Learn the Different Kinds of Nursing Care Offered at Nursing Homes

Contrary to popular belief, nursing homes aren’t just for the retired. Rather, many elderly individuals enter nursing homes after major unfortunate life events, such as physical injury or illness. After these events, many elderly people are unable to care for themselves.
Under the care of skilled nurses, elderly citizens receive a plethora of services within nursing facilities. Here are three of the services they receive:
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy helps patients through the recovery process after a traumatic physical injury or surgery. While it largely depends on the patient’s ailment, physical therapists can help their patients with their flexibility, balance, strength, and general movement. For treatment, physical therapists include forms of exercise, such as stretching, minor weight training, walking, and massage. Unlike chiropractors, physical therapists are licensed medial practitioners who have either master’s or doctorate degrees in their field.

Restorative Care
Similar to physical therapy, restorative care is a more intensive kind of physical rehabilitation. This is for individuals who have suffered major medical maladies such as strokes, severe falls and other physically incapacitating accidents. While restorative care can be conducted at home, many elderly patients check in at senior rehabilitation centers in order to get therapy seven days a week. Restorative care enlists the help of skilled nursing care, who assist patients with everyday things such as dressing and bathing until they are able to do these things themselves. Many restorative care programs include physical therapy.

Palliative Care
When people have serious illnesses, they get palliative care for end of life treatment and aid. This is for individuals with terminal diseases, such as cancer and dementia. With palliative care, the the medical professionals know and understand that the condition will not likely improve. Rather, the goal of palliative care is to make the end of the patient’s life as easy and as comfortable as possible. This also, in turn, provides relief for the patient’s family.