Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Inpatient Services
Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
Support Groups
The Rehabilitation Unit offers weekly information/support groups for patients who have suffered strokes or spinal cord injuries. The stroke support group is open to family members in addition to patients.
Support groups provide you with an opportunity to:
- Discuss concerns and/or feelings you may have regarding your illness/injury
- Learn additional information about your illness/injury
- Learn about resources available to you in the community
These groups are facilitated by various members of the rehabilitation team and are an important part of the rehabilitation process.
Family Meetings
At some point during your stay at the Rehabilitation Unit, you and your family members may be invited by the social worker to join the rehabilitation team for a meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to review your current status and establish a mutual plan for how your rehabilitation goals will be met. The team will also estimate what type of care and/or services you will require at the time of discharge. This is a great opportunity for you or your family members to ask questions, raise concerns, and participate in developing a workable discharge plan.
Weekend Passes
After you and your family members have learned how to care for your needs, you will be given a "pass" that will allow you to leave the Rehabilitation Unit for a daytime outing on Saturday and/or Sunday. This pass is meant to be therapeutic in nature giving you the opportunity to practice the skills you have learned at the Rehabilitation Unit, in your home, or out in the community setting. It also gives you an opportunity to identify any problems and/or obstacles that you may not have previously anticipated. It is extremely important for you to report back to the team any problems that you encounter so the team can help you work through these problems prior to discharge from the center. In those cases when overnight passes cannot be worked out, you and a family member may be offered the use of the independent living skills apartment as a transition step to try out your skills prior to discharge.
Independent Living Skills Apartment
Our state-of-the-art model apartment is an area located in the Rehabilitation Unit that is used as a place for you to try out your skills in a "home-like" setting. During the day, therapy staff can arrange for you to use the apartment to practice everyday tasks such as cooking, self-care skills, and housekeeping, as appropriate. The apartment includes a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom. We also have a real car right here in our gym, and we’ll help you practice getting in and out of it. Here, with professionals nearby, you can safely improve your skills and build confidence in your abilities. Together, we’ll also identify areas that may still need improvement or adaptation.
In the later stages of your stay on at the Rehabilitation Unit, you and a family member may be offered the opportunity to stay overnight in the apartment. The primary purpose of the stay would be to give you and a family member an opportunity to practice the skills you have learned and to identify any problems and/or obstacles you might face after discharge.
Canine Visitation Program
In addition to a combination of physical, occupational, and/or speech therapy, we also offer pet therapy through our Canine Visitation Program. Our specially trained dogs engage patients and help boost their spirits.
Home Evaluations
With the assistance of physical and occupational therapists, certain accommodations may need to be done to your home. Therapeutic weekend passes play a vital role in evaluating your home for accessibility and potential obstacles. Family members may assist by taking measurements or videotaping the home. The patient, family and therapists then make suggestions for modifications. A list of contractors can be provided and if a ramp is required, basic ramp instructions are also provided. In some instances, a home evaluation may be necessary. The therapist would then tour the home or proposed living facility to evaluate for accessibility.