What To Expect
Please plan to arrive with three to five days’ worth of clothing that is loose fitting and easy to move around in. For footwear, bring supportive tennis shoes or sneakers. Leave your sandals, slides or heels/wedges at home.
Pack standard personal items, though we may be able to provide basic items if you need them. You can also bring along your cell phone and other personal electronic devices. We recommend that you leave valuables at home.
Our therapists will often ask for measurements or pictures of the home environment you will return to after discharge. We will provide more details on this during your stay.
You will participate in at least three hours of therapy five days a week, which may be adjusted by your team as needed. Your sessions may include a combination of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology, depending on your own needs.
You will dress in your own clothes each morning – no hospital gowns are worn during the day. You are expected to be out of bed and will be encouraged to eat meals in the dining area.
Each morning, you will be given a customized schedule of your day’s activities. We try to accommodate schedule preferences, but everyone must complete their treatment plan during daytime hours.
Our nurses will record your vital signs every six hours (6:00 a.m., noon, 6:00 p.m. and midnight). We understand the importance of a restful sleep, but our nursing team will perform periodic checks on you during both the day and night shifts.
Outside of the three primary therapy services (physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology), we offer a variety of other services and specialties.
These include:
- Dietitians: You will be screened to evaluate your nutritional needs.
- Recreational Therapy: We use a wide range of activity and community-based activities to meet your physical, cognitive, emotional, social and leisure needs.
- Neuropsychology: Consultations are offered if you’re having difficulty adjusting to your new situation or if you have behavioral management needs.
- Wheelchair and seating assessment
- Home evaluations
- Group therapy: Cooking, mindfulness, pet therapy, music group and other art/craft activities are offered.
- Assistance with community resources, including Lynx bus service.
- Interpreters
- Pet visitation
- Food/vending
- Social outings
Frequently Asked Questions
Your time in rehab will depend on your illness or injury, baseline function and ability to participate. When you are admitted to inpatient rehab, the medical staff, therapy team and nursing team will evaluate you to determine your rehab needs. Our goal is to help you set and meet achievable goals so that you gain the highest level of independence. We want to help you return home, where you will be able to care for yourself or be assisted by your caregiver.
Before you go home, we want you and your caregiver to be able to handle all of your mobility and self-care tasks. Mobility tasks include getting out of bed, transferring to surfaces, walking and/or using a wheelchair. Self-care includes feeding yourself, brushing your teeth, getting dressed and bathing. If you need help with these tasks, we will work with your caregiver to meet those needs.
Before you return home or move to another care facility, we will make sure you are prepared, which includes training your caregiver if needed. Before you leave, you will receive discharge instructions, including medication information, follow-up appointments, referrals for continued care or therapy, exercise instruction and other information. After you return home, you will receive a survey in the mail or electronically regarding your stay. We appreciate feedback about your time at the Orlando Health Advanced Rehabilitation Institute. With your approval, we would also like to stay in contact regarding our events, including patient reunions, health fairs and other community events. Our patients are patients for life!