Sometimes life brings an unexpected twist – a stroke, a devastating fall, a car accident – that changes everything. For patients and families, life-changing illnesses and injuries can be overwhelming. Normal everyday activities such as cooking dinner or walking outside to pick up the mail may seem to be out of reach.

That’s why starting rehabilitative treatments as soon as possible is so important. Rehabilitative treatments can help people regain as much lost function as possible while improving their quality of life.

Rehabilitative treatments are provided in many different settings. Each patient is unique, so each patient’s healthcare team devises a treatment plan and recommends a setting that will best meet that patient’s needs. Some possible settings include inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, home-based rehab or an independent living center.

Inpatient rehab is often recommended for people who can participate in and benefit from intense rehab therapy, require 24/7 nursing care and have the potential to return to the community.

“Think of inpatient rehab as being the space between the hospital and your home or the community,” said Angie Eaton, director of post-acute therapy services at Aultman’s Inpatient Rehab Program, located at Aultman Woodlawn. “We work to get you strengthened and back to a more independent setting.”

A Team Approach

Inpatient rehab uses an interdisciplinary team approach to therapy. At Aultman, the team includes:

• Physicians
• Nurses
• Rehabilitation therapists (physical, occupational and speech)
• Respiratory therapists
• Dietitians
• Social workers
• Pharmacists
• Rehabilitation psychologists

“We treat the person as a whole, not just their illness or injury,” Eaton said. “We support the patients in caring for all aspects of their health, including physical, emotional, mental, nutritional and socioeconomic needs.”

Rehabilitation is tailored to the patient’s daily life. “We ask, ‘What do you do in the course of a typical day?’” Eaton said. “Then we work on those things.”

The Aultman Woodlawn therapy gym is designed to help patients regain the skills they need for living at home. It features a homelike bedroom, bathroom and kitchen that allow patients to practice the things they need to do every day. Patients also can practice getting in and out of the car and going up and down the curb, ramp and stairs.

Physical therapists focus on improving patients’ ability to move, such as getting in and out of bed, getting up from a chair, walking and negotiating stairs. Occupational therapists help patients relearn skills for daily activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming, hygiene and preparing meals. Speech therapists work on speaking, swallowing, comprehension and other skills related to communication.

Family Involvement

The goal is to get the patient home or, if that’s not the best option, getting them ready for the most independent setting possible. To help patients return home, Aultman’s inpatient rehab team involves caregivers and families during the patient’s stay.

“Caregiver training is a huge part of the rehab experience,” Eaton said. “When you are in inpatient rehab, we want to have the family come in at the beginning, and we work with them throughout your stay. We show them what we’re working on in therapy and let them be a part of your progress.”

It’s important for the family to be ready, Eaton said. “When a patient goes home, we’re handing the baton to the caregivers and letting them continue alongside the patient on their journey,” she said. “We train caregivers and teach them about medication, skin care, adjusting to the home environment, nutrition, how to help the patient move and more.”

Aultman therapists even visit the patient’s home to make sure the environment is ready. “If something has changed in their life to bring them to us, they may need to make modifications in their home,” Eaton said.

“We can go out to the home with the patient and do a ‘test drive’ to recommend changes so that the family can have everything ready when their loved one comes home.”

Recommended modifications can range from installing grab bars in appropriate locations to building ramps, installing stairlifts or widening doorways.

The patient’s care team meets regularly to discuss the patient’s progress and adjust the treatment plan, Eaton said. As a result, both patients and their families feel cared for. “Our team works together in a manner that brings strong outcomes and promotes a positive experience for our patients and their families,” she said.