At the IVCH Center for Physical Rehabilitation and Aquatics, a collaborative
approach is used by Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and
Speech Therapists to help patients reclaim independence and to return
to normal routines. Whether their goal is to maximize functional mobility,
to become more independent with daily routines, or to regain ability to
communicate, the therapists at IVCH CPRA are committed to integrating
patients back into the community through this multi-disciplinary approach.
In order to make the most of each patient’s experience during the
rehabilitation process, the therapists work as a team to meet both the
patient’s and the family’s goals.
Each discipline will start with an initial evaluation assessing the patient’s
functional limitations and impairments. The family, along with the therapist,
will develop an individualized plan of care to address the deficits. The
main focus of physical therapy in the adult population is ambulation,
balance, strength, movement patterns, assessment of tone, and overall
independence with functional mobility. Occupational Therapy is primarily
focused on independence with activities of daily living and restoring
upper extremity function. Both physical and occupational therapists can
help patients achieve this independence through specific training with
the use of adaptive equipment or modification to their environment.
Speech Therapy focuses on several areas including articulating sounds,
expressing language, understanding language, social language aspects,
cognition, and swallowing. Speech language pathologists can provide interventions
to help individuals regain independence with functional needs through
activities that involve using their voice or a communication device as
well as establishing an oral diet to allow them to eat safely.
With a multi-disciplinary approach to rehabilitation, patients that have
been diagnosed with a stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury,
multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or other neurological diagnoses
can have an improved success rate. The ultimate goal with an integrated
approach to rehabilitation is to provide the patient with the best opportunity
to achieve functional independence with everyday tasks.