Rehabilitation for older people

The recuperative care treatment programme is for older people who need a period of rehabilitation within a safe and supportive environment. This might include:

• People who have been in hospital following an accident, illness or surgery
• People who are having difficulty coping at home
• People whose needs may have changed since being placed in residential or nursing care.

Recuperative care is a 24 hour a day, seven days a week process.

Your case manager will indentify whether you are suitable for the programme and will send in the relevant forms. You must meet all of the points listed in the admission criteria in order to be deemed suitable for the programme.

We will then make an assessment on your needs, based on information received in the referral pack.

Recuperative care is not suitable for emergency respite needs.

The treatment

On admission you will be given further detailed assessments and work with the therapist to set realistic goals from which your treatment programme is planned.

Treatment programmes typically include:

• Washing and dressing assessments and practice
• Hot drink, snack and meal preparation
• Daily rehabilitation sessions to improve flexibility, mobility and range of movement
• Cognitive and reminiscence groups
• Community re-integration activities
• Home visits and discharge planning with families, carers and care managers
• Assessment and provision of equipment and minor adaptations
• Opportunities to help develop the recuperative care service from a service user's perspective.

Admission criteria

You must meet all of the points listed in the admission criteria in order to be deemed suitable for the recuperative care treatment programme. The admission criteria is as follows:

• You must be aged 65 years and over
• Be clinically fit and medically stable if being discharged from hospital
• Not need nursing care. However there may be a need for district nursing services to be involved
• You may need 24 hour supervision to ensure safety and security
• To maximise your independence, your potential must be assessed
• You and your carer must be aware of and agree to the timescale as part of your treatment plan
• Motivation: you must be able to understand the purpose and process of recuperative care. You must agree to admission in the knowledge that you will be taking part in a programme of therapy
• Mobility: you should be mobile with any equipment appropriate to your needs. You should need no more than the assistance of one carer
• Transfers: you should need no more than the assistance of one carer when transferring from or to a bed, chair or otherwise
• Continence: managed continence problems are acceptable
• Communication: you must be able to communicate your needs in a manner appropriate to you
• Mental ability: acute or chronic confusional states, including short term memory loss may not be appropriate to allow participation in the recuperative care programme
• A planned discharge venue must be identified.