At the outset of care, we work with each patient and family to complete a comprehensive evaluation and develop realistic rehab goals. Patients are under daily supervision by a physician specially trained in rehabilitative medicine as well as around-the-clock rehab nursing care. Additionally, we work with patients and families to plan for discharge.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy focuses on restoring function, managing pain as well as increasing coordination, stability, strength and endurance through the use of therapeutic exercises and rehab procedures. Our goal with physical therapy is to prevent, correct or alleviate a disability and improve function.

Physical therapy treatments may include:

• Therapeutic exercise
• Gait training
• Use of assistive devices
• Transfer training
• Physical measures such as muscle stimulation
• Neuromuscular techniques
• Balance activities
• Coordination activities
• Family training

Occupational Therapy

The goal of occupational therapy is to help patients regain daily function and self-care skills in order to participate in everyday activities in roles and situations in the home, school, workplace, community and other settings. Whenever possible, the ultimate goal is to return the patient to the level of function they had before the onset of symptoms.

Occupational therapy treatments may include:

• Activities to establish or restore daily living skills or compensatory techniques
• Sensory motor integration program
• Assessment and treatment for visual impairment
• Perception, cognition, and psychosocial treatment
• Wheelchair management
• Procedures to promote and enhance safety
• Design, fabrication and application of a splint
• Family training

Speech Language Evaluation and Therapy

Speech and language therapy is used to evaluate and treat speech-language, communication, cognitive and swallowing disorders. In some cases following a stroke, traumatic brain injury or neurological disorder, these skills may be impacted and specific therapy to regain these skills is necessary. The goal is to maximize abilities in eating, drinking, communication and cognition.

This therapy may include swallowing evaluation done at the bedside or in the X-ray department. Treatment may include diet modification, oral motor exercise and training in compensatory strategies. Restorative dining is available for therapeutic assistance during meals. We also offer specialized assessment including a Modified Barium Swallow Study, communication and cognition evaluation, and treatment of speech, language and cognitive function. Therapy may include oral motor exercise, activities designed to improve intelligibility, comprehension, verbal expression, reading, writing, memory, attention, planning and organization. This includes therapy sessions in individual and group settings as well as community re-entry training matched to the individual patient’s needs.

Therapeutic Recreation

We are pleased to offer a rich Therapeutic Recreation program which utilizes leisure services to treat, educate and improve quality of life for people recovering from the physical, mental and social limitations. The goal of therapeutic recreation is to facilitate the development, maintenance, and demonstration of an appropriate leisure lifestyle, to encourage socialization, and to provide an avenue for interdisciplinary goal attainment. In other words, while we understand that rehabilitation is hard work, it is important to have some fun.

Therapeutic recreation services may include:

• Peer counseling to help with the overall healing process of our patients who are recovering from stroke or loss of limb. In this program former stroke and loss of limb patient return as volunteers to meet with patients and families and interact with them to provide support and information that will help ease their minds as they face a journey filled with questions.

• Community reintegration through a multi-discipline program that takes a patient outside the walls of the hospital and allows them the opportunity to express what they have learned in treatment to a real world setting.

• Socialization in the form of group activities, support groups, community outings and more offer patients the opportunity to reengage in past leisure activities as well as develop new leisure skills and meet new people. Studies show that people who engage in meaningful activities live longer, are happier and are generally healthier than those who are more isolated.

• One-on-one therapeutic treatment.

Support Services

For many, the road to recovery goes beyond the physical rehabilitation. We offer supportive services to aid in the recovery process, including:

• Psychological counseling
• Nutrition counseling
• Social work
• Nurse case management