We are a hospital
based SNF, Medicare only and geared mostly towards short time rehab. I eval'd a
mentally challenged 44 year old female and she meets the criteria for admission.
The problem is our therapy dept. is hesitant about her due to her mental defect
and feel she is not teachable. This patient attends an Adult Day Care program
and lives at home with her father who is very supportive. She ambulated
independantly before fracturing her hip in a fall. Admission is my decision but
I am not sure what to do in this situation. How do other facilities handle the
mentally challenged and patients with Alzheimer's that need rehab following
ortho surgery? I feel like we take only "the cream of the crop" and leave the
ones who could really benefit from our services out there to become someone
else's problem. I don't want to admit her and then have therapy eval and
discharge.
Libby Cawthorn, RN
Director/MDS Coordinator
SNF
