Injuries, hospital stays, and surgeries can be scary, but they’re more than short-term stressors. You may need time to recover emotionally and physically, regain skills, and achieve optimal health.
Where and how you recover matters because the right support helps your body heal, nurtures your spirit, and makes you feel like yourself again. Rehabilitation therapy offers myriad benefits, including reduced pain, the ability to regain lost functions, and the emotional support you need if your recovery is challenging.
Although there are many rehabilitative options, community-based short-term rehabilitation offers comprehensive support on your journey to wellness. Here are some reasons to consider community-based support:
One of the most significant challenges on the path to recovery is logistics. Finding, hiring, and managing the right team of experts can be difficult, especially as your needs shift. If you suddenly need to add speech therapy to your roster of services, it might take several weeks to find the right person. Community-based rehabilitation eliminates these barriers by anticipating your needs and offering everything under one roof. Here are some benefits of comprehensive rehabilitation:
Rehabilitation in a community setting offers more than just support with recovery. It also offers additional benefits that can improve your health. Walkable trails can help you build strength. Lush green spaces will encourage you to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors. Delicious meals nourish your body without sacrificing flavor. And meaningful social connections help you avoid isolation.
Perhaps most helpful, you’ll receive the support you need at every stage of recovery. Craving a midnight snack? Don’t worry about falling; supportive team members can help you satisfy that craving. Need a dose of fresh air? No matter where you are in your recovery journey, someone is there to help if needed.
Friendship gives life deeper meaning. Your relationships may also pave the path to wellness. One study found that friendship can improve long-term survival. Other research suggests that meaningful social connections can boost immunity, improve pain tolerance, and reduce cognitive decline.
Few people want to recover in isolation. However, when you recover at home, your ability to nurture social connections may depend on your ability to drive or coordinate plans with friends. So early in your recovery, when you need the most support, you may end up with little or no contact with friends.
Community-based short-term rehabilitation ensures you can easily connect with others with access to new friends and an inviting space for loved ones to visit. When you have visitors, you don't need to clean up or prepare meals. Community-based recovery takes care of this often-taxing work for you.
Consider the daily challenges of recovering at home. Perhaps you’re dealing with narrow stairwells, a slippery shower, or a treacherous walkway. Or maybe you’re trying to build home repairs or a ramp into your budget to make your home more accessible.
Community-based rehab eliminates these worries. Instead, you’ll recover in a setting that is safe, accessible, and designed with long-term recovery in mind. You’ll also gain access to resources that are difficult to access at home, such as water aerobics, an onsite gym, and 24/7 support if needed.
Occupational therapy in a community setting offers another important benefit: it prepares you to return home. Recovering in a hospital may not offer the same daily practice with everyday tasks. Conversely, in a community setting, you’ll get support with these tasks and an opportunity to regain your skills so you feel comfortable returning home as quickly as possible.
Recovering in a community setting does more than meet your physical needs. It helps you live a more enriched life, no matter your level of ability. Everyone deserves more joy, more connection, and less stress. Begin your search for the perfect community today!