After a hospital stay, an elderly loved one may need rehabilitation to regain strength, mobility, and independence. Senior rehab — which can include physical, occupational, or speech therapy — is provided by licensed health professionals in a variety of settings, including specialized rehab centers, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, or even at home. Working closely with your loved one’s care team to consider their medical needs, preferences, budget, and doctor’s recommendations will help you understand the right path for recovery.
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Most recovery takes place after someone is discharged from the hospital, often with rehabilitation services. That’s why it’s important to thoughtfully plan a loved one’s post-hospital care, especially if they’ll need ongoing therapy. The right rehabilitation setting for your loved one can help speed recovery and can improve their overall wellness.
Maureen Bradley, a senior new hire support specialist at A Place for Mom, has worked in the senior care industry for over two decades. She’s routinely guided families who’ve dealt with a senior loved one’s recovery after a rehab stay.
“After a hospital visit, it’s important for seniors to have a maximum chance of recovery,” Bradley explains. “Whether the issue at hand is mobility, pain, or cognitive skills, rehab centers provide the widest range of resources to help seniors confidently get back on their feet.”
Bradley says rehab also benefits family caregivers, who may need a break and appreciate peace of mind knowing their loved one is getting the help they need to recover.
Conditions that typically require a period of rehabilitation after a hospital stay include:[01,02]
After-hospital care for the elderly typically includes one or more of the following therapies:
How long someone’s rehab program lasts depends on several factors, including:
For example, someone who’s had knee surgery may only need a few weeks of physical therapy, while someone who has one or more chronic, serious conditions, such as heart problems or a stroke, may require several months of rehabilitation.
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Senior rehabilitation centers may offer inpatient and outpatient services. Your loved one may need inpatient rehabilitation if they need around-the-clock care and continuous monitoring. Learn more about the differences between the two types of rehab.
If your loved one needs 24-hour medical care and nursing services, a specialized rehab center or a nursing home can provide short-term housing and rehabilitation services. These facilities offer a clinical environment with hospital beds and shared rooms. They may also offer:
Medicare may pay for up to 100 days in an approved skilled nursing facility, as long as your loved one enters the facility within 30 days of an inpatient hospital stay that lasted at least three days.[03] In 2025, the median monthly price of a skilled nursing facility is approximately $9,277 for a semi-private room and $10,646 for a private room.[04]
Read related article:Skilled Nursing Facilities vs. Nursing Homes: Is There a Difference?
If your loved one can return home to recover, they can continue rehab at an outpatient facility or where they live, whether that’s their own house or in an assisted living community.
During an in-home rehab program, licensed health care professionals provide rehabilitation services, and a home health nurse or aide may monitor vitals, perform wound care, or administer injections, depending on your loved one’s needs. The total cost of an in-home rehab program depends on the amount and type of services provided. Most seniors use Medicare, Medicaid, and long-term care insurance to pay for in-home care.
In-home rehab is typically offered only a few times a week and lacks the peer support and socialization provided in group care settings, so this approach works best for seniors who are motivated to follow their program when the therapist isn’t there and when a family caregiver can be present to ensure safety.
For seniors who still live in their own house and don’t intend to move anytime soon, a short-term stay in an assisted living community could be ideal for rehab. The home-like setting of assisted living supports autonomy and freedom of movement, while also providing peace of mind for seniors who don’t yet feel confident enough to be at home alone.
For family caregivers, a short-term stay in assisted living also provides respite from the demands of caregiving. Approximately 84% of A Place for Mom’s assisted living partners across the nation offer respite care services for families in need of short-term options. Among our assisted living partners:[05]
Aside from visiting specialists, many assisted living communities also have on-site physical and occupational therapy rooms. These rooms enable residents to take advantage of high-tech equipment multiple times throughout the day, with the added benefit of 24-hour assistance from the assisted living community staff.
The national median cost for room and board at an assisted living community is approximately $5,190 per month, and respite care starts at $200 per day, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data.[06] While Medicare won’t cover room and board in assisted living, it can be used to help pay for medically necessary therapies and nursing services.[07]Medicaid and long-term care insurance may also be used to cover these costs.
Talk with your loved one’s doctor about what setting best meets your loved one’s needs. Use the table below to compare outpatient and inpatient settings.
| Rehab Setting | Ideal For | Payment Sources | Out-of-Pocket Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-home | Independent, motivated seniors with limited transportation | Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance | Care not covered by insurance |
| Assisted living | Seniors who need 24/7 oversight but minimal medical care | Medicare, private insurance | Room, board, and uncovered care |
| Specialized rehab center | Seniors who need advanced equipment or therapy | Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance | Outpatient: uncovered care; Inpatient: minimal for qualified stays* |
| Skilled nursing facility | Seniors who need constant care or with complex medical needs | Medicare, Medicaid | Minimal for qualified stays* (Medicare usually covers room, board, and care) |
* Medicare may cover up to 100 days in a skilled nursing facility for patients who had a qualifying three-day hospital stay and meet other requirements.
Whether your loved one completes an outpatient or inpatient rehab program, your support is essential for their continued recovery once they’re discharged from the hospital. The discharge planning process provides an ideal opportunity for you to ask questions and provide input to ensure your loved one’s transition to rehab is as smooth as possible.
To help determine your loved one’s recovery options, ask their doctor these questions before leaving the hospital:
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While family caregivers often want their loved one to return home after they complete an inpatient rehab program, that might not be a feasible option. Some serious medical conditions may make staying at home dangerous, so it’s important to consider different options.
“Oftentimes, families expect their loved one to come home after an inpatient rehab stay, however it’s not always an option,” Bradley says. “Many families are provided a short notice — often 48 hours — before their loved one’s discharge that their loved one can no longer stay at the rehab facility, but they’re also not safe to return home.”
Common situations, like the one Bradley describes, put families in a bind. They may not have considered other options, leaving them a small window to find a suitable place for their loved one.
This is where a hospital social worker or case manager can help. Case managers can put families in touch with A Place for Mom’s health care account executives, who work in hospitals to help families lay out potential options for post-hospital care. They might recommend a move to a skilled nursing facility or assisted living community, environments that can provide crucial, long-term care services depending on your loved one’s specific needs.
If you and your loved one decide that assisted living is the best option, A Place for Mom’s health care account executives will recommend contacting a Senior Living Advisor. Our experts do their best to provide several local options based on your aging loved one’s rehabilitative care needs, budget, and preferences. They can even help set up tours — all at no cost to your family.
Yes, you should be able to tour any facility where your loved one may be admitted. You may need to coordinate with your loved one’s medical care team or you may be able to arrange a visit directly with the rehab facility.
Yes, there are typically private rooms available in specialized rehab centers. However, your loved one’s insurance may only cover a semi-private room, so it’s important to understand whether their medical needs justify placement in a private room.
Yes, in most cases, family members may visit their loved ones in an inpatient rehab facility. Check with the staff during admission to understand visiting hours and any specific restrictions they may have.
Tijsen, L. M. J., Derksen, E. W. C., Achterberg, W. P., & Buijck, B. I. (2019, August 12). Challenging rehabilitation environment for older patients. Clinical Interventions in Aging.
Gell, N. M. & Patel, K. V. (2018, October 8). Rehabilitation services use among older adults according to fall-risk screening guidelines. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Skilled nursing facility care.
Genworth. (2023). Cost of Care Survey.
A Place for Mom. (2025). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
A Place for Mom. (2025). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2020, December). Items and services not covered under Medicare.
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