Marjorie P. Lee Senior Living Blog

For some seniors, short-term rehab can end up becoming a transition stage to long-term care. For all its collected wisdom, medical science can't always predict how the human body will heal. There are times when a person just doesn't respond as expected to treatment, or when there is simply more deterioration than the body can overcome. Sometimes a return home isn't possible. As a result, many family members and caregivers find themselves suddenly facing something for which they are unprepared. It can be stressful — for you and for your senior loved one.

So what do you need to know when your aging parent's short-term rehab stay doesn't go as well as expected? How do you go about the process of moving him or her into long-term care?

Let's take a look at what you should expect and at steps you should take.

Short term rehab is a familiar concept for many people, but you may not have heard about cardiac rehab. These centers are increasingly common as doctors have learned that people with heart problems need to make many lifestyle changes after a cardiovascular incident, and the extent of these changes can be overwhelming to someone who is in poor health.  A cardiac care rehab center can support mom or dad in making long term changes that will improve their health and avoid future heart problems.

After a major surgery, serious health event, or long stay in a hospital, many seniors require physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech-language pathology services resulting to help get them back on their feet and able to navigate their daily lives safely and with ease. When it comes to paying for this kind of short term rehab care, however, many families have questions and concerns about how they will be able to afford the costs of therapy for an elderly parent.

For many seniors and their caregivers, Medicare is the best option for assistance in covering the expense, but understanding just how much Medicare will pay, and what it will pay for, can be confusing. To help you better understand how Medicare covers short term rehab, we put together a simple and straightforward guide to understanding how Medicare can help you cover the cost of a parent’s short term care at a quality rehab center.

After an illness or accident which requires your mother to be admitted into a short term rehab facility, it is normal for you to feel an entire range of emotions. You can expect to feel immense amounts of stress, worry, confusion and uncertainty about how you can help your mother during her recovery.

There are things you can do to make your mother as comfortable as possible—and give yourself a small degree of control over the situation. Following these suggestions can help you and your mother make it through this difficult period.

Short term rehab programs are a wonderful way to help your loved one regain function and independence after an illness or injury. However, the situation can be fraught with stress and uncertainty when you don’t know how to pay for these programs. To help you with this issue, we are sharing answers to four of the most common questions caregivers have about paying for short term rehab.

When a parent or other elderly loved one is admitted to short term rehab, you will both have expectations and hopes for the outcome of the treatment they will receive. Many seniors enter such programs afraid of potentially permanent loss of mobility and independence or of the pain they might experience during the course of the care. This can be difficult for you as a caregiver, child, or loved one, but your support and understanding can help them through this challenge.