The Stroke Rehabilitation in-hospital program cares for patients who have recently experienced a stroke and now need to regain strength and work to recover skills they had before their stroke.
Our programs are designed to help each patient regain as many abilities as possible. We also help patients adapt to their new limitations caused by the stroke.
We provide two streams of therapy services. The type of therapy patients receive is based on their unique needs, goals and the reasons for admission.
What to expect
Soon after you arrive at Hennick Bridgepoint, members of our care team will meet with you and your caregivers to talk about your care. We will discuss your goals and work with you to develop a care plan that is specific to your needs.
For example, some patients are adapting to partial paralysis, difficulty speaking or memory loss. Others are relearning basic skills like how to get dressed or how to walk. Some patients are building strength so they can return to living on their own.
Your therapy
Therapy can take many different forms depending on your individual needs. Your therapy team may include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, recreation therapists and therapy assistants.
During your Stroke Rehabilitation program, you may have individual or group therapy in our gym, pool or other therapeutic areas. Your therapy may include exercises and activities to improve any of the following:
- Mobility, balance, strength and coordination
- Speaking, reading, writing or swallowing
- Thinking and memory
- Use of adaptive equipment like a walker or shower bench
Our therapists encourage patients and their caregivers to take an active role in rehabilitation. Your therapist or physician may teach you how to practice exercises on your own time in a safe way.
Please note we are a teaching hospital, so you may see medical students, residents and learners from various health professions as part of your care. Learners are supervised by other members of our dedicated health-care team who work together to provide you with comprehensive care.
Partners in care
You and your caregivers are important partners in your care. You can speak with any member of your care team about anything related to your care and rehabilitation. You can also request a family/caregiver meeting with your team to discuss your progress, your goals and the plan for discharge.
Leaving the hospital
Planning to leave the hospital requires planning, so conversation begins soon after you are admitted. Your care team will talk to you about different considerations regarding discharge. This could include recommendations for mobility aids, referrals to outpatient therapy, community exercise programs or in-home supports.
Where appropriate, you and your caregivers may be offered a discharge meeting towards the end of your stay. We will review your progress and the next steps in your recovery.
Sometimes, you may need to move to a new environment when you leave the hospital. We are here to help you decide what setting will best support your goals. Your transition will occur as soon as you no longer need the level of care provided in the hospital.
Stroke education
While you are in rehabilitation, it is important to understand your recovery process and how to prevent another stroke.
Our team provides a weekly in-person education session on stroke recovery that you and your caregivers are encouraged to attend. It is a great way to meet other stroke survivors and caregivers as well as discuss all your questions with our team.
Our team has also created short videos that reflect each of the six education sessions we provide. These videos have been viewed by thousands of stroke survivors all over the world and translated into several languages.
Learn more or review important information about stroke recovery by watching our Sinai Health Recovery From Stroke video series.
The following community resources include exercise or support groups and stroke organizations. These are very helpful as you transition from the hospital to the community:
Discover important information about student and learning programs and the resources we provide.
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