Acute Rehabilitation Brain Injury Program
This avid runner’s life came to a halt when a car accident left her in a coma with severe traumatic brain injury.
“During my five months of treatment guided by the Rehabilitation Center’s Medical Director Thomas Hedge, MD, my therapists helped me regain muscle strength and balance. And, after my brain injury treatment I was able to graduate from High School with honors and now attend U.C. Davis. I'm even running again.”
According to the California Brain Injury Association, 1.7 million Americans suffer from brain injury each year. This statistic underscores the need for comprehensive treatment programs to help brain injured patients and their families put their lives back together and return to the home, community, workplace and school.
The Acute Rehabilitation Brain Injury Program offers a full continuum of services that include acute rehabilitation and outpatient treatment. Patients with physical and cognitive limitations re-learn simple tasks while the rehabilitation team assists the patients' family and friends with the adjustment and re-establishment of life within the community.
Emotional and psychological support is available to help patients and families deal with the long-term effects of a brain injury. Remember that brain injury can result from a variety of reasons, including traumatic insult, aneurysm or anoxia, and that each patient suffers from very different disabilities. Each person is unique.
 |
System of Care
A full spectrum of specialized services is available to provide optimum care for patients with brain injuries. The hospital's medical services may include emergency care supported by helicopter ambulance, acute medical care and acute rehabilitation.
Comprehensive Team Approach
We call on the skills of the entire interdisciplinary team to address each patient’s individual needs. Team members evaluate each patient to develop and implement an integrated treatment plan that focuses on physical, emotional and cognitive needs through structured rehab therapy, medical and nursing management, counseling and family education.
Team members responsible for the comprehensive care provided to the patient include:
- Case Management Services
- Drivers Training
- Medical and Surgical Consultants
- Neuropsychologists
- Nutritional Care Specialists
- Occupational Therapists
- Orthotists/Prosthetists
- Physiatrists (MD specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)
- Physical Therapists
- Rehabilitation Nurses
- Respiratory Therapists
- Social Workers
- Speech Therapists
- Spiritual Care Services
- Therapeutic Recreation Specialists
Patient and Family Training
To ensure a successful outcome, family participation is critical during each step of the recovery process. Education starts from the beginning of the patient’s stay. Families participate in an orientation that includes information regarding the stages of recovery and what to expect during the process.
As the stay continues, families are trained to assist with certain portions of care in order for the patient to be as prepared as possible for discharge. At discharge, the patient and family will have a clear understanding of physical abilities and limitations, medications, personal hygiene needs, skin-care and equipment.
For information on the inpatient Acute Rehabilitation Brain Injury Program, please call 818-700-5648.
Brain Injury Outpatient Therapy
A patient can successfully complete the inpatient Acute Rehabilitation Brain Injury Program and not be ready to resume their usual lifestyle after a brain injury. Family members may notice incidences of difficulty with memory, actions that are unsafe, uncontrolled impulses, making inappropriate decisions and other situations that prevent the patient from being independent.
Brain Injury Outpatient Therapy at the Center for Rehabilitation Medicine is designed to provide patients with the skills necessary to increase their level of independence. Therapies include:
- Physical Therapy -- improves the skills necessary for independent mobility. Areas addressed include strength, coordination, balance, endurance and safety.
- Occupational Therapy -- facilitates the skills necessary for independent living. Areas of focus include self-care, home management and use of transportation.
- Speech Therapy -- addresses the skills for independent communication, active learning of new information and swallowing safely. Special attention is also given to other areas such as cognition (attention, memory and reasoning), speech and language and compensatory strategies associated with each.
Referral Process
Patients may be referred by their physician, rehabilitation specialist or case manager. All patients must have a current prescription from their treating physician. The patient or referring party may call Outpatient Therapy Registration to register and provide registration information. The patient will be contacted for an initial evaluation appointment.
For additional information or referrals, please contact Outpatient Therapy Department at 818-885-5330.
