The Wesley Community, a 37-acre senior living campus with more than 700 residents in Saratoga Springs, recently unveiled an upgraded Therapy Room designed to help rehab clients ease back into a home environment following a hospital stay for planned surgery, an injury or illness.
The Wesley Community Health Care Center provides short-term rehabilitation services for clients diagnosed with dementia or respiratory disorders, who are recovering from a stroke, a planned surgery such as a hip or knee replacement or who had been hospitalized for cardiac care.
“Our primary goal is to get patients back on their feet and help them return home ready and strong for a continued and successful recovery,” said Wesley Director of InPatient Therapy Patrick Dolan. “We provide individual supportive care of the highest caliber, in a friendly and encouraging therapeutic environment by a qualified team of skilled nurses, physicians, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and physical therapists.”
The upgraded therapy room offers a home-like setting with a functional kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Clients work with staff and practice hands-on, daily living activities to regain their strength and independence. The goal of learning how to safely move throughout their home space is to prevent falls and re-hospitalization.
Following guidance and training by staff, clients are evaluated on self-care skills needed for meal prep; kitchen safety, movement energy conservation and work simplification; showering and tub transfer, bed-making; dynamic navigation for retrieving items from dressers and closets; and navigation of varying floor surfaces.
The upgraded Therapy Room project took several months to complete and has already been utilized by numerous clients. Helping seniors thrive at home and age in place are just a few of the long-term anticipated benefits of the new rehab model.
While some older adults may be more comfortable with the level of assistance offered by senior living communities, nearly 90% of adults 65 years of age or older prefer to remain in their homes as they grow older, according to the AARP. Aging in place preserves independence, helps seniors maintain community connections and can contribute to better health and a higher quality of life.
For more information about The Wesley Community, visit www.thewesleycommunity.org