Rehab: The Facility

The facility my parents used was like many rehab facilities, part rehab, part skilled nursing care. They had five halls laid out in a figure eight. Two halls were rehab, three standard nursing. On my mom's first visit they were transitioning to rehab and she lived in a private room in a standard hall. In following visits they stayed in rehab rooms. Rehab rooms had one occupant.

Rehab rooms were quite roomy with a private bath. But walking around the facility, you could tell what they had done: The rehab rooms had all been double occupancy nursing rooms in the past. They had been painted nice colors and the extra room where a bed had been was replaced with two comfortable chairs. 

The standard nursing rooms were dingy and old hospital colors. They looked crowded with two people. 

We would often walk the circuit while my parents stayed at rehab. The nursing section was a sad place to observe, and its smells could be overpowering. 

But the staff always seemed pleasant when they worked with my parents and in casual observation with other patients. 

Still, it wasn't a place I wanted my mom to end up.