if you or someone you love in Wenatchee, WA is being discharged from the hospital, you might be advised to follow up with some form of physical therapy after a minor or major surgery.
Based on your condition, your doctors may recommend inpatient or outpatient physical therapy. Both forms of therapy have their unique advantages; however, they vary most significantly in the level of care and length of the treatment needed, which can range from a few weeks to several months depending on the surgery and the recovery process. Other differences include location of therapy, scheduling, and insurance coverage.
It is essential that you know the differences between inpatient and outpatient physical therapy before deciding which one would suit you best. Inpatient and outpatient physical therapy are both offered at Colonial Vista Post Acute in Wenatchee, WA and having years of experience providing therapy to people recovering from surgery, we can guide you to understand the difference between the two forms of therapy.
What Is Inpatient Physical Therapy?
In practical terms, inpatient physical therapy means that you stay where you receive care. Instead of having to visit a therapist, it would be the other way around.
It’s good to understand that the category “inpatient” is a spectrum, and that there are two distinct levels of care. An inpatient rehabilitation hospital is at the highest and most intensive level and is generally reserved for those who can tolerate about 3 hours of physical therapy per day.
Skilled nursing rehabilitation, or the level for which Colonial Vista is licensed, is more moderate, and allows for pacing therapy within the limits of the individual’s abilities. Both are appropriate, based upon the needs of the individual.
Who Inpatient Rehab Is For
The right level of care depends less on the diagnosis than on the person. Who needs help day-to-day.
Inpatient rehab is appropriate for individuals who:
- Have difficulty walking up stairs to their bedroom
- Cannot shower or dress themselves
- Have restrictions on weight bearing placed upon them by their surgeon
- Require wound care, IV antibiotics, tube feedings, or IV nutrition
Not everybody who needs inpatient skilled nursing rehab is “getting behind” in their recovery. In fact, for many people, it is the fastest possible route to return home.
What Is Outpatient Physical Therapy?
Outpatient physical therapy is the opposite of inpatient treatment. You remain in your own home and travel to an outpatient clinic, such as Colonial Vista, to meet with a physical therapist. You will likely have multiple visits each week, where you complete specific exercises to support your rehabilitation.
With outpatient care, you maintain a degree of independence. You can sleep in your own bed and maintain your personal schedule. It is a less intensive level of care than inpatient physical therapy.
Who Outpatient Therapy Is For
You may be a candidate for outpatient physical therapy if:
- You have a level of independence.
- You can navigate your home safely or require some assistance but have access to caregivers.
- You can maintain regular physical therapy visits and have reliable transportation.
- You are coping with a chronic condition or a less severe injury that doesn’t require round-the-clock care.
Choosing between inpatient versus outpatient physical therapy usually comes down to how much support you need outside of your therapy sessions. Your care team will weigh on your medical needs, your home set up, and your recovery goals together and that recommendation can change as you get stronger
Inpatient and Outpatient Therapy at Colonial Vista
Inpatient Rehabilitation
At Colonial Vista, we offer both levels of care at our location, which means you can often continue with us after an inpatient stay ends. Our rehabilitation programs include:
- joint replacement and orthopedic recovery
- stroke and neurological rehabilitation
- cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation
- fall prevention and balance training
Our clinical staff is highly skilled at caring for people with higher acuity needs, including wound care, IV antibiotic therapy, and tube feeding. That depth of clinical support means people with more complex medical needs can continue making progress in therapy rather than waiting for it.
Outpatient Therapy and Aquatic Therapy
Our outpatient rehabilitation services include aquatic therapy in our on-site therapy pool, one of the few therapy pools in the Wenatchee area.
Aquatic therapy is a type of physical therapy performed in warm water. In chest-deep water, you can carry about a third of your normal weight, which is less stress on healing joints. As such, aquatic therapy can help get you walking on your own after knee or hip replacement surgery sooner than you might otherwise be able to.
The water supports you, reducing the risks associated with balance issues, making it a safe place to practice walking. Warm water also helps relax tight muscles and provides a safe way to exercise large muscle groups by using your own body weight against the water’s resistance. You don’t need to know how to swim, since sessions take place in water you can stand in.
Colonial Vista Post Acute sits just west of S Mission St and S Chelan Ave, near the Columbia River, and has served Wenatchee and Chelan County for nearly 60 years. If you have questions about which level of care fits your situation, contact our team. We are glad to talk it through, whether you end up here.
Benefits of Aquatic Therapy
In the water, the difference tends to show up in what a person can attempt. Someone taking a few careful steps on land may be able to walk the length of the pool, work toward a fuller stride instead of guarded one, and practice balance without the fear of falling that often limits progress elsewhere.
Research points in the same direction. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people can exercise longer in water without increased joint or muscle pain, and water-based exercise can help people with arthritis improve the use of their joints and decrease pain. For older adults, water-based exercise has also been associated with improved quality of life and decreased disability. One study that measured joint loads directly found forces were 36% to 55% lower in chest-high water than during the same movements on land.
At Colonial Vista, aquatic therapy is commonly used for:
- Gait training and walking practice after knee or hip replacement surgery
- Balance and fall prevention work, where the water reduces the consequences of a misstep
- Strength building for people who find land-based exercise painful
- Range of motion and flexibility in stiff or recovering joints
- Endurance and conditioning before a return to fuller activity
A licensed physical therapist runs every session and adjusts as you go, down to the water depth and whether you use a flotation belt that week. Aquatic physical therapy is a recognized specialty; every exercise is prescribed and guided by your therapist. If you’re not sure the pool is right for you, ask our therapy team what one would involve. Colonial Vista Post Acute sits just west of S Mission St and S Chelan Ave, near the Columbia River, and has served Wenatchee and Chelan County for nearly 60 years. If you have questions about which level of care fits your situation, contact our team