The Benefits of Restorative Programming for Skilled Nursing Facilities

KENNESAW, GA / ACCESS Newswire / December 30, 2025 / When we picture ourselves or our loved ones aging, we want to imagine vibrant and active seniors living their best lives, but unfortunately, this isn't the reality for many seniors in skilled nursing facilities across the country. With the right restorative programs in place though, your facility can change that-helping your residents maintain independence, improve mobility, and combat loneliness and isolation.

What is Restorative Programming?

Restorative programming focuses on maintaining or improving the functional abilities, independence, and overall well-being of residents. By integrating therapeutic interventions, these programs help residents regain or retain vital skills and improve their quality of life. In skilled nursing facilities, restorative programming is essential for promoting physical function, social interaction, psychological health, and even regulatory compliance.

Why is Restorative Programming Important for SNF Administrators?

For SNFs restorative programming brings a host of advantages:

• Improved Physical Function and Independence: Residents experience better mobility and less dependence on staff for daily tasks.

• Psychological Well-being: Helping residents feel empowered and involved in their recovery boosts their mental health and emotional well-being.

• Social Interaction and Reduced Isolation: Therapeutic interventions encourage socialization and connection among residents.

• Illness Recovery and Fall Prevention: Programs help reduce recovery time and prevent falls, which are one of the top causes of hospital readmissions.

• Regulatory Compliance: Restorative programming aligns with federal and state regulations and ensures compliance for your SNF.

Financial and Reimbursement Benefits of Restorative Programming

Restorative programming also has several financial benefits for your facility. These programs help meet key goals set by both your facility and the healthcare system, which can result in:

• Medicare and Medicaid Compliance

• Increased Reimbursement Rates

• Value-Based Care Incentives

• Length of Stay Optimization

• Reduced Medical Costs

• Improved Facility Reputation and Resident Satisfaction

Restorative Programs Offered by BenCura

BenCura provides a range of restorative programs designed to address various needs within your skilled nursing facility, including:

• Pulmonary Rehab: Pulmonary rehabilitation, also referred to as respiratory rehabilitation, helps people with chronic respiratory disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, and other conditions. It works to both educate patients and help them to exercise with less shortness of breath. Both long-term and short-term patients at your skilled nursing facility can benefit from this program.

• Contracture Management: As we age, whether due to brain or nervous system disorders, injuries, or other causes, your muscles, tendons, joints or other tissue can tighten or shorten. This can cause a deformity and may cause pain or loss of movement for the patient. Physical and Occupational Therapy can help by stretching the area out. Splints may also be used to prevent and manage length changes.

• ADL Retraining: Our ADL Retraining Program helps your patients to return to their Activities of Daily Living (ADL). This is very helpful for short-term patients who are in your facility due to an injury or illness. Our therapists can work with these patients to help ensure their transition home is a successful one.

• Seating and Positioning: In a skilled nursing facility, there are often many patients in a wheelchair. This is where our Seating and Positioning Program comes in. This therapy helps those who need assistance getting into or staying in a comfortable position, which can hinder their ability to perform their normal activities.

• Walk and Dine: Our Walk and Dine Program has our physical and occupational therapists working with your facility's nursing staff, dietary staff, and activity staff. This program works to help patients who are showing signs of a decline in their movement. It helps these patients maintain a healthy lifestyle and encourages their socialization by attending meals.

• Dysphagia Management: Dysphagia, or the inability to swallow properly, can be a common issue for older adults, especially those with dementia. Our trained speech therapists work to identify and manage dysphagia early on-improving quality of life and reducing the possibility of further medical complications.

• Bowel and Bladder: It's not uncommon for many older adults in skilled nursing facilities to have trouble controlling their bowels and bladder. Believe it or not, physical and occupational therapists can help with this issue.

• Falls Prevention: Falls are one of the major causes of older adults losing their independence, and for someone already in a skilled nursing facility, this is a big deal. The good news is, physical and occupational therapy can help. Our therapists will work with your patients on a variety of issues that can contribute to falls, helping them to maintain their independence and preventing more drastic medical interventions later on.

BenCura Rehabilitation Services is a premier contract rehabilitation service committed to providing quality care to patients. BenCura partners with acute care and critical access hospitals and skilled nursing facilities to provide high quality physical, speech, and occupational therapy at a lower cost than traditional in-house models. For more information about BenCura Rehabilitation Services and our partnership with hospitals and long-term care facilities, please visit: https://bencura.com/.

CONTACT:

855.423.6287
info@bencura.com

SOURCE: BenCura