How Rehabilitation Helps You Heal After a Stroke

After a stroke, the journey toward recovery continues beyond the hospital stay. Stroke rehabilitation is designed to help those who have had a stroke regain independence, rebuild strength, and relearn skills with healing therapy and supportive, personalized care.

What Happens After a Stroke?

After a patient has a stroke, their doctors will evaluate any effects of the stroke on the brain and body. Because strokes can affect many different functions, recovery often requires a multidisciplinary approach.

Common stroke-related challenges include:

• Weakness or paralysis, often on one side of the body
• Difficulty speaking or understanding language
• Problems with memory, attention, or problem-solving
• Trouble swallowing
• Reduced balance and coordination
• Emotional changes such as depression or anxiety

Post-acute care focuses on addressing these challenges through structured inpatient, and later outpatient, rehabilitation therapy.

The Role of Rehabilitation in Stroke Recovery

Through consistent therapy and personalized treatment plans, patients can regain lost abilities or learn new ways to perform daily activities. At Bolger Short-Term Rehab, we offer interdisciplinary post-acute care in a state-of-the-art, supportive environment designed to help those recovering from stroke get back to the life they love.

Physical Therapy

Our highly skilled physical therapists work one-on-one with patients to restore strength, balance, and mobility through treatment plans tailored to their unique needs, which may include exercises to improve walking, coordination, and muscle control. Many patients will gradually regain their ability to stand, walk, and move independently with practice, guidance, and personalized, attentive care.

Occupational Therapy

Our team of experienced occupational therapists focus on helping patients relearn and practice daily living skills, such as dressing, bathing, eating, and cooking. Through use of our transitional care suite – a fully operational apartment setup complete with washer and dryer, dishwasher, stove, microwave, tub, and stall shower – therapists teach adaptive techniques and help patients use assistive devices that make everyday tasks easier and safer.

Speech and Language Therapy

Aside from affecting mobility, a stroke can often inhibit the ability to communicate or swallow. Our speech-language pathologists help patients effectively rebuild language skills and strengthen swallowing muscles to improve speech clarity, comprehension, and the ability to safely eat and drink.

Emotional Support

Many people recovering from a stroke experience frustration, anxiety, or depression as they adjust to changes in their abilities. Our care team also offers emotional support and guidance through counseling and social services to help patients and their families navigate these challenges. They will also aid in connecting patients with outside resources, such as support groups and family education programs, which play an important role in recovery.

A Team Approach to Healing

Stroke rehabilitation works best with a multidisciplinary care team that collaborates to create a customized treatment plan. Our rehabilitation team includes:

• Physicians
• Nurses

• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Speech-language pathologists
• Social workers
• Dieticians
• Therapeutic activities professionals
• Pastoral care

With our holistic, whole-person approach to healing, we ensure each patient is supported physically, emotionally, and spiritually and that their unique needs are met.

The Importance of Rehabilitation Therapy

Rehabilitation significantly improves stroke recovery outcomes and helps the brain reorganize and form new connections following a stroke. Through repeated therapy exercises and activities, the brain can relearn skills and adapt to changes, improving quality of life after a stroke.

After inpatient therapy is complete, transitioning to outpatient therapy is important to continue progress. Recovery often takes weeks, months, or even years, and steady, consistent therapy will ensure patients get better and stronger after they return home.

Recovery Is Possible With Bolger Short-Term Rehab

With expert therapy, compassionate care, and emotional support and guidance, those recovering from a stroke can rebuild their strength, restore their independence, and rediscover their confidence so that they can return to the life they love.

To learn more about inpatient stroke rehabilitation, please call (201) 848-5855 or visit Bolger Short-Term Rehab.