2019-2020 Health Care Guide

h OW h OME R EhAB S ERvICES h ElP R ETuRN P ATIENTS TO f uNCTIONAl W EllNESS

F

touch the surface of the true picture of the client’s func- tion. using a battery of tests, the rehabilitation professional can identify limitations as well as refer to baseline measurements of function. The “why” behind the poor balance, dizziness and other deficits drives the chosen interventions—it is the hall- mark of how a tailored plan of care is developed. House Calls and Rehabilitation As a patient moves through the health care continuum after a surgical procedure, he or she will come to a point where a decision needs to be made: to use traditional homecare ser- vices or outpatient services. homecare services tend to focus on recovery to a point where the client is no longer homebound, as well as clinical needs. homecare services allow for physical therapy, occu- pational therapy, speech

language pathology and nursing care. Outpatient ther- apy allows for physical thera- py, occupational therapy and speech language pathology services, but does not offer the services of a nurse. Outpatient services focus on higher-level functional goals and go beyond the homecare goals of medical stability while focusing on overcom- ing being homebound. Some practices have chosen to provide outpatient services as a house call. This way, the clinician can evaluate a client’s ability to transfer to standing from their favorite chair, climb the stairs to their second-floor bedroom, step down the curb to enter their garage, and even walk on the grass outside to get to their outdoor patio where their grandchildren gather every Sunday for a barbecue—all things that a traditional clinic setting does not allow. A house call care delivery model may have advantages over the traditional clinic- based rehabilitative services.

ollowing an orthopedic surgery, physical and occupa- tional therapy services typi- cally will begin while a per- son is still in the hospital and will continue until their func- tional ability is restored. Physical therapy helps a per- son reduce pain, regain strength, increase range of motion, improve balance and reduce the effort needed to access the community. Occupational therapy helps people regain the ability to care for themselves, care for the people that depend on them and to care for their home. The Rehabilitation Process The first step to a successful recovery of function is for a thorough assessment to be completed by the rehabilita- tion professional. The focus of this assessment is on the patient’s prior level of func- tion, current level of function and the mutually agreed upon outcomes within the plan of care. A comprehen- sive assessment looks at more than just range of motion and strength; those things only

Continued on next page.

| S E N I O R R E S O U R C E S 2019

22

F or information on S enior S ervices in Wisconsin, visit our website www.seniorresourcesonline.com