Rehab/skilled care
Five things to consider when choosing rehabilitation and skilled care for your parents or loved ones.
1. Love is also making sure they get the care you no longer are able to give.
Finding rehab/skilled care for a loved one can be one of the toughest decisions in life. Many of us need to learn about nursing homes only once or twice in a lifetime. It’s emotionally painful. So we put it off, even when the warning signs tell us otherwise. It’s just easier to ignore them. And it’s more comfortable than dealing with it. But remember, this decision can be a deep expression of your love.
2. It’s about more than the décor.
The difference is not in the building or the amenities. It rests in a philosophy that everyone deserves to feel loved and valued and to be treated with dignity, even if they need help doing the most basic of things.
3. Rehab/skilled care is more than just providing healthcare 24 hours a day.
It’s about giving hope and helping overcome fear, among both residents and their loved ones. It’s being someone to talk to. It’s relating to people as people, not as patients. It’s helping you assume a different role. It’s cherishing life for the remarkable journey it has been, and that is still to come.
4. Though you'll never replace their home, they can find a sense of community.
Feeling at home means feeling comfortable, relaxed and at ease. Home is a place to feel respected, valued and satisfied. Home should never feel like a business or a system. It’s not just finding a place they can live; it’s finding a place they can make their own.
5. It could be the best decision. For everyone.
You may question if you’re really making the right decision to move your loved one to a rehab/skilled care center at all. Remember, you can do no more than your best, and if you’ve done that, neither you nor your family can ask any more of you.
