Patients seek rehabilitative care for a number of reasons. For some, rehabilitation is a continuation of their health care plan. For others, highly specialized rehabilitative services address specific deficits that affect their daily lives.

Regardless of the motive, all rehabilitation patients at Banner Health receive complete assessments to identify individual deficits, define a therapy prognosis and establish functional and reasonable goals.

The individual facilities and associated rehabilitation centers and programs each offer slightly different and specialized services ranging from aquatic rehabilitation and therapy programs to in-depth sports assessments and training.

Some of the more common treatment options across Banner Health include:

• Cardiac Rehab helps patients who have suffered a heart attack or heart surgery return to a productive, active and satisfying lifestyle through education, exercise and conditioning. The cardiac rehabilitation team consists of the patient’s physician, rehabilitation nurses, exercise specialists, dietitians and other health care professionals. Monitored exercise sessions, group education classes and outpatient maintenance programs are key elements of cardiac rehabilitation.
• Orthopedic & Sports Rehab relies on a team of physical therapists, occupational therapists and certified athletic trainers who specialize in orthopedic and sports injuries. Treatments may include therapeutic exercise programs to improve strength, flexibility, balance and coordination, mobility and gait training, and modalities for pain reduction and improved function. Orthopedic and sports rehab works to restore patients to their highest quality of life as quickly and safely as possible.
• Physical Therapy helps patients improve strength, flexibility and functional movement such as bed mobility, walking and balance. Physical therapists provide mobility evaluation and training, and also can instruct patients on the use of assistive devices, prosthetics and wheelchairs.
• Occupational Therapy works to improve a patient’s functional daily living skills including dressing, grooming and eating, as well as to improve motor, cognitive and social skills. Occupational therapists also specialize in increasing strength and movement of the hands and upper extremities. They help patients relearn functional tasks in different ways and instruct them in the use of adaptive equipment that may make daily tasks easier.
• Speech Therapy, also referred to as speech pathology, uses special techniques to help patients improve their verbal and non-verbal communication skills, problem-solving abilities, concentration, memory and voice quality. Certified speech therapists/pathologists also can help patients improve their ability to safely eat and drink.