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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

High View Rehabilitation and Nursing Center provides Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy not only to its residents but to the community on an outpatient basis.  When faced with the decision of needing therapy, it is important that you understand the function of each type of therapy so that you or your loved one can obtain the full benefits each type of therapy provides.

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WE ARE DEDICATED to the improvement and promotion of health and fitness to our residents and the community in need of rehabilitation. 

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Mind, Body, Spirit

Research continues to show physical activity, mental stimulation and social connections reduce risks of disease and depression and can help you live longer. A National Institute on Aging report found that older adults experience the highest levels of well-being when they are socializing, working or volunteering, and exercising. Put them all together in a holistic way and it can lead to a healthier, happier life.

 

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What does that look like?

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Mind your brain:

Doing challenging activities such as learning a new skill can improve memory function and help your brain become more adaptable in some functions. This can help compensate for age-related changes in the brain.

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Bodies in motion: 

Exercise can give you the strength to keep doing activities that you love. Strength exercises, in particular, allows your body to move better, which makes it easier to climb stairs or pick up your groceries.

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Spirited living:

Finding purpose, having a healthy emotional life and maintaining social connections not only make life more enjoyable, but they also make it healthier. Religious or spiritual activity is associated with lower rates of hypertension and less pain from illness. And an active social life reduces depression and can help extend life.

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Wellness Programs at Senior Living Communities:

At High View, we focus extensively on the well-being and health of our residents, many of which prefer a more holistic approach to wellness. Our residents find it easy to be proactive about their health and well-being because of the dedicated therapist and staff we have on-site.

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Not only do we have an on-site fitness center with classes, a speech, an occupational and a physical therapist, we also have a certified nutritionist that evaluates our "Healthy Balance" program, providing not only healthy meals but ensuring our "local favorite cuisines" are healthy and beneficial to our residents.

 

Our "Activities Program" also provides our residents with a variety of activities to meet your needs and achieve one mind, body and soul. They provided continued help so you may expand your horizons and build relationships with others. We provided including "Restorisize" (our exercise program), religious services, bible studies, support groups or on-site counselors to help you stay spiritually connected and emotionally healthy.

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Your well-being and your health have a lot to do with the choices you make. The good news is that it’s never too late to start making better choices for a better life and High View Rehabilitation and Nursing Center is here to help you and your "Health and Wellness".

What Is Occupational vs. Physical Therapy?

​​Let's begin by explaining the difference between an "Occupational Therapist" and a "Physical Therapist".

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An Occupational Therapist, while they work hand in hand with a Physical Therapist, will focus on "What matters to you as far as functioning in your daily task?" While a Physical Therapist focuses on "What are the physical limitations that you need to improve with you?"

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An Occupational Therapist who has specialization in geriatrics assists seniors with their day-to-day activities and aids them to overcome the challenges of routine life such as bathing, dressing, feeding, etc.

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Benefits of Occupational Therapy for the Elderly.

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  • Overcome The Challenges Faced in Daily-Life:

The very first benefit of the therapy is that it can help overcome the challenges of routine life such as bathing, dressing, feeding, etc. Apart from these, the strategies are developed in such a way that it resolves problems like chronic pain, arthritis, and other issues a senior may experience.

 

  • Surrounding Modification: 

The therapists make the life of elders a lot simpler with convenient devices like built-up eating utensils, teaching easier methods to handle daily tasks and routines and positive encouragement to help a resident make the transition to home.   The surroundings can also get customized with bathtub bench or handles.

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  • Promote Better Health:

The therapy has a better impact on the mental and physical health of seniors. The educational techniques and devices used during the therapy foster longevity, facilitate a healthier lifestyle and make residents sense the greater quality of life.

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  • Information Update:

Therapists help provide assistance in maintaining an environment equipped with specific media that can adjust according to the sensory changes related to age and is supportive of processes associated with the learning of an elderly resident.

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  • Life Transitions:

Elderly people have to go through numerous transition phases in life, like retirement, relocation, widowhood, etc., which may be disturbing. These changes in the life of an elderly can go effortlessly with occupational therapy.

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  • Prevent Falls:

Elderly people often fall because of bone fragility, slower reflexes, loss of footing, and many other factors. These falls are dangerous as they may result in severe injuries such as a broken hip. The therapy teaches seniors (who are visually impaired, deaf, or disabled in any way) how to stay active, conserve energy, and several techniques, and methods to prevent falls.

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  • Assistance to Caregivers: 

The caregiver of senior people often feels difficulty and pressure helping their family members or loved ones. The occupational therapy eases out the task of the caregiver as they teach the caregiver on how to make better decisions, and take some of the difficult responsibilities on themselves. Thus, allows them to separate from care-giving duties.

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To Sum it up, about a third of senior residents undergoing occupational therapy suffer from some form of dementia, have fallen ill or have suffered from an injury. Because occupational therapists treat individuals as a whole, they are also qualified to assist those with an array of issues including cognitive disorders, developmental disabilities, motor control issues, memory loss as well as behavioral and emotional problems.

 

Regardless of the reason treatment is sought, occupational therapists don’t use manual therapy techniques as physical therapists do. Rather, they help seniors gain or regain their independence in instances where residents are struggling to perform the basic activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, cooking, cleaning, walking, etc.

 

They also help seniors learn how to adjust to any challenges they face due to temporary or permanent disabilities within facilities and within the home. Occupational therapists also evaluate long-term care needs and seek to identify any factors concerning the home or individual that may inhibit their normal routine.

 

Once these issues are brought to the surface, occupational therapists can make recommendations such as chiropractic adjustments, special care routines, prostheses, appropriate social activities.

 

Furthermore, these health care providers can even advise seniors and their families about changes that can be made within the residence to provide the resident with as much independence as possible amid a safe environment. With access to such personalized health care, many seniors can avoid relying on family or friends or having to transition to a senior care facility.

 

Occupational therapy is somewhat unique in the fact that it utilizes a ‘whole person’ or holistic approach when considering the needs of seniors undergoing treatment. An occupational therapist looks beyond the surface symptoms and attempts to discover any underlying issues that may be having a negative impact on the senior’s life.

 

These health care providers then help the resident resolve core issues with appropriate wellness promotion and rehabilitation therapies. In many cases, residents find their way to an occupational therapist after seeing a physical therapist so that they may regain strength and mobility after post-surgery, an accident or a physical or cognitive dysfunction surfaces.

 

For example, a senior who has fallen may see a physical therapist to gain strength and begin walking again. Later on, the individual sees an occupational therapist to practice walking, posture, and/or to explore options such as mobility aids or ways to change the home to prevent future falls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Benefits of Physical Therapy for Elderly.

At High View Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, our goal of physical therapy for seniors is to make daily tasks and activities easier. And to make seniors as independent as possible.

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Physical Therapist are movement experts who optimize the quality of life through prescribed exercise. We provide hands-on care, and patient education as well as family or caregiver education. Our Physical Therapists examine each individual and develop a plan, using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability.

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Elderly physical therapy combines a combination of approaches including stretching, walking, massage, hydrotherapy, and electrical stimulation among others.  In addition, our Physical Therapists work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles. Physical therapists teach resident how to prevent or manage their condition so that they will achieve long-term health benefits.

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For seniors recovering from injury or illness and for those experiencing chronic pain, physical therapy can help relieve pain and restore physical functions such as flexibility, strength, balance, and coordination. Elderly physical therapy combines a combination of approaches including stretching, walking, massage, hydrotherapy, and electrical stimulation among others. The goal of physical therapy for seniors is to make daily tasks and activities easier. And to make seniors as independent as possible.

 

Among the circumstances where physical therapy can be valuable are for those:

  • Recovering from injuries such as a broken hip

  • Osteoarthritis

  • Pain in all parts of the body such as the knee, back, shoulder, wrist, etc.

  • Diabetes

  • Parkinson's Disease

  • Alzheimer's Disease

  • Stroke

  • Vertigo

  • Incontinence

  • Multiple Sclerosis

  • Cerebral Palsy

  • And many other conditions

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​Types of Physical Therapy:

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Manual Therapy is a therapy performed by the hands of the therapist with the goal of relaxing the resident, reducing pain, and providing more flexibility.

 

It includes:

  • Massaging muscles and the body's soft tissues to relax the resident, improve circulation and relieve pain.

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  • Mobilization uses slow movements relieve pain in joints, bones and muscles to  help to loosen tight joint tissues and increase flexibility.

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  • Manipulation uses fast, forceful movements to relieve pain and realign joints and bones.

 

Cold Therapy is used to relieve pain, swelling, and inflammation from conditions such as arthritis. Treatment involves ice packs (15 to 20-minute sessions), ice massage, and rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE).

 

Heat Therapy relaxes muscles and improves blood circulation, which is useful for loosening stiff joints from osteoarthritis or other conditions where you've been immobilized. Heat is also used to loosen muscles before exercise.

 

Hydrotherapy uses water to treat diseases and to maintain health, healing soft tissues, increasing blood flow, and relaxing the entire body.

 

Electrical stimulation uses electrical current to create a desired effect in the body. For instance, electrical current can scramble pain signals to cover feelings of pain. Electrical stimulation is used to contract muscles in stroke victims and those with arthritis. Electrical stimulation is the general term that describes the use of electrical current to create an effect in the body.

 

The medical community is finding that physical therapy can be used to help residents with a variety of diseases and medical conditions, some obvious, some less so. Most people 65 and over have some arthritis in their spine, even if they don't have the symptoms. Physical therapy can help offset future symptoms by using hot packs, electrical stimulation, and other techniques.

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  • For stroke residents, Physical Therapists use constraint-induced movement therapy, where you are forced to use your weaker arm or hand to regain strength, use, and mobility. The use of motor imagery and mental practice involves rehearsing movements without actually doing it. This stimulates that part of your brain that controls movement to the weaker part of the body.

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  • Parkinson's disease residents perform exercises that improve trunk flexibility to avoid the robotic movements the disease produces.

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  • Incontinence residents are taught how to find the right muscles and use them correctly. Doing pelvic exercises helps strengthen muscles to better control the bladder.

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  • Physical Therapists work Alzheimer's residents using exercise, which can improve memory and delay the onset of more serious memory problems. They also use “mirroring” where the Physical Therapist serves as a mirror, showing the patient how to move. Other techniques include music,  dancing, and gardening, which help residents remember certain types of movements.

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Summary:

As you can see, physical therapy can help seniors in about every area of health care imaginable. If you're recovering from surgery or an illness or living with a disease, ask your doctor about physical therapy. Our Physical Therapist at High View Rehabilitation and Nursing Center can give you back your independence by increasing your mobility and making daily tasks easier.

Speech Therapy for the Elderly

The ability to speak and communicate clearly is vital for individuals of all ages, but it's particularly important concerning the elderly population. If seniors cannot adequately describe what it is they need, where their pain is located or what might be going wrong in general, situations can quickly escalate into emergencies.

 

This is where speech therapy can play an essential role in promoting greater health for the elderly population, especially those who have suffered from a stroke, a brain injury, or cancer of the mouth head and throat. Those who offer speech therapy are generally called Speech and Language Pathologists and offer therapies that focus on an individual's capacity for language, speech, comprehension and swallowing.

 

Their treatment plans are designed to help improve senior's cognition, communication and address issues like nutrition and hydration that some medical providers don't take into account concerning speech and swallowing issues. Furthermore, speech pathologists help promote a healthy lifestyle for seniors through education about dementia-related conditions and stroke prevention.

 

When to Consider Speech Therapy for Seniors:

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Because speech therapy has so many benefits for the elderly, some individuals consider therapy for even mild to moderate concerns such as stuttering or fear of speaking around others. However, it is often after a medical incident such as the onset of dementia, a stroke, a head injury or an oral or head-related cancer diagnosis that seniors seek out speech therapy treatment.

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It's important to note that speech therapy can also become necessary due to the aging process. As the vocal cords lose elasticity and the larynx muscles weaken, seniors may find speaking in their normal manner challenging or impossible.

 

Some signs to look for when considering speech therapy include:

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  • Does your loved one transpose words frequently?

  • Is your elderly loved one having problems responding to others or requesting needed items?

  • Are they experiencing difficulty managing personal matters due to lack of clear speaking and communications

  • Is there any doubt that the senior could adequately communicate in a time of emergency?

  • Has your loved one become more reluctant to speak recently?

  • Are they struggling with speaking audibly or having trouble hearing others?

  • Does the senior seem to have trouble swallowing or feel like food is ‘stuck' in the chest or throat?

 

Speech and Language pathologists are highly trained and skilled in helping seniors retrain and regain their ability to communicate with speech therapy. They also assist with dysphasia conditions that can make swallowing difficult or impossible.

 

After the decision is made to seek treatment, a Speech and Language Pathologist will perform a comprehensive evaluation and then make recommendations for specific therapies depending on whether the issues are aphasia related, dysphasia based or both.  Treatment methods vary depending on whether the issues are caused by a stroke, head injury or a dementia-related condition.

 

Speech Therapy for Seniors After a Stroke

After a stroke, many senior patients suffer from a condition called aphasia, which impairs one's ability to comprehend and properly use language. Out of the 700,000 individuals who suffer a stroke annually, one in four survivors experience aphasia, and the sooner speech therapy is sought out, the higher the chances are of recovery.

 

The degree of how serious language is damaged typically depends on the intensity of the stroke, as even an ischemic stroke can mildly impair movement within the face and furthermore cause difficulty in swallowing. Fortunately, speech-language pathologists are trained to help seniors increase functional communications and cognitive skills in addition to teaching safe swallowing skills to seniors.

 

Some therapies utilized after a stroke may include:

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  • Singing: Making melodic intonations for words they can't speak

  • Constraint-Induced Therapy: Creating scenarios only with spoken words and no visual cues

  • Visual Speech Perception: Associating certain words with pictures for cognitive retraining

  • Support Groups with Peers: Sharing strategies and successes with others

  • Diet/Feeding Modifications: Dysphasia relief through special diets, hydration and feeding techniques

  • Muscle Retraining or Compensation Strategies: Exercises to prevent muscle deterioration while gaining strength

Speech Therapy for Dementia-Related Conditions::P:

Cognitive communication is generally effected by dementia-related conditions and memory disorders, making it challenging for seniors to process and remember information. Furthermore, reasoning and problem-solving skills may be impaired, so a speech pathologist can be of help in the early stages of dementia in numerous ways.

 

By keeping language skills sharp, the signs of memory conditions can often be minimized, allowing the senior to have greater control over their speech and reasoning skills. Sometimes elderly individuals may forget to stay nourished and hydrated, and speech therapists can work with them and their families to help resolve such issues which can prevent or resolve swallowing problems. Therapists employ many of the same techniques as those used post-stroke.

 

Speech Therapy for Head Injuries and Head, Neck & Throat Cancer Patients:

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The results of head injuries due to trauma or chemotherapy or surgery for head, neck or throat cancer can leave seniors lacking language and communication skills. The approach taken will depend on the circumstances and the severity of the condition. In addition to melodic sounds, constraint-induced therapy, modification, and cognition therapy, some treatments may involve electric stimulation of the throat muscles.

 

There are also exercises that can help seniors maintain muscle function as they recover their language capacities. Beyond working with a speech pathologist, your loved one may also be referred to work with other specialists that can assist with speech issues such as an audiologist, physical therapists and occupational therapists.

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