Understanding PTSD in Seniors

Rehabilitation Services Provided in Skilled Nursing FacilitiesRehabilitation services are a cornerstone of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), designed to help individuals recover from illnesses, injuries, or surgeries and regain their independence. Heres a closer look at the rehabilitation services offered in skilled nursing facilities and their benefits.1. Physical TherapyPhysical therapy is a critical component of rehabilitation in skilled nursing facilities. It focuses on helping residents restore strength, mobility, and physical function after surgery, injury, or a medical event such as a stroke. Key aspects of physical therapy include: Strength Training: Exercises to rebuild muscle strength and endurance. Balance and Coordination: Techniques to prevent falls and improve stability. Mobility Exercises: Activities designed to improve range of motion, walking ability, and the use of mobility aids such as walkers or wheelchairs. By working closely with licensed physical therapists, residents can achieve improved independence and a better quality of life.2. Occupational TherapyOccupational therapy in SNFs is designed to help residents regain the skills needed for daily living. This therapy focuses on enhancing a persons ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) such as dressing, grooming, eating, and bathing. Specific interventions include: Adaptive Techniques: Teaching residents how to use assistive devices or modify tasks to suit their abilities. Fine Motor Skills Training: Improving dexterity for tasks like buttoning clothes or holding utensils. Energy Conservation Strategies: Helping residents manage fatigue and perform tasks more efficiently. Occupational therapists work with residents to restore independence and adapt to new physical or cognitive limitations.3. Speech TherapySpeech therapy addresses communication and swallowing difficulties that may result from strokes, neurological disorders, or other medical conditions. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in skilled nursing facilities focus on: Swallowing Therapy: Treating dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) to prevent complications like choking or aspiration pneumonia. Communication Training: Helping residents regain or improve their ability to speak, understand language, or use alternative communication methods. Cognitive Therapy: Assisting residents with memory, problem-solving, and organizational skills. Speech therapy improves both safety and quality of life by enabling residents to eat, communicate, and engage with others effectively.4. Specialized Rehabilitation ProgramsSkilled nursing facilities often provide rehabilitation programs tailored to specific conditions, including: Post-Stroke Rehabilitation: Combining physical, occupational, and speech therapies to address the multifaceted challenges of stroke recovery. Orthopedic Recovery: Rehabilitation for individuals recovering from joint replacement surgeries, fractures, or other musculoskeletal injuries. Cardiac Rehabilitation: Programs focused on improving heart health and endurance following heart attacks or surgeries. Neurological Rehabilitation: Care for residents with conditions such as Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis, or traumatic brain injuries. These specialized programs ensure that residents receive targeted care to address their unique recovery goals.5. Benefits of Rehabilitation Services in Skilled Nursing FacilitiesRehabilitation services in skilled nursing facilities offer numerous benefits, including: Faster Recovery: Access to expert care and tailored therapies helps residents recover more quickly. Enhanced Mobility and Independence: Therapy restores physical function and confidence, enabling residents to perform tasks on their own. Improved Quality of Life: Rehabilitation helps residents regain their abilities, reducing frustration and fostering a sense of accomplishment. Preventing Complications: Therapies such as swallowing training and balance exercises minimize risks like choking, falls, and re-hospitalization.

When supporting patients who wish to age comfortably at home, distinguishing between home health and in-home care can be key to effective patient support. These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but each service addresses different needs in patient care. Lets clarify the distinction, as understanding these differences can help guide patients and families to the right kind of support for their circumstances.Home Health: Skilled Medical Care at HomeHome health involves medical care provided in the patient's home by licensed professionals, such as nurses, physical therapists, or occupational therapists. It is typically prescribed by a physician and can include wound care, medication management, chronic illness monitoring, and rehabilitation therapies. Examples of home health services include: Wound care for pressure sores or a surgical wound Patient and caregiver education Intravenous or nutrition therapy Injections Monitoring serious illness and unstable health status Home health focuses on supporting patients in recovering from illness or surgery, managing medical conditions, and preventing hospital readmissionsall in the comfort of their homes.In-Home Care: Assistance for Daily LivingIn-home care, on the other hand, is non-medical support provided by trained caregivers to assist individuals with daily living activities. This type of care can be short-termsuch as during recovery from surgeryor long-term for older adults who need continued assistance. Examples of in-home care services include: Assistance with bathing, dressing, and grooming Meal preparation Light housekeeping Companionship In-home care is especially beneficial for individuals who need support with daily activities but do not require medical intervention. The goal is to enhance quality of life by addressing personal and emotional needs while promoting independence.Choosing the Right Care for Your PatientsResearch suggests that some medical professionals may not always draw a clear line between home health and in-home care, yet understanding these distinctions can help patients receive the right type of support. Home health is ideal for those needing medical care at home, whereas in-home care focuses on enhancing day-to-day living for those who value independence but need extra help.Aging in Place with ComfortFor many seniors and individuals with chronic health conditions, aging at home is an important aspect of maintaining their quality of life. Advances in telemedicine and remote health monitoring have made it easier to integrate a mix of home health and in-home care services. This personalized approach not only offers a convenient care experience but also helps patients stay in control of their health journey.Comfort Keepers Can HelpComfort Keepers provides uplifting in-home care that helps seniors thrive. Our specially trained caregivers focus on developing genuine relationships with clients, keeping them physically and mentally engaged while ensuring they experience joy in their daily activities.If you know a patient or family that could benefit from Comfort Keepers services, they can reach out for a free consultation. Lets work together to help individuals age comfortably and confidently at home.

Visit any critical care unit, childrens hospital, or other specialty inpatient facility, and youll find a common feature: therapy dogs. For decades, healthcare practitioners have understood the surprisingly positive effects on patients of time spend with cute and cuddly dogs. Therapy dogs reduce stress, improve mood, and can help patients reframe their outlook on whatever condition ails them. The positive effects of patient interactions with therapy dogs are a well-documented fact of the medical world. Senior citizens with limited mobility and other health conditions also benefit from the companionship of dogs. Owning a pet reduces feelings of loneliness among seniors living at home or in a retirement facility, which in turn greatly reduces the risk of diseases associated with loneliness and isolation. Pets can also decrease the number of stress hormones in a persons blood, lower blood pressure, and contribute to a more positive outlook on life. Dogs and other pets, it seems, have tremendous healing powers!Since Alzheimers patients cannot adequately care for a pet, owning one is out of the question. Considering the nature of Alzheimers dementia, it is easy to assume that a loved one may not benefit from a pet since they will not remember the interaction. Researchers, convinced therapy dogs would have a positive effect on Alzheimers patients, put this question to the test: Do Therapy Dogs Help Alzheimers Dementia Patients?Short-Term Benefits of Therapy Dogs for Patients with Alzheimers Dementia.A study conducted in the early 2000s looked carefully at the subject of therapy dogs and Alzheimers dementia patients. They measured the incidence of behavioral disturbances among patients in a nursing home for a period of four weeks, then introduced therapy dogs. Their initial findings showed that the dogs helped to reduce behavioral disturbances in the short term, meaning they helped to immediately calm patients. The short-term effects proved that therapy dogs do have a positive effect on patients with Alzheimers disease, particularly in regards to anxiety, anger, and changes in behavior associated with the disease.Long-Term Benefits of Therapy Dogs for Patients with Alzheimers Dementia.The same study did not stop at the short-term effects of therapy dogs on Alzheimers patients. Previous assumptions suggested that since patients would not remember their encounters with the therapy dogs, the effects of spending time with them would vanish from one day to the next. Not true, the study authors found. Although most of the patients did not remember their interactions with the therapy dogs (some did), the behavioral disturbances noted in the four weeks prior to the study reduced. In fact, the longer and more frequently patients interacted with the therapy dogs, the less they exhibited behavioral disturbances.Therapy Dogs As A Long-Term Therapy.The study findings confirmed what clinicians suspected all along: dogs are an excellent long-term therapy for persons with Alzheimers dementia to reduce the incidence of behavioral disturbances. Therapy dogs also had the same effect on Alzheimers patients as they do on other kinds of patients, including reduced stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, better appetite, and fewer feelings of loneliness. These effects continued to increase the longer and more frequently patients interacted with the dogs.What Makes Dogs Such Good Therapy?Dogs are wired to give unconditional love and devotion. They can provide physical and social contact where it is missing, and they are not picky. what sets dogs apart, particularly those trained as therapy dogs, is that they will approach anyone regardless of their physical or mental deterioration, and initiate contact. Patients can pet, hug, and cuddle dogs unlike any other kind of pet. These positive interactions provide a distraction to the other goings-on around them and provide relief for those suffering from sadness, anger, or angst.The Takeaway.Dogs have a tremendous healing power. While studies have focused specifically on Alzheimers dementia patients, their positive effects will benefit anyone suffering from general dementia. Families of patients will feel relief that their loved ones have fewer outbursts of anger, sadness, or angst. While dementia impairs memory, it does not interrupt the long-term benefits of regularly interacting with a therapy dog. In fact, the more they interact with a therapy dog, the fewer behavioral problems they exhibit.