Money often trumps outcomes in senior rehab services – a Carmel facility is changing that

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Third-party rehabilitation services in senior care facilities are an industry-wide practice. While widely accepted, the competing goals of billable therapy minutes and what’s best for each senior can lead to less than optimal outcomes and nearly impossible workloads for therapy services staff.

Known for intimate, homelike settings and an approach that reimagines what senior care can be, the Restoracy sought to further improve the rehabilitation outcomes for their long-term care, rehabilitation, and memory care residents by launching their own rehabilitation services, Restore Rehab.

Seniors taking advantage of rehabilitation services with Restore Rehab now have access to pain management tools such as Dolphin Neurostim and Avazzia, which provide non-medication options for pain management – an essential part of rehabilitation success. Focused on the best outcomes, Restore Rehab leverages VitalStim, a tool used to support patients with dysphagia (trouble swallowing).

“We’re focusing on outcomes and quality, not minutes and dollars,” said Molly Shulz, Director of Admissions at the Restoracy. She adds that the uneasy alliance senior care and rehab companies form make it difficult to align goals on an important aspect of senior care. With Restore Rehab, all residents of the Restoracy gain access to a nimble, talented, and motivated team of hand-picked rehabilitation specialists and support staff including a physiatrist (a medical doctor specializing in rehabilitation and pain management) and a nurse practitioner focusing on physiatry.

The Restoracy in Carmel is redefining the relationship between rehabilitation services and senior care facilities into one that values quality over dollars. (Photo provided)

“The experience of the professional teams providing rehabilitation services is equally important to us as the quality outcomes our seniors experience,” added Dan McKinzie, OTR, MPP, Restore Rehab’s Chief Operating Officer. Working as a team with the Restoracy’s staff and residents and the opportunities Restore Rehab provides for their team to innovate in the therapy space is already attracting top talent to the company.

Rehabilitation encompasses physical, occupational, and speech therapy with each patient’s plan personalized for specific outcomes. Seniors seek rehabilitation services after illness or injury requiring hospitalization. With falls leading as the number one cause of injury deaths in adults 65 and over, they’re also the most common reason for seniors to enter rehabilitation. But seniors also use rehab services for pain management and to prolong independence and quality of life when living with chronic conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.

Seniors who live independently and return home after hospitalization and rehab aren’t the only ones who benefit from services. Residents in long-term and memory care facilities often encounter rehab needs specific to living in these settings, including reducing fall risk and incontinence. Approximately half of senior care facility residents experience falls and the same is true of incontinence-related infections and complications. A number of factors – including the advanced age of residents, staffing ratios, and availability of interventions – contribute to these statistics.

When the pressure to bill a certain amount of therapy minutes leaves little time for assessment, planning and adjustment for rehab interventions, therapy staff find themselves under pressure to maximize billable minutes at the expense of adequate time for other tasks and often complete these tasks on their own time. This contributes to a cycle that can lead to burnout, turnover, and slower progress for seniors in rehab.

Redefining what senior rehabilitation care looks like with Restore Rehab provides seniors and their families a unique option for rehab. The Restoracy and Restore Rehab encourage seniors and their families to schedule a tour and see the difference firsthand.

About Restore Rehab
Launched to buck the industry trends holding patients and rehabilitation teams back, Restore Rehab’s core rehabilitation philosophy re-imagines what it means to provide exceptional care to seniors. Restore Rehab provides individualized and holistic care and restores health and dignity in an environment that fosters independence while focusing on quality outcomes.

About The Restoracy
The Restoracy, locally owned and operated, provides “senior care re-imagined” by prioritizing a superior living experience and personalized care delivery. Their commitment to residents is reflected in the industry’s highest caregiver-to-patient ratio, ensuring individualized attention in a home-like setting. Unlike large institutional facilities, their homes accommodate specific rehabilitation, long-term care, or memory care needs, featuring private rooms with common living areas. The heart of their approach lies in their kitchen/dining area, fostering familiarity and warmth with meals served directly from the dinner table. The Restoracy’s staff undergoes specialized training, and care delivery is tailored to each home’s focus, ensuring a unique and compassionate experience for every resident.