Physical Therapist Jobs In High Demand In Geriatric Settings

Patients participating in the Medicare program must meet certain criteria before Medicare will reimburse them for services rendered. A component of this criteria that must be met before Medicare will reimburse the patient for their stay in a skilled nursing facility is skilled physical therapy services. When a patient receives the appropriate amount of skilled physical therapy minutes, a portion of their skilled nursing facility stay is reimbursable. The role of the physical therapist is not only vital to the skilled nursing facility, the patient also depends on the therapist to deliver skilled therapy minutes that may qualify them for monetary reimbursement of their stay. Physical therapist jobs in skilled nursing facilities are needed due to the high number of orthopedic injuries and surgeries. It is very common for hospitals to discharge their post hip replacement surgical patients to skilled nursing facilities. Physical therapy is crucial in the rehabilitation of the orthopedic surgical patient. The physical therapist also places an important role not only in the orthopedic surgical patient, but in the orthopedic medical patient as well. Patients who have had strokes depend on rehabilitation that only skilled physical therapists can provide. Without proper physical and occupational therapy services, the stroke patient will have a harder time with rehabilitation. Physical therapist jobs in skilled nursing facilities or skilled nursing homes can also benefit residents that have chronic pain and who experience deconditioning. Deconditioning is often a result of being bed bound for a period of time. By not using the muscles, they can become deconditioned, and therefore will not function at an optimal level. The physical therapist assists the resident with strengthening exercises that are specific to certain muscle groups. The physical therapist gets job satisfaction by assisting the resident to meet and maintain their goals. The physical therapist can also visit the discharged nursing home resident at home to make sure they are continuing to meet their therapy goals. In order to apply for physical therapist jobs in a geriatric setting the applicant must have a four year college degree in physical therapy and be qualified in treating the geriatric patient in terms of their physical therapy needs. After the physical therapist takes and passes their state boards, they will get a license to practice and only then will they have the opportunity to gain employment as a licensed physical therapist in a geriatric or other therapy setting. In addition to the skilled nursing facility, physical therapist jobs focusing on the geriatric population can be available at rehab facilities, long term health facilities, doctor's offices, hospitals and even in the private home. Physical therapists can choose to work in the home health field of physical therapy which in addition to treating the geriatric patient, can focus on younger adults and pediatric physical therapy as well. With the aging population growing by leaps and bounds and the advent of complicated orthopedic surgical procedures, physical therapist jobs are more in demand now than they ever have been. The future of the physical therapist job outlook is bright. Statistics show that physical therapy job opportunities are growing by the thousands every year. The job of the physical therapist is one that is recession proof. As the population continues to age, career opportunities for the skilled physical therapist will continue to grow.