Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Our inpatient rehabilitation team will evaluate patients and will determine if they meet the criteria to be admitted in one of our units:

• 18 years or older
• Have a condition that would improve with rehabilitation, such as a functional impairment
• Medically stable and able to tolerate (physically and cognitively) and actively participate in at least three hours of therapy per day (or 15 hours per week)
• Have a prognosis that indicates reasonable potential to return to a community setting
• Physician intervention required at least three days per week throughout the acute rehabilitation stay for at least one of the following:
• Pain management
• Medication management needed for frequent medication changes
• Cardiopulmonary management
• Complex bowel or bladder management
• Enteral or parenteral feeding for nutritional assistance
• Activities of daily living
• Mobility
• Cognition and communication
• Swallowing
• Patient and family agree to admission to inpatient rehabilitation and the tentative goals and length of stay

If you do not already have clothing from home, please ask someone to bring clothing for you – you will need it for your therapy sessions. Wearing your own clothes is more comfortable than wearing a hospital gown during therapy. Bring anything you consider comfortable and practical for exercising and walking, including undergarments and shoes.

We recommend that you also bring the following:

• Dentures
• Hearing aids
• Eyeglasses
• Personal assistive devices you’ve been using, such as wheelchairs, walkers, braces and prostheses
• Toiletries and other personal hygiene items

Our inpatient rehabilitation programs offer home-like settings, allowing patients to practice activities of daily living with the guidance of our team of experts. Our inpatient rehabilitation units are staffed with experienced rehabilitation physicians, physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and recreation therapists. Patients also have access to social workers, rehabilitation nurses, psychologists, dieticians, orthotists who work together to deliver the best possible care based on your needs.

Learn more about the different roles within the care team.

Our team works with each patient to create a care plan that identifies the patient’s abilities and needs and ensures the patient’s goals and concerns are addressed. See example of what can be included in a care plan (.pdf)

We encourage family and friends to be involved in the patient’s care. Our nurses and therapists ensure that patients and caregivers understand and are comfortable with their roles before leaving the hospital.

Your schedule may change from day to day; it is posted in your room the night before. When you are not in therapy, specially trained nursing staff are available to assist you in practicing the skills you have learned during therapy sessions while in your hospital room.

Morning

Your nursing team will give you medications and help you prepare for morning activities. Your nursing assistant or therapist will assist with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing and grooming. If a therapist is helping you, these ADLs will be performed during your morning therapy sessions.

Afternoon

Break for rest and lunch. If needed, therapists may work with you during lunch on swallowing and self- feeding skills. After the lunch break, therapy sessions resume and continue until dinner.

Evening

Dinner and visits with your family and friends conclude your day. We encourage family members to observe and participate in therapist sessions throughout your stay.

You and your caregiver will participate in discharge planning with your rehabilitation team. Most patients we see go home after inpatient rehabilitation. However, some patients need additional help in their recovery and may be discharged to a long-term care or a subacute care facility. If a patient’s condition worsens or a new one develops during inpatient rehabilitation, they may need to be admitted to an acute care unit and may need to repeat inpatient rehabilitation once they are better again.

During this transition out of inpatient rehabilitation, our care management team will help you with:

• Identifying where you will live after discharge and what level of care you will need
• Obtaining the necessary equipment and medications
• Planning medical appointments
• Educating you and your caregivers on what to expect after leaving the hospital
• Providing a list of resources, such as support groups

Our care management team will be available to answer questions after you are discharged.

Johns Hopkins offers a continuum of care beyond inpatient rehabilitation through home care and outpatient care in different locations throughout the region and provides ongoing support for your recovery process and community reintegration.