans