When your parent/family member has a set back from an injury or illness that limits their ability to complete their everyday task a physician in a hospital may recommend short-term rehabilitation.  Be supportive and positive about the initiative.  What once was easy to do on a daily basis now seems almost impossible.  There is often a looming fear that this current disability is now more long term.  Here’s how to keep things in perspective and encourage your loved ones throughout the rehabilitation process.

Keep a Positive Attitude
The glass is half full, the rehab goals are obtainable and they are reasonable.  The process made is dependent on how much effort is put in to reach the goals set by the therapy team.  Your loved ones may look to your reaction to guide their own.  Stay positive and maintain a good attitude throughout the process.  It increases the likelihood that they’ll follow suit.  Provide constant encouragement to your parent or family member and remain as involved as possible.  Keep stressing the end result.

Get Involved
If possible, talk to your loved ones/parents physical, speech, or occupational therapists after each session.  Know the plan of care for your loved one’s program.  What are the short-term and long-term goals?  Everything is documented and tracked.  Make the stress go away.  The more therapy the stronger and more stable you will become.

Celebrate
Celebrate each goal as a victory.  Therapy is a process that takes weekly/monthly progress.  You are recovering and re-training your body.  Baywoods has a great waterfront setting for short-term rehabilitation family members to enjoy.  At Baywoods we take time to praise and support the residents to increase their self-efficiency.  96% of our short-term residents return home stronger than when they arrived.

Life happens, it’s inevitable.  You never want to live your life thinking about all the negative things that could happen.  But with that said, things do happen.  Understanding how to adjust is the biggest thing for a loved one or family member.  Take initiative in care of your family members by visiting the rehab facility and meeting the team your parent/family member will be working with.  Let Baywoods of Annapolis help you with that comfort today.