Outpatient physical rehabilitation

• Arthritis
• Balance issues
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
• Bilateral vestibular loss
• Brain injury
• Central vestibular disequilibrium
• Clarity of speech
• Cognitive language issues
• Communication issues
• Dysphagia
• Fibromyalgia
• Labyrinthitis
• Multifactorial disequilibrium
• Neurological disease
• Orthopedic injury
• Osteoporosis
• Perilymphatic fistula
• Speech difficulties
• Spinal injury
• Stroke
• Unilateral vestibular hypofunction
• Vestibular neuritis

Occupational therapy works on returning you to daily life through occupation. An occupation is anything that you do in your everyday life, such as getting dressed or preparing a meal. Our therapists work on the physical and cognitive skills to resume your life roles, which include self-care, productivity and leisure.

So you can return to everyday life, occupational therapists help with:

• Adaptive equipment use
• Low-vision accommodations
• Neuromuscular recovery
• Positioning
• Range of motion
• Sensation
• Splinting
• Strengthening
• Tone management
• Visual perceptual issues

Physical therapy focuses on training and movement to restore function and independence, including:

• Assistive device training
• Balance and neuromuscular re-education
• Functional mobility training
• Gait training
• Pain management
• Seating and positioning
• Strength and range of motion exercise
• Tone management

Speech-language pathologists (SLP) assess and treat conditions that affect swallowing, speech and communication. They can help you with:

• Alternative communication methods
• Clarity of speech
• Cognitive issues
• Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
• Swallowing assessment and intervention
• Understanding and using language skills

Our rehabilitation center also offers specialized programs in physical, occupational and speech therapy. These programs can offer unique therapeutic approaches, care for a specific type of injury or focus on a particular life skill. You are most likely to receive multiple specialized services either at the same time or as you continue to progress and improve.

Aquatic rehabilitation

Our aquatic therapy program offers physical therapy in warm water for patients with a wide range of conditions. Our therapist will perform a comprehensive evaluation and design a treatment plan depending on your needs. This includes individualized exercises and instruction in a pool program and a progression to land-based physical therapy.

If you have open wounds, continence concerns or fear of the water, you would not be appropriate for the aquatic program.

Therapeutic benefits of aquatic therapy include:

• Decreased muscle spasticity
• Improved body awareness, balance and trunk stability
• Improved patient morale and confidence
• Improved respiratory muscles
• Increased ease of joint movement
• Increased muscular strength and endurance in cases of excessive weakness
• Increased peripheral circulation
• Promotion of muscular relaxation
• Reduction of pain sensitivity

Brain injury rehabilitative care

We are also proud to be certified in brain and spinal cord injury by the State of Florida. Our center offers a comprehensive inpatient program for treating persons with brain injuries.

Our brain injury care includes:

• Individualized therapy sessions
• Adaptive aquatics
• Community skills outings
• Brain injury support group
• Community reorientation therapy
• Equipment recommendations
• Medical consultants
• Patient and family training and education
• Dressing and feeding program
• Outpatient driver evaluation program
• Home accessibility evaluation
• Vestibular rehabilitation
• Cognitive rehabilitation

Driving skills and assessments

Our driving program is designed to assess your potential to drive safely and competently following an injury, acute illness or progressive disease. The program also provides training in the use of adaptive devices as needed. We offer pre-driving and behind-the-wheel evaluations.

You might be a good candidate for referral if you have physical impairments such as muscle weakness or coordination, cognitive impairments, such as memory issues, or visual impairments, including double vision or poor depth perception.

A pre-driving evaluation includes:

• Cognitive and perceptual skills
• Driving history
• Functional mobility testing
• General history
• Medical history
• Reaction time testing
• Strength/dexterity assessment
• Visual screening

A behind-the-wheel evaluation includes:

• Assessing for adaptive equipment
• Controlling vehicle speed and placement
• Driver training in the use of adaptive devices
• Following directions
• Getting in and out of the vehicle
• Using judgment in traffic situation

Based on your behind-the-wheel evaluation, we may provide an adaptive device prescription, a consultation for local adaptive equipment providers and recommendations for services.

You must hold a valid license or temporary permit and be seizure-free for at least six months. A referral from a Florida licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician's assistant is required.

Osteoporosis care

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, which results in weak bones that are prone to fractures. Together with our women's care services teams, we offer a comprehensive program for the prevention and management of osteoporosis, including:

• Establishing a specific exercise program
• Implementing a walking program
• Improving balance
• Promoting good body alignment
• Teaching good body mechanics during activities of daily living
• Treating fractures

A referral from a Florida licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician's assistant is required for admission into the program.

Spinal cord injury rehabilitation

Spinal cord injuries can result from a variety of accidents, from falls to motor vehicle accidents. Spine rehabilitation requires multidisciplinary expertise — and that's exactly what you'll find at our hospital.

Our rehabilitation program and our orthopedics program come together to provide comprehensive inpatient care to help patients recover from spinal cord injuries. We aim to help you restore mobility and independence and return to your everyday activities.

Swallowing therapy

Swallowing issues impact many areas of your life, including damage to your digestive tract and nutrition. We provide an array of swallowing evaluations, including education on safe swallowing, oral motor examination and clinical dysphagia evaluation.

We also offer videofluoroscopic swallow (modified barium swallow) studies, which allow us to determine the appropriate diet and further treatment paths. An SLP and radiologist collaborate to use X-Ray video technology of your swallowing to identify specific impairments.

Our swallow therapy services include comprehensive treatment, such as:

• Identification of safest food and liquid consistencies
• Identification of safe swallowing protocol to reduce the risk of aspiration pneumonia
• Individualized swallowing exercise program
• Ongoing education and support for you and your family
• Neuromuscular electrical stimulation treatment (as needed)
• Stimulation treatment modality as appropriate

Vestibular rehabilitation

Dizziness is a leading reason why people 65 years of age and older seek medical attention. The vestibular rehabilitation program provides treatment for a variety of vestibular deficits and symptoms. Vestibular deficits can be extremely debilitating, producing symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, postural instability and gait disturbances. These symptoms can result in a sedentary lifestyle and physical deconditioning.

Geriatric patients develop dizziness for several reasons, including degeneration of the inner ear membrane, decreasing ability to adapt to old vestibular deficits, medication side effects and musculoskeletal changes. Fall prevention is an important component of this program. Fall prevention techniques may include:

• Creating or maintaining a well-lit and clutter-free environment
• Installing and using handrails for stairs and bathrooms
• Learning which medications or drug interactions are at risk for causing falls
• Maintaining flexibility and strength during the aging process
• Use of a fall alert system if you live alone
• Use of a night light or remote lamp switch for getting up in the dark

We aim to use evidence-based treatments for vestibular issues, including targeted exercises, such as Brandt-Daroff exercises, Eply maneuver and Semont maneuver, fall prevention and habituation training.

A referral from a Florida licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician's assistant is required.

Wheelchair seating clinic

We offer a wheelchair seating clinic open to anyone needing a wheelchair. Whether you want to upgrade your current wheelchair, have a recent diagnosis and need an equipment consultation or you have a progressive disability that warrants adaptive equipment, we can provide guidance and resources.

Our wheelchair clinic offers several unique advantages to our individuals, which include:

• Assessment by a physical therapist specializing in wheelchair seating and evaluation of your lifestyle requirements and functional abilities
• Equipment prescriptions and letters of medical necessity provided by the physical therapist to the referring physician
• Local vendors who attend and provide equipment and information on availability and cost of specific wheelchairs

You are responsible for choosing an assistive technology professional (ATP) vendor who will order the prescribed wheelchair. If you have no preferences, then an ATP vendor will be chosen on a rotational basis. When the wheelchair arrives, a free follow-up visit is encouraged to ensure proper fit and adjustment.

A referral from a Florida licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician's assistant is required.

While you are our patient, you will have a rehabilitation team assigned to you. The team will work with you and your family to help you make the most of your abilities. Based on your needs, your team may consist of the following professionals:

• Case managers
• Clinical rehab psychologists
• Occupational therapists
• Nurses with training and certification in rehabilitation nursing (CRRN)
• Patient care technicians
• Physiatrists
• Physical therapists
• Recreational therapists
• Registered dietitians
• Respiratory therapists
• Speech/language pathologists

At HCA Florida West Hospital Rehabilitation Center, our program is CARF International Accredited and CARF Brain Injury Specialty Accredited Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International (CARF International).