Your health, your choice: The road to short-term rehab begins with confidence

“Short-term rehab at Christian Health builds your confidence, and confidence is one of the most important components of recovery. Being surrounded by outstanding therapists and the proper equipment is a tremendous confidence-builder. Your confidence soars, and you gain the ability to stand or lift a leg or move an arm. Money can’t buy you confidence; that’s what you get through short-term rehab at Christian Health.”

Lindsey Moynihan can make this statement confidently. The Wyckoff resident experienced three successful short-term rehab stays at Christian Health: one following posterior/anterior cervical surgery and two following knee replacements. Transitioning directly to Christian Health following her hospital stay for the cervical surgery was never in doubt. But after the first knee replacement, her surgeon recommended that she rehab at home. Her opinion differed.

“I know myself. I recognized that I would never be motivated enough to do all the exercises necessary three days a week without the encouragement and guidance of therapists, and I don’t have the proper equipment at home,” Mrs. Moynihan says. “If I got tired, I knew I would quit for the day. You knee gets tired and it hurts and you say to yourself, ‘That’s fine. At least I did some exercise.’ But it’s not fine because the more you do, the better you will get. You must do the repetitions to get back to where you were before surgery.”

Short-term rehab at Christian Health, both inpatient and outpatient, is beneficial for patients like Mrs. Moynihan who have had a joint replacement or surgery; are recovering from a stroke, cardiac surgery, or pneumonia; or have a chronic illness. During the pandemic, one-to-one physical, occupational, and speech therapy takes place in the patient’s room. Inpatients also benefit from an interdisciplinary care team which addresses an individual’s physical, mental, and spiritual needs in accordance with Christian Health’s Person- and Family-centered Care philosophy; a full-time, on-site Medical Director; patient and virtual family education; and appetizing and nutritious meals. Outpatient therapy is currently offered in a safe, new location on Christian Health’s Wyckoff campus. Strict safety protocols are followed.

Although Mrs. Moynihan’s rehab took place pre-COVID, her surgeon’s primary concern with inpatient short-term rehab – at any facility – was the risk of infection.

“I told him that I was very familiar with Christian Health’s infection prevention and control protocol, that the Center is fastidious about disinfecting and sanitizing even before the pandemic,” Mrs. Moynihan says.

Christian Health exceeds not only its own standards, but also guidelines and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the New Jersey Department of Health. Such measures include sanitizing all flooring – carpet, tile, wood – every day using an EPA-registered and hospital-grade disinfectant and screening staff daily upon arrival, and regularly testing staff in designated areas for COVID-19. The latest addition to Christian Health’s arsenal is THOR, a high-output disinfection robot which quickly and effectively delivers continuous UVC energy to kill germs and pathogens, including COVID-19. THOR disinfects with 99.9999% efficacy in resident and patient rooms, and common areas.

Once pandemic restrictions ease, rehab services can safely resume in the 14,000-square-foot Bolger Rehab Gym & Wellness Center. This high-tech facility, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a serene view of the Ramapo Mountains, includes state-of-the-art equipment, an indoor track, and a variety of free weights and exercise devices. It also includes a Transitional Care Suite, which encompasses a kitchen/dining area, family room, laundry room, bedroom, and bathroom. Here, patients have an opportunity to relearn activities of daily living under the guidance of their therapist in a safe, private environment that simulates a typical home setting.

“The Bolger Rehab Gym & Wellness Center is extraordinarily well-equipped. It has every type of equipment that you can imagine for any patient with any need, whether you are post-surgery like me, post-stroke, etc. And it’s so bright, even on a cloudy day, that just walking in the gym lifts your spirits,” Mrs. Moynihan says. “But the real stars are the therapists. They are so pleasant, encouraging, and positive. I’ve never witnessed a group of people who work so well together. They never give you more than you can handle or push you to do something that will injure you. They understand your physical capabilities and limitations.”

For more information about short-term rehab, contact (201) 848-5200 or visit ChristianHealthNJ.org.