Care Steps
Physical Therapy
- Comprehensive assessment including:
- Strength – hip abductors and extensors, knee extensors, ankle
- AROM – bilateral upper and lower extremities, trunk, and neck
- Sensation – using Semmes Weinstein monofilaments
- Adaptive equipment – ambulation, bedroom and bathroom
- Balance assessment – Tinetti, Berg, Timed up and Go, Stand and Reach
- Assessment of footwear patient normally wears
- Goal planning with patient and family
- Comprehensive care plan:
- Specific treatment strategies tailored for the individual patient
- Use of equipment: foam pad, uneven surfaces, cones, etc.
- Written and pictured home exercises taught to the patient and, when appropriate, to care givers
- Re-assessment and updates as certain goals met or deemed unattainable
- Reasonable amount of visits to achieve goals
- Reinforcement of safety teaching – which activities the patient can practice independently and which must have supervision
- Updates to referring physician
Skilled Nursing
- Comprehensive assessment including:
- Review of all body systems
- Review of all prescribed medication and over the counter medicine taken by the patient
- Blood pressure supine, sitting, and standing
- Interview about history of dizziness or syncope
- Goal planning with patient and family
- Comprehensive care plan:
- Medication teaching, including side effects and taking at correct time of day
- Reasonable amount of scheduled visits to achieve goals
- Updates to referring physician
- Home Health Aides who have specific training in helping psychiatric patients manage their personal hygiene while appropriately managing fears, paranoia and disorders that make hygiene an issue