My mom fell in January and broke a vertebra and a clavicle. She was in the ER three days before they could get her a rehab bed covered by insurance and it took another week after that before she complained to the right people about her back pain and got that xrayed and immediately in for surgery because it needed to be pinned. A couple more weeks (or more, I lost track of time) in the hospital and ten min before her ride back to rehab was due, she found out her roommate tested positive for Covid during a random screening. Rehab wouldn’t take her until she was quarantined for ten days. She finally got back to rehab and didn’t seem terribly motivated but against my better judgement they sent her back to assisted living a month or so later. She fell the very next day and was back to rehab. Her clavicle won’t heal w/o surgery and she’s not a good candidate for more surgery given her age and overall lack of motivation. I guess she was healed better and/or more motivated after this most recent rehab stint because she’s been home a couple of weeks without falls.

All this to say 1) the patient needs to be motivated 2) there needs to be a reasonable prognosis that the rehab will actually help and 3) some places walk people to the door and back to their bed and call it rehab. You need to find out what kind of rehab they’re doing and what kind your parent actually needs to be independent again. What activities do they do day to day and what’s going to help them do it. Usually there’s an OT component that needs to be addressed too—getting dressed, bathing, getting in and out of bed, picking something up off the floor etc.

Can anyone recommend external companies that are good for PT/OT in Arlington/Falls Church?

My dad, who has since passed away, was recently in rehab and I do think the PT and OT people were very good. I observed him in a few sessions, and they were working with him and also with others with varying levels of capabilities and the patients seemed engaged with it.

Unfortunately, my dad did not really respond well, because he was at the end of his life. I mean we didn't know that at that moment but that's why he wasn't doing well.

Anonymous wrote:It's going to be case by case. If you're not happy with the facility PT and your parent is motivated, then bring in the traveling PT (or get your parent to the PT facility).

It's also important to check to make sure that the PT is doing the right kind of therapy. My mom had back surgery and was very motivated, but the in-house PT was doing completely unnecessary OT activities.

Honestly they aren't doing anything unique - walking and stability exercises mainly. The therapists themselves just seem apathetic - like they can't even fake being enthusiastic anymore. I assume they are all just burned out but in that case it's time to change jobs b/c they aren't helping.

It's going to be case by case. If you're not happy with the facility PT and your parent is motivated, then bring in the traveling PT (or get your parent to the PT facility).

It's also important to check to make sure that the PT is doing the right kind of therapy. My mom had back surgery and was very motivated, but the in-house PT was doing completely unnecessary OT activities.

Anonymous wrote:I was just talking to a physical therapist about this yesterday. She switched to a lower paying hospital job because of the patient population in assisted living. Physical therapy only works if the patient is motivated. For many people in assisted living, it's the family members who are motivated to see improvement and not actually the patient.

I can see that although in this case our loved one is motivated but the therapist seem apathetic. Older people do respond to encouragement but some of the PTs and OTs we have encountered appear to be disengaged and then the therapy isn't effective.

Anonymous wrote:Are the in-house therapists present in the room?

Yes, they have a rehab room in the facility with exercise equipment.

I was just talking to a physical therapist about this yesterday. She switched to a lower paying hospital job because of the patient population in assisted living. Physical therapy only works if the patient is motivated. For many people in assisted living, it's the family members who are motivated to see improvement and not actually the patient.

Often whatever it is just needs to heal. Takes time and PT is not changing the healing timeline.

Are the in-house therapists present in the room?

Is it better to use in-house PT/OT at an Assisted Living facility or better to hire external agency to come in? Seems like a lot of the in-house therapists are burned out and just phoning in exercise - not sure it actually helps. Looking for others who can share their experience with this either positive or negative.