The NCH Acute & Stroke Rehabilitation Program is Unmatched in Collier County
Welcome to the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging
M ore than 750,000 Americans will suffer the debilitating effects of stroke this year. Nearly 140,000 will die. That is why it is very important to know the signs of stroke – and the importance of seeking immediate emergency treatment. The NCH Stroke Center is a patient’s first stop in the NCH acute stroke care and rehabilitation program. Stroke care starts in the ambulance and continues in the ER where time is of the essence. An evaluation of the patient’s condition is conducted immediately – and a neurologist can be consulted quickly in real-time using teleneurology. Interventional radiology identifies and addresses blood clots, administers medication, and performs other testing. Patients remain in acute care until their condition is stabilized. Then, when they are medically ready, they are transitioned to the stroke rehabilitation program at The NCH Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging & Rehabilitation. The stroke rehabilitation services staff includes physical (PT), occupational (OT), and speech (ST) therapists, nurses, a hospitalist, a physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation physician) and a neuropsychologist. Six of the PT and OT staff members are specially certified in neuro-developmental treatment (NDT). To date, NCH Brookdale physical therapists have earned patient satisfaction scores of 98 percent. “While the requirement for rehab is three hours of therapy daily, because many patients are getting PT, OT and ST with our various programs, they actually receive four to five hours of therapy a day,” explains NCH Stroke Inpatient Rehab Manager, Jennifer Shover. “We work on strengthening their ability to perform activities of daily living, getting them to be able to move in bed, to sit up, stand, improve cognition, walk, talk and improve balance.” Because swallowing can be an issue for a number of stroke victims, speech therapists work with these patients to address swallowing difficulties, working in conjunction with the dining program to teach patients how to swallow again. Electrical stimulation is also utilized by OTs on arm or leg muscles to help improve
strength, and by STs to improve facial weakness. Shover says that staff members try to discover the things patients most enjoy and develop customized therapies based on these activities to achieve better results. “Because it’s something valuable to their life, they will be more engaged and interested in working hard,” says Shover. Inpatient rehabilitation rooms are assigned to stroke patients based on their impairments. Specialty rooms are equipped with video monitoring, allowing staff members to communicate interactively with patients, for patients’ safety. Bed alarms will quickly alert staff whenever a patient attempts to leave their bed without assistance. “We are truly set apart from skilled nursing facilities,” says Shover, pointing out that when medical issues arise, patients can be quickly treated due to the hospital setting. “There is no need to call for outside services to transport them to a hospital, and we have two physicians with eyes on each patient,” she adds. Rounding out the stroke rehab program is a case management staff that oversees patient progress from admission in the acute phase, to discharge and after. In addition to comprehensive discharge planning, staff members follow up with patients and their families concerning appointments with specialists, special equipment needs and anything else required to ensure full recovery. “Our Acute & Stroke Rehab program is light years ahead of all others,” says Shover. “When we see stroke patients come in on a stretcher and can’t move – then a month later, we see them walk out – it’s very satisfying.” Why NCH Acute & Stroke Rehab Program is Collier County’s superior stroke recovery and rehabilitation center: ● Most effective facility when comprehensive medical and medication management is required ● Patients are monitored by two physicians: a hospitalist and a physiatrist (physical medicine and rehab doctor) ● Specially trained nursing staff ● Highly trained physical, occupational and speech therapy team (six of whom have neuro disability training, NDT) ● Imaging tests , lab draws and other testing can be performed quickly on-site ● Special rooms designated depending on patient’s impairments, with video monitoring and interactive communication, and bed alarms for safety ● If needed , additional hospital services are located on the NCH property – no need for outside ambulance services as in skilled nursing facilities ● Yearly , on average, 80 percent of patients return home with an average length of stay of 11 days ● The program offers home evaluations to make recommendations for home modifications for optimummobility ● Unrivaled patient satisfaction scores of 98 percent for 2019
NCH Acute & Stroke Rehab offers:
• A fully equipped gym for strength training, with specialized equipment such as LiteGait
• High-tech, cognitive re-training tools and cutting- edge evaluation equipment; iPad applications for cognitive re-training • Dining room programs for motor skills and swallow functioning • Arts in healing program to train fine motor skills and cognition • Full kitchen and laundry, where patients practice home and daily living skills • Outdoor Mobility Garden available for daily as well as leisure activity training (uneven surfaces, a mailbox,
chip and putting green, fishing station) • Certified Peer Support Visitor program (many of whom are former stroke patients) • Horticulture program for planting in raised beds • Availability of a van for community outings • Stroke education and monthly support groups
The NCH Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging & Rehabilitation is located at the NCH North Naples Hospital, 11190 Health Park Blvd. in Naples. For more information about the Acute & Stroke Program call (239) 624-5700
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