Austin Health

Neurological rehabilitation service

The service offers a comprehensive service available for people who have been diagnosed with conditions including:

• Stroke
• Brain or Spinal tumours
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Guillian Barre Syndrome
• and other neurological disorders

Programs are aimed at improving physical, communication, thinking, emotional, social and independence skills.

Rehabilitation team

The team is comprised of highly skilled staff including:

• Medical consultants
• Rehabilitation Nurses
• Physiotherapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Social Workers
• Speech pathologists
• Psychologists
• Orthoptist
• Dietician
• Orthotist
• Community Integration & Leisure Specialists

The team meet regularly to ensure that an effective program is maintained with the patient on ward roundsn with the patient with their relatives in family meetings as appropriate.

Aim of the program

To assess the patient's needs and to address these needs as a team , and in individual therapies.

Common problems addressed include:

• Walking
• Balance
• Showering and dressing
• Finance
• Emotions
• Speech
• Reading
• Writing
• Memory
• Swallowing

Other issues that are addressed include return to:

• Driving
• Community activities
• School
• Work
• Leisure pursuits

Service facilities

The program is able to enhance its service by utilising:

• The gym, which is staffed by a rehabilitation physical educator
• Hydrotherapy pool
• Driver assessment service
• Facilities to encourage independence of functional activities

Discharge planning

Home assessments are carried out as required, to ensure the home environment is safe for patients to return home.