Inpatient physical rehabilitation

To be eligible for admission, you must:

• Have an approved referral
• Be medically stable and willing to participate in the rehabilitation program
• Need two or more therapies (physical, occupational and/or speech)
• Have the physical stamina and endurance to tolerate at least three hours of therapy a day, at least five days a week or 15 hours per week
• Have an identified discharge plan and support system
• Be free of uncontrolled, infectious disease
• Be 18 years old or older
• Be free of mechanical assistive devices to breathe

Criteria for admission include impairment(s) of:

• Mobility
• Self-care activities
• Cognitive function
• Communication
• Perceptual motor function
• Swallowing

Inpatient programs are geared to those recovering from:

• Amputations
• Bowel and bladder management
• Brain, back and spinal cord injuries
• Cardiac and pulmonary events
• Cognitive and perceptual deficits
• Impaired functional mobility, balance and coordination
• Limitation in strength and range of motion
• Limitations in self-care
• Neuromuscular disorders
• Orthopedic fractures
• Other debilitating conditions
• Speech and communication problems
• Strokes
• Swallowing disorders

In our rehabilitation program, you receive care in a 24-hour therapeutic environment. The program includes active participation in therapy, a minimum of three hours per day, five days a week or 15 hours per week. A modified program is offered on weekends and holidays. Therapy schedules are individualized to meet your needs.

We offer:

Speech-language therapy

Speech-language pathologists have expertise in evaluating and treating individuals with communication and swallowing problems resulting from stroke, brain injury and other neurologic conditions.

Speech-language pathologists assess and treat:

• Cognitive-communication disorders, including trouble with memory, reasoning, problem solving and attention
• Imprecise speech sounds caused by muscle weakness, such as dysarthria
• Language impairments, known as aphasia, or difficulty understanding and/or producing language, as well as new difficulty with reading or writing
• Voice disorders affecting vocal quality, pitch or volume

The speech pathologist works closely with you and your caregiver, as well as with the medical and rehabilitation care team, to create personalized treatment plans.

The therapeutic approach to speech, language and cognitive treatment includes:

• Facilitating your activities and participation by helping you develop new skills and strategies
• Making use of strengths and addressing weaknesses that affect communication by either direct retraining or compensating for skills that have been affected
• Modifying your environment to remove barriers to successful communication and participation, including developing and using new accommodations, such as aids, strategies or devices

Physical therapy

Physical therapy (PT) focuses on training and movement to assist with restoration of function and independence:

• Balance and neuromuscular reeducation
• Functional mobility training
• Gait/assistive device training
• Pain management
• Seating/positioning
• Therapeutic exercise to improve strength and range of motion
• Tone management
• Prosthetic training
• Orthopedic functioning
• Vestibular functioning
• Pelvic floor functioning

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy (OT) works on returning you to the normal activities of your daily life. This will include both physical and cognitive skills to help you engage in activities in your environment and resume your self-care, productivity and leisure.

To help you return to everyday life, occupational therapists focus on:

• Adaptive equipment use
• Driving safety program
• Low-vision accommodations
• Lymphedema management
• Neuromuscular recovery
• Positioning
• Range of motion
• Sensation
• Splinting
• Strengthening
• Tone management
• Visual perceptual issues

The treatment team is directed by a physician who specializes in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. The interdisciplinary treatment team consists of rehabilitation nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and case managers. All of these team members are experts in rehabilitation and everyone focuses on helping you regain the ability to function.

Our goal is to help you achieve the highest possible level of independence so you may return to the least restrictive environment in the community. To aid in this, we provide access to:

• Physician and rehabilitation nursing is available seven days a week.
• Case management/social services are available five days a week.
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech services are available seven days per week. A modified therapy program is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday as needed.
• Psychology services are available as needed.

Other team members may include consulting physicians, dietitians, neuropsychologists and other healthcare professionals. Keep in mind the vast resources of HCA Florida West Marion Hospital are available to you during your stay.

Our physical medicine rehab physicians will continue to follow you throughout your recovery, even after discharge from the inpatient rehab program, to ensure proper continuum of care.

It is important to remember rehabilitation can be challenging. It is important for you to work hard and actively participate in your rehabilitation program.

Following admission to the rehabilitation unit, you will receive an orientation to the unit and the program by a rehabilitation nurse. You will also be involved in an initial assessment by the members of the treatment team (rehabilitation nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, case management, dietary and neuropsychology as needed). As part of the assessment process, you have the opportunity to discuss personal goals and participate in the development of an individualized treatment plan leading toward a targeted discharge date.

Your program begins after the assessment process, when your care team has established your plan of care. Reassessments are performed on an ongoing basis and are formally discussed by the therapy team during weekly care team conferences. After the team conference, case management/social services will review the discussion from the conference with you and/or your family/caregiver.

The length of your stay depends on your progress in the program and our ability to continue to meet your needs. You will also practice real world events by participating in community reentry activities.

Recovery is a positive process, but can also be a challenging journey. We are dedicated to giving you the space and privacy you need to recover – body and mind. Our therapy areas offer the latest equipment and real life home environments for therapy.

On a typical day, you will:

• Wake up, get ready for the day (wash up, brush your teeth, etc.) and get dressed in street clothes.
• Eat in the dining room with your peers at lunch time.
• Take part in individualized therapy for at least three hours per day. This includes physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Some of the therapy may be provided in a group setting. Psychology may also be part of the day.
• Learn about medical and dietary issues, as well as how the lives of you and your family/caregivers will be impacted by the change that has brought you to rehabilitation.
• Attend patient and family/caregiver training.
• Get ready for bed and rest.

Your discharge plan is an important part of your care. On average, a patient's length of stay is two weeks, depending on their diagnosis. During your stay, we help you set and reach goals throughout the course of your treatment. We work with your family and other members of your support network to prepare for a safe and happy transition to home life and continued recovery. If services are required following discharge, our case management team will make the necessary referrals on your behalf.

Our experienced team of rehabilitation experts provide high-quality, safe and compassionate care to patients who have experienced brain injuries, strokes, spinal cord injuries and orthopedic conditions.

To get you back to life, our team works hard to offer you proactive around-the-clock care, including daily physician rounding with the primary goal of gaining your independence.

We provide an intensive course of physical rehabilitation services, including:

• Case management
• Medical director oversight
• Nutritional counseling
• Occupational therapy
• Orthotic consults
• Pharmaceutical care
• Physical therapy
• Prosthetics consults
• Psychiatry consults
• Specialized rehabilitation nursing care
• Speech-language therapy
• Wheelchair seating