Physical therapy and rehabilitation

Physical therapy facilities in Anchorage, Alaska

You may find yourself in a hospital as a result of a serious event including traumatic head injuries, stroke or some heart surgeries. Patients who experience such events may need assistance to further their recovery and help function to the best of their abilities.

To assist with recovery, your physician may order rehabilitation therapy as a part of your treatment. At Alaska Regional Hospital, our 10-bed, acute in-patient rehabilitation unit works toward strengthening patients' mobility and independence.

For more information on our acute inpatient rehabilitation program, please talk with a team member at (907) 264-1623.

Acute in-patient rehabilitation program

Treatment begins with our clinical rehab specialists (CRS) who work with an interdisciplinary care team to determine candidates for our in-patient rehabilitation program.

Although the CRS is crucial to acceptance into our program, once admitted your care will shift to your care team. An individualized plan, tailored to your needs will be created and modified as you progress. Your length of stay is determined by factors such as:

• Ability and willingness to participate in three hours of therapy per day
• Age
• Potential to make significant functional improvements
• Previous state of health
• Quickness in the way you progress towards accomplishing your rehabilitation goals
• Severity of your injury or illness

Conditions that may need rehab therapy

Our rehab unit provides services for those experiencing disability from a wide range of conditions including strokes, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and orthopedic conditions. Other conditions that may require rehab include:

• Major multiple trauma injuries
• Medically complex conditions
• Neurological conditions
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries

Your rehab care team

The focus of our acute inpatient rehabilitation program is to strengthen independence. Our program involves specialists from multiple disciplines. You may see specialists involved in your care such as rehab physicians, case managers, social worker/discharge planners, certified nurse assistants, rehab nurses, registered dietitians and therapists. A physician that specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation will manage your care while visiting with us.

In-patient rehab services we offer

We base our treatment on these components including:

• Educating you and your family as well as assisting you to adapt to your lifestyle changes.
• Providing adaptive tools and modifying the environment.
• Treating the basic disease and preventing complications.
• Treating the disability and improving function.

Our therapy services

Our rehabilitation experts specialize in different areas of the body. We focus on helping patients relearn, adapt or learn skills. Our services include:

• Occupational therapy (OT) — This type of therapy works to improve, regain or retain your ability to perform tasks of everyday living such as cooking, eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, and visual/perceptual tasks. An OT therapist provides education about adaptive methods such as adaptive device training, home safety, energy conservation and joint protection.
• Recreational therapy (RT) — This therapy covers training to operate in a community setting. RT therapists assist with providing transportation for community outings and will provide lifestyle/leisure modification recommendations as needed.
• Speech-language pathology (SLP) — An SLP therapist treats cognitive, language, memory, speech, swallowing and hearing deficits/disorders that interfere with your ability to function independently. If you have swallowing difficulties, an SLP therapist may conduct swallowing evaluations and instruct you in compensatory techniques.
• Nutritional guidance — Led by a registered dietitian (RD), you'll receive a nutritional assessment as a part of your treatment program. RDs coordinate with the care team to ensure education is provided in a way that is comprehensible to the patient and caregiver.
• Physical therapy — This therapy works to help you perform activities such as moving in bed, transferring to bed or chair/wheelchair, standing, walking and wheelchair mobility. Depending on your ability level, a physical therapist (PT) will train in the use of assistive devices and prescribe exercises to increase range of motion, strength and endurance. Pending your ability, the PT will assist with learning how to get off the floor, get into a car and navigate stairs.

Qualifying for our in-patient rehab program

Treatment at our unit begins with a referral from your doctor. Most patients are referred to us while they are still in the hospital recovering from serious events or injuries. However, patients may also be referred from skilled nursing facilities and community-based physicians.

If you or your physician have any questions about your loved one's eligibility for our program, please feel free to contact an in-patient rehabilitation unit admissions team member at (907) 264-1893.

Your rehab visit

You'll be admitted to our unit which is located on the hospital's fifth floor. Once admitted, your treatment begins with a thorough evaluation to identify your current strengths and weaknesses. Our care team evaluates your level of independence, measured on a scale of one to seven. The scale is known as the functional independence measure (FIM).

The FIM measures ability to perform tasks without assistance. A score of one means the patient performs less than 25 percent of a task or will need assistance from one to two helpers. A score of seven means the patient is independent.

Your care team

Your interdisciplinary team, together with you and your family, work to establish treatment goals. Your rehabilitation program will be tailored to meet your individual needs and is modified as progress occurs. Typically, our patients experience a functional gain of approximately 20 percent from admission to discharge.

Your care team meets weekly to develop and adjust your treatment. Your plan is designed to help you re-learn skills, develop methods to compensate for decreased functioning and resume activities of everyday living. You'll be expected to participate in all therapy sessions as scheduled. As you draw closer to discharge, the team will meet once again to determine final recommendations.

What to expect during your rehab therapy

The goal of acute rehabilitation is to help you regain function and return to your routine with as much mobility as possible. Your care involves continuous physician and nursing oversight and includes:

• Therapy three hours per day that combines two to three disciplines (physical, occupational, recreational and speech-language therapies).
• A therapy schedule written on the therapy whiteboard, a day in advance or the night before. We provide a written copy of your schedule to keep at your bedside.
• Daily meals served in the rehab unit’s dining area to simulate a home environment.
• Scheduled rest periods, as needed, to be posted on the whiteboard near the dining hall.
• Weekly recreational, community outings with your therapists and on to two patients.

Support from family and friends during your rehab

Once admitted to the program, your family will be allowed to visit during visiting hours. Our therapy and nursing staff will offer you and your family opportunities to learn about your condition and how to continue your recovery once you've been discharged. Family involvement is a very important part of your therapy's success. Our care team will want to work with anyone who will help you upon discharge.

Primary caregiver

We do ask that one family member be identified as the primary spokesman/caregiver. Your primary caregiver will be allowed to come to your sessions and stay beyond visiting hours with your nurse's approval. Our rehab team will provide your caregiver with an outline of primary caregiver expectations and a caregiver agreement.

Family training sessions

Your treatment team will coordinate family training sessions. In those training sessions, the emphasis is teaching techniques to help you function to the best of your ability in a home-like setting.

Our rehab team provides “hands-on” training to your caregiver and family to help them feel comfortable in providing for your needs. Not only do family members help you feel better about your visit to our rehab, but they also help staff get to know specifics about your support systems and living situation.

Visiting our rehab unit

Our program is focused on helping patients return as fully as possible to the routine they enjoyed before their illness. Your family will be able to contact you through the unit's nursing station at 907-264-1623. We ask visitors to observe the following:

• Visiting hours — Our unit is open to visitors on Monday through Friday from 4:00pm to 9:00pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am to 9:00pm.
• Staying after visiting hours — Primary caregivers can participate outside of visiting hours as needed. Staying after 9:00pm requires pre-approval from your nurse.
• Child visitors — Children under 12 years old, who are accompanied by an adult, are welcome to visit loved ones in the unit's family gathering area.
• Overnight accommodations — We partner with the Extended Stay America Hotel, located at 700 East 34th Avenue in Anchorage. You may reach the hotel at (907) 646-4208.

Discharge planning for ongoing rehab

Your ongoing care is the focus of our discharge planners. For questions about the next steps, you or your caregiver can speak with a planner at (907) 264-1901. Your post-discharge plans may include:

• Goal setting — We discuss your rehab goals, discharge disposition and post-discharge support needs.
• Alternative arrangements — Our planner helps you with alternative arrangements in the event you do not make enough improvements to return to your previous living situation. You may need to consider:
  • Moving in with a friend or relative
  • Having a friend or relative live with you
  • Consider moving to a more accessible home
  • Moving into an assisted living facility
• Patient resources — As the time for discharge nears, you and your family are counseled regarding available resources to ensure a smooth transition back home or into an alternate care setting.
• Additional services — Your rehab team may recommend additional services after you leave the hospital such as outpatient therapy, home health assistance, or durable medical equipment.

Cardiac rehabilitation

Recovery after a cardiovascular event such as a coronary bypass graft may involve lifestyle changes. For success with such changes, you may need support. As a result, your doctor may order rehabilitation as a part of your treatment.

Our cardiac rehab program is a comprehensive, outpatient motivation program of evaluation, exercise, education, and support. Our team teaches patients how to make the permanent lifestyle changes recommended by their physician.