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• Posted October 12, 2024

Choosing the Right Rehab for Yourself or a Loved One

You've broken a hip and rehabilitation is part of the way back to mobility, or your partner has suffered a stroke and needs help re-learning certain skills.

These scenarios play out every day for Americans, and rehabilitation therapies are often needed. But what kind of therapy is best, and where can you find it?

One expert has tips on finding the best rehab for you.

Kerri Fitzgerald is executive director of the Hackensack Meridian Johnson Rehabilitation Institute at Ocean University Medical Center, in Hackensack, N.J.

She stated that, first of all, decisions around rehabilitation are a team effort.

"Ideally, following initial treatment or assessment of your loved one’s injury or condition, the health care team will recommend whether outpatient [home and/or therapy location] or inpatient [hospital or 24/7 acute facility setting] therapy is the most beneficial and will provide a referral," Fitzgerald said in an institute news release.

She said that it's important that any rehab program be tailored to the needs of the patient, taking into consideration any underlying health issues the patient may have, and making sure the program and facility are safe.

Then there are factors such as the physical accessibility of the rehab facility, and how open they might be to family visits.

Outpatient therapy

According to Fitzgerald, prospective clients at any outpatient rehabilitation center should ask key questions:

• Is care provided one-on-one or in a group setting (or both)? How often is it given?

• After the main therapy sessions end, are there 'refresher' sessions to help the patient stay strong?

• Are "neurological interventions, balance retraining, visual and cognitive therapies" available on site?

• After outpatient rehab is done, will the client be given a home exercise program to help maintain the benefit?

Inpatient therapy

According to Fitzgerald, "For inpatient therapy you may want to consider a facility that has a highly skilled, multidisciplinary team including: specialized physicians; rehab-certified nurses; physical therapists; occupational therapists; speech language pathologists; specialists who deal with braces, splints, and artificial limbs; recreation therapists; dietitians; case managers and social workers -- all who collaborate on a personalized patient plan to achieve the best possible outcomes."

Be sure to ask about the types of therapeutic equipment available on site, and whether the facility is attached to a hospital where there will be 24/7 access to emergency care and medical services. 

Also, make sure the rehab center can meet your or your loved ones' specific "cultural and personal needs," she said.

Not for everyone

Keep in mind that not everyone qualifies for rehabilitation programs, Fitzgerald said. For example, a patient might have an underlying condition that precludes them from joining in on sometimes strenuous rehab activities.

And, of course, motivation is key: Patients should demonstrate that they are eager and willing to engage in rehab ad reap its benefits, Fitzgerald said.

SOURCE: Hackensack Meridian Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, news release, Oct. 10, 2024