With the hard work of therapists and determination, all is possible! Rehabilitation can help get a patient back to where they were before an injury or illness happened. Depending on the person and the recovery, there are different types of rehabilitation available that can help each person gain the skills to regain the skills to have less assistance later on.
There are several types of rehabilitation. At Iliff Nursing and Rehabilitation, the focus is on three types for both our pediatric and geriatric residents: occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physical therapy.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is used as a treatment for a disease, injury, or deformity by physical methods. It includes massage, heat or ice, ultrasound, strengthening, and stretching exercises.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy (OT) is aimed at those who are recovering from an illness that encourages rehabilitation through doing activities for daily life. This could be for those that have physical, sensory, or cognitive issues. Its overall goal is to help those using OT regain their independence.
Speech Therapy
Speech Therapy is more than just speaking. As we age, the larynx muscles weaken, and our vocal cords will lose their elasticity. This can lead to difficulty in talking and swallowing. This therapy focuses on speech and language problems as well as swallowing. For our older population, the goal is to help them increase their communication, work on cognitive skills, and help teach them safe swallowing by either diet modification, or particular feeding techniques.
Pediatric Therapies
For pediatric patients, the same therapies listed above can also be used for children in our facility but will differ depending on the health conditions.
Speech therapy for children with a tracheostomy is beneficial in helping them communicate their wants and needs. Since the air passes over the vocal cords, our speech therapists will work with alternative options to facilitate speech.
Occupational therapy for children can help with any motor skill, coordination, or sensory processing disorders. Similar to how Iliff rehabilitation works with our geriatric residents, it can help children to develop a sense of independence and aid their daily activities.
Physical therapy for pediatric residents is used to help with gross motor skills. These incorporate daily skills such as coordination, mobility, and balance back into their routine after sickness, injury, or disability.
From our pediatric to geriatric residents at Iliff, we can see that each of the types of rehabilitation plays a part in their healing process. Our PT staff has state-of-the-art facilities and tools to help each resident regain their independence. If you have any questions, please call and set up a time to stop by for a tour.