Comprehensive and individualized treatments and therapies to support individuals who have sustained burns in their recovery.
Supporting recovery, achieving goals
Following medical treatment, clinicians at Sheltering Arms Institute work with burn survivors to increase strength and flexibility and reduce pain while performing normal life functions.
I am beyond grateful for the care Sheltering Arms Institute provided me. As a survivor with 85 percent body surface area burns, I knew that my needs were complex, and my care team did their best to accommodate my unique and intricate needs. Not only were they able to create a program to improve my mobility, but I felt fully supported and cared for by the entire team from start to finish.
Compassionate, patient, innovative
Inpatient burn therapy at Sheltering Arms Institute delivers modern therapeutic techniques, state-of-the-science technologies, and a transdisciplinary team dedicated to optimal outcomes and patient rehabilitation.
Spacious, all-private rooms featuring Stryker beds, en-suite bathrooms, grab bars, lifts, lay-flat furniture for guests, and large picture windows with views of nature provide individuals the confidence and foundation they need to recover.
Clinical staff support recovery, helping patients with burns with pain management, wound care, splinting, swelling, range management, and scar management.
Therapy exercises help the skin stretch and support the strengthening of muscles. Therapies also emphasize creative strategies to re-engage in activities of daily living such as eating, cooking, dressing, and grooming.
Care team members provide burn survivors and their families with insight and strategies to maintain recovery after graduation from inpatient rehab.
Patients receiving inpatient care at Sheltering Arms Institute receive 15% more therapy time than baseline standards established by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.
Patients with burns have a care team that consists of physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, certified wound care nurses, medical psychologists, and care managers as well as physical, occupational, speech, and recreation therapists to achieve optimal recovery.
Sheltering Arms Institute sources custom range-of-motion, burn garments, and equipment to support each patient’s individual recovery.
Our goals at Sheltering Arms Institute are to get someone home safely and such that they can continue to progress. Some of the things we focus on include increasing range of motion, managing pain, providing education to family, making sure nutrition is adequate, and utilizing adaptive equipment in order to maximize someone’s independence.
Understanding burn therapy
All burn cases are unique. As a result, the length of stay for patients who have experienced burns will vary. Your care team will work with you during your first week of inpatient rehabilitation to determine an approximate length of stay based on the severity of your injury. Your length of stay is subject to change based on your progress; you may be discharged sooner than originally planned, or your stay may be lengthened if needed.
You will receive at least three hours of therapy each weekday and your doctor will see you daily. Individual schedules vary each day to fit individual needs. Patients can expect to participate in required therapies—physical and occupational therapy—as well as additional therapies such as speech-language pathology; recreational, music, and respiratory therapy; medical psychology; and more on any given day.
Each person’s level of independence varies; however, even individuals who do not require physical assistance when they leave will likely benefit from some degree of support following discharge. From picking up groceries and medications to transportation to appointments, having a supportive caregiver ensures your best success once home. Early in your stay, it is important to identify who will help care for you when you leave the hospital so they can be part of your discharge plan. We will provide training to you and your caregiver(s) during your stay to teach them the necessary skills and information to safely support you after your discharge.
Equipment needs also vary from person to person. From prosthetic and orthotic devices to durable medical equipment (DME) and custom power or manual wheelchairs, your care team will write prescriptions for equipment as medically recommended and provide training. Your care team will talk with you about your supplies before leaving the hospital to determine what supplies are being ordered for you, where they are coming from, and how they will be paid for.
Your wound care needs will continue in inpatient rehabilitation following acute care, incorporating telehealth visits with other providers as needed. Sheltering Arms Institute has specialty trained wound care nurses who provide patients and family members with scheduled wound care sessions and training.
Timelines to return to bathing depend on each person’s medical clearance following burns. Grooming and bathing may be incorporated into your occupational therapy plan of care.
Bring comfortable, loose-fitting clothing, including tank tops or button-down shirts, shorts, sweatpants, underwear, and jackets. Also, bring socks and shoes with a back and rubber soles such as tennis shoes. Your wound care nursing and occupational therapy teams will help you customize what clothing is best to wear throughout your recovery.
Your physical medicine & rehabilitation physician will lead and develop a pain management program specifically designed for you to support your healing and help you participate fully in your therapies on your path to return home.
Start your Journey
Contact a specialist at Sheltering Arms Institute to learn more about how you can gain more freedom in your everyday life.
