• Physical Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Speech Pathology
• Hand Therapy

The Day Rehabilitation Program at Portsmouth Regional Hospital serves patients with:

• Brain injuries 
• Stroke and brain hemorrhages
• Spinal cord injuries
• Brain tumors 
• Multiple sclerosis
• Amputations

The Program is designed for people who need an intensive, individualized team rehabilitation approach, but who are physically able to stay home. The goals of the Day Rehabilitation Program are to increase independence in the areas of home life, work skills and community/social involvement, through:

• Practical learning experiences in clinical, community and home settings
• Volunteer/avocation exploration
• Return to work or school
• Family and community education

Families are actively involved in the program. Counseling and family meetings give families support as well as education on the patient's progress and how to cope with the many issues they will face at home. The key is to give patients and their families the building blocks they need to continue making gains after leaving the Day Rehab Program.

In addition to the focus on practical skills, the comprehensive team approach is the secret of the program's success. Our multidiscliplinary team includes a:

• Physiatrist
• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Speech-language pathologists
• Internal case manager

The team meets each week to discuss each patient, share goals and brainstorm strategies for achieving those goals.

In our Day Rehabilitation Program, we thoroughly evaluate the results with each patient. Our outcome tracking program carefully evaluates the functional status of every patient at each of four time periods: pre-injury, admission, discharge and 3-months after discharge. Significant improvement at discharge and three months post-discharge has been consistently found in the following outcome areas:

• Need for assistance
• Employment
• Leisure
• Socialization
• Level of life satisfaction

Our nationally-recognized Stroke Rehab Program has moved to its new home at 155 Borthwick Avenue. This beautiful new facility has been designed to create an atmosphere of friendly encouragement and peer support for stroke patients, while encouraging practical, real-world recovery skills. For example, patients can create their own therapy in a new, fully equipped, stainless steel kitchen, mastering skills that will transfer back to their homes and help ease that transition with a renewed sense of self-sufficiency.

Another therapeutic activity that takes place outside the facility is shopping, enabling stroke patients to enhance their independence and control over everyday tasks.
 
These are a few examples of how our medical team’s pioneering research on stroke patient outcomes has resulted in treatment that shatter the norms for functional recovery after stroke. Patients who complete the program are significantly more independent, more mobile and more engaged in meaningful work and social activity. At Portsmouth Regional Hospital, getting back on your feet after a stroke is the norm, not the exception.  Our medical team, including Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech-Language Therapists, provide coordinated care with access to support groups for both patients and family members.
 
Often, the hardest part of rehabilitation after stroke is the patience and endless repetition required to relearn old skills.  After weeks of repeating exercises alone or with a therapist, many patients lose interest and motivation. Our rehabilitation model takes a different approach, focusing on helping people relearn activities of daily living - like walking to the corner for a cup of coffee.  Neurologically, that's actually a very complex process, involving walking, navigating traffic, conversing with the therapist, reading the menu, ordering the coffee, counting change and handling the cup without spilling any liquid.  When you've had a stroke, these simple challenges can become major hurdles, yet patients have a tremendous reservoir of energy and patience when they're motivated to accomplish a real life task.

Our program has been recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association for our research, outcomes and therapy innovations such as BWSS – a neuro-rehabilitation technique in which the patient is suspended over a moving treadmill in a harness system that provides varying amounts of unweighting of the patient's body weight. The goal of BWSS is to improve patients' ambulation, standing balance, and endurance.

Our Stroke Rehab Program shares its location with our Cardiac Rehab Center, also located at 155 Borthwick Avenue. This new facility is a lively and fun place to be, encouraging people to reach their full potential in a supportive and focused atmosphere.  

Rehab Services for Women

Many women have specialized rehabilitation needs during and after pregnancy, after a mastectomy and as they get older. Our incontinence, breast rehabilitation and pain management programs are offered in a supportive and confidential setting by caring, highly experienced professionals. Massage is also available and is an excellent means of relaxation.