Brick, N.J. - October 8, 2024 - Whether for a stroke, brain injury, sports injury, neurological disorder, or cardiac event, the need for rehabilitation can be daunting to both a patient and caregiver. Kerri Fitzgerald, MA, OTR/L, executive director of Hackensack Meridian Johnson Rehabilitation Institute at Ocean University Medical Center, shares what to consider in both undergoing the journey to recovery and determining best needs for a loved one.
I’m advocating for a loved one in determining rehabilitation needs. What do I need to know?
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. For both settings you’ll want to inquire about how the team will take underlying medical conditions into account and what safety measures are in place to protect the patient. You may also want to consider how accessible the therapy environment is, and how it promotes healing and accommodates family interaction.
For outpatient therapy you’ll want to explore whether care is provided one-to-one or in a group setting and determine with the care team which is best for improved patient outcomes. You may also want to ask whether there are refresher therapy sessions available once main therapy has concluded. You may also find it important to know what specialty treatments the outpatient therapists can provide such as neurological interventions, balance retraining, visual and cognitive therapy and many more. Having the outpatient therapy team explain what a typical plan of care includes, such as how many times a week and for how many weeks my loved one will attend before being discharged is valuable information. Equally important to know is if you will be provided with a home exercise program that helps your loved one maintain newly learned skills needed to improve life outside of therapy.
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. You’ll want to ask about the types of therapeutic equipment and technologies available and whether available programs will meet your loved one’s cultural and personal needs. If the facility is attached to an acute-care hospital, there will be access to emergency care and medical services 24 hours a day.
I’m a patient told I can benefit from rehabilitation. What should I keep in mind?
Most important - you’re not alone! Depending on your injury or condition, your rehabilitation team will work with you as a partner to develop a personalized plan and establish personal and functional goals during your time in the program and beyond. This could include physical and/or cognitive improvements in addition to education and training for both you and your family/caretaker.
You must be an eligible candidate – and a willing participant. For instance, inpatient rehabilitation at Johnson Rehabilitation Institute at Ocean University Medical Center requires patients to have a medical condition stable enough to allow for participation in therapies and functional progression. Patients must also demonstrate a willingness to undergo rehabilitation, and the ability to tolerate and benefit from prescribed therapy. And even after your rehabilitation, keep in mind that your care team is there to support you. From social workers and discharge planners ensuring a safe transition to home or other community setting to continue with recovery, to other specialized team members providing support group education and refresher therapy, you have a network of support committed to your improvement.
Johnson Rehabilitation Institute at Ocean University Medical Center in Brick is one of four inpatient rehabilitation facilities within the Hackensack Meridian Health Network in New Jersey. The others are JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison, Johnson Rehabilitation Institute at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, and St. Joseph’s Health Rehabilitation (affiliated with Hackensack Meridian Johnson Rehabilitation Institute) in Wayne. For additional information, call 844-HMH-WELL.
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