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Life After Stroke

The department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation have appointed physician and staff members to be part of the Upstate Stroke Center in order to offer patients a continuum of care from their hospital stay to the transition home. A stroke patient’s rehabilitation begins long before discharge from the hospital and the support continues throughout your recovery.

What is a Stroke?

A stroke is a “brain attack” that occurs when blood stops flowing to a part of the brain. When blood doesn't flow to a part of the brain, cells do not receive enough oxygen and these cells become damaged. Problems caused by a stroke may vary depending on the extent of the brain damage and where in the brain the stroke occurred. A stroke can affect personality, behavior, movement, sensation, hearing, language, vision, and thinking.

The Rehabilitation Team

The stroke rehabilitation program provides comprehensive rehabilitation services and management to individuals who have experienced a stroke. You will be part of a Comprehensive Rehabilitation Team for your therapy including:

  • Physical Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Speech Therapy Services
  • Psychological Services
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling

Rehabilitation

The stroke rehabilitation team offers inpatient and outpatient services to help you regain as much function as possible during your recovery. Special evaluations by skilled therapists will help you:

  • Understand your functional weaknesses and strengths.
  • Set individualized and measurable goals to improve function, independence, and safety that you will be able to reach.
  • Provide and assist you and your family in dealing with ongoing needs by referring you for specific services such as outreach programs for home/ community skills, driving programs and vocational needs.
  • Help return you to home or community activities. This includes ordering equipment, prescribing a home exercise program and recommending community based programs and/or support groups.

Available Services

  • Physical abilities: muscle control, functional mobility, balance and strengthening
  • Activities of daily living: improving your ability to perform self care, mobility, home and community skills
  • Measuring your ability for driving
  • Communication, eating and swallowing
  • Emotional and behavioral issues that may affect rehabilitation, social functioning or overall adjustment by meeting with a psychologist
  • Cognitive skills including ways to increase independence and safety • Vocational and avocation needs, academic needs, community resources, and advocacy

Contact Us

If you think your functional independence may be improved through physical, occupational and/or speech therapy please contact your physician and request a referral for therapy. Most insurances will cover Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech therapy services, however, it is always a good idea to contact your insurance representative to make sure that your treatment will be covered.

To schedule an appointment or get more information, call 315-464-2300. You will need to bring your physician referral or prescription with you to your first appointment.

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