After a dramatic event like a stroke, high-quality inpatient and outpatient stroke rehabilitation are the keys to regaining lost function and independence. A stroke affects the brain and the body, and can significantly impact your physical and emotional wellbeing. The quality of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation you receive can make a difference in how well you recover.
Quality inpatient stroke rehabilitation can determine your quality of life.
After a patient is medically stabilized in a hospital, they are often transferred to a specialized rehabilitation facility. There they start intense, dedicated rehabilitation therapy as soon as possible. This is to take advantage of neuroplasticity, the remarkable facility of the brain and spinal cord to essentially “rewire” and find new pathways to perform the same functions they did before your stroke.
Ideally, rehabilitation should be delivered by an interdisciplinary team of healthcare providers. An inpatient program may include neurologists, nurses specializing in rehabilitation, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physiatrists, recreational therapists, neuropsychologists and speech and language therapists. At Penn Medicine Rehabilitation, care plans are customized based on your goals, using the latest innovations in stroke care.
To maximize your recovery, dedicated one on one time with your therapy team offers the opportunity to focus solely on your healing. Every patient’s path to recovery is unique – that’s why our compassionate and certified physical, occupational, and speech therapists develop an innovative treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
Continuing outpatient therapy is critical to stroke recovery
“Benefits of stroke outpatient rehab have been determined to improve patient functional status, survival, cardiovascular risk profiles, and quality of life and reduce risks for recurrent strokes and psychological or stress disorders.” – Centers For Disease Control
On average, patients spend 2-3 weeks at an inpatient rehabilitation facility after their stroke. After inpatient rehabilitation is complete, it’s common for patients to continue their recovery with outpatient therapy. Depending on your mobility, you’ll continue to do this several times a month either at an outpatient therapy provider or in your home.
The amount of outpatient therapy you need after a stroke is determined by your therapy team. It is based on your progress and goals. Everyone’s recovery is different but the objective is always to make you as independent as possible.
Stroke survivors must remember that stroke recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. While it may seem like outpatient rehabilitation months after the stroke is only creating incremental improvements, it’s important to be persistent and keep challenging themselves to work as hard as possible toward recovery.
Outpatient rehabilitation at Penn Therapy & Fitness ensure that each stroke recovery patient receives individualized attention from their therapists. Our high-quality care utilizes the latest technology in one of the most advanced rehabilitation settings in the U.S.
To learn more, call 877-969-7342 or visit our stroke rehabilitation page.