What Is Senior Rehab Care?

Short-term rehabilitative care is ordered by a doctor for a patient who requires extra support and supervision to help them recover from an illness, injury or surgical procedure. This type of care helps patients regain as much of their physical and functional abilities as possible, which would be difficult (if not impossible) to accomplish on their own. Senior rehab is commonly needed to facilitate recovery from a stroke, heart attack, traumatic brain injury, joint replacement, hip fracture, amputation or pulmonary disorder. Most older adults pay for this care using a combination of Medicare Part A benefits (which are limited) and private funds.

In any elder care situation, understanding the services a senior requires will help you decide what care settings best fit their needs. By default, senior rehabilitation services involve the highest level of care: skilled care.
According to Medicare.gov, skilled care “includes skilled nursing or rehabilitation services to manage, observe, or assess a resident’s care. Examples of skilled care include occupational therapy, wound care, intravenous (IV) therapies, and physical therapy.” Skilled care can only be provided by or under the supervision of a registered nurse or doctor.