Just What You “Kneed”

Skilled Rehab & Home Health by Gulf Coast Village Puts Arthritis Patients Back on Their Feet

“Oh boy, my arthritis is acting up!”

Sound familiar? Joint inflammation. Stiffness. Pain. Discomfort. All are symptoms of arthritis or osteoarthritis. The term arthritis is used to describe any chronic condition that damages the cartilage and joints. It’s a degenerative condition that causes serious challenges and interferes with day-to-day activities. Many physicians describe osteoarthritis as “wear and tear” arthritis, where joint damage has been caused over time. Osteoarthritis can become more of a challenge when it starts affecting our knees and hips, making it more difficult to walk, sit, get in and out of bed or the car, drive, or enjoy any of the activities that we normally do – and take for granted. The condition can have a pernicious impact on the ability to enjoy life.

Many people manage the symptoms and pain successfully for years until mobility becomes so limited that surgery becomes the preferred solution. Southwest Florida is fortunate to have many accomplished orthopedic surgeons who replace or resurface these joints. But what happens after surgery? Where do you go after your surgeon discharges you from the hospital? How do you learn to use that new hip or knee?

In a hospital, patients are given suggestions on facilities where they can go for skilled rehab. If you are scheduling any type of orthopedic surgery, we strongly recommend you tour a few skilled nursing rehabilitation centers beforehand. Ask friends for recommendations. And be sure to check out U.S. News and World Report’s Best Nursing Homes from February 2013 – that’s where you’ll find Gulf Coast Village’s overall five-star ranking for our Care Center. You can’t get any better than that. A leading healthcare provider in Southwest Florida, Gulf Coast Village’s skilled nursing rehabilitation center has a cohesive team that works seamlessly to ensure that you will be back on your feet – quite literally – so you can get back to enjoying life.

Jim Murphy, 66, was recently admitted to the Care Center. “People ask me, ‘What’s so great about Gulf Coast Village?’ I say, ‘They treat you like family!’” Murphy says, “If other people knew just how good this place is, they wouldn’t have problems at all. The nurses, therapists, the staff – they get you well, and they get you out of here! They get you well enough so you can do what you were doing before you got in here. Everyone pitches in and does what they’ve got to do to help you.”

So while arthritis might have put your life on hold, Gulf Coast Village’s entire team will work with you and your physician to ensure that you’re able to function with your new knee or new hip exactly as planned. We understand it’s a pain – both literally and figuratively. Even if you have other physical limitations, we will develop a plan to get you back to a healthy lifestyle. It’s about overall wellness, and that’s why residents throughout Southwest Florida recommend us to their friends.

“My wife talked to a lot of people, especially at church [for recommendations]. Our associate pastor told her, ‘There’s only one place you should go: Gulf Coast Village!’” Maurice Gebhardt, 78, says, “My physical therapist, Ellen, gives me more personal attention and worked on a system without my back hurting!”

But therapy doesn’t stop at the Care Center. The final piece of your wellness plan is your home care plan. And Gulf Coast Village establishes a custom home care plan for anyone following orthopedic surgery. Home Health by Gulf Coast Village offers experienced, licensed, knowledgeable nurses and therapists who make home visits to help you continue therapy after you’ve been discharged back home. No matter where you live in Southwest Florida, our staff will come to your home so you can complete your physician-ordered therapy. It doesn’t matter if you’ve received your therapy at Gulf Coast Village or another rehabilitation center – you can request the quality care from Home Health by Gulf Coast Village, and experience the excellence that a five-star healthcare organization provides. Where you receive your therapy and your home health makes a difference in how quickly and easily you recuperate.

Should you need assistance at home during this phase, we also offer Home Care aides who help with everything from mobility assistance to errands. Like our Home Health staff, Gulf Coast Village’s Home Care aides are all our own employees. Since we don’t use nursing registries, we always know who we’re sending into your home.

Don’t let arthritis stop you! Be sure to learn about the healthcare services that Gulf Coast Village offers and how our Home Health by Gulf Coast Village can fit your “kneeds” perfectly.

For more information about Home Health by Gulf Coast Village, call 239.772.7480 (Cape Coral) or 239.676.3578 (Bonita Springs). To schedule a tour of the Care Center, call 239.573.3300.