Levindale Brain Injury Rehabilitation Services

Speech and Language Therapy

Levindale’s speech language pathologists promote increased independence and quality of life. They conduct evaluations and provide treatment geared toward helping patients in various areas that impact daily tasks, including:

• Comprehension
• Articulation/pronunciation
• Thought organization
• Memory
• Attention
• Orientation
• Swallowing

Our speech language pathologists work with the interdisciplinary team to diagnose and treat various disorders that affect daily cognitive-communication and swallowing skills. They carry a number of specialty certifications, including those from the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists (ACBIS) and VitalStim, and Lee Silverman Voice Therapy (LSVT) Loud certification.

We also provide specialty services for objective assessments of swallowing, including:

• Modified barium swallow studies: Available to inpatients and outpatients, this assessment allows for the observation of swallowing in real time via X-ray video. Patients are given multiple items of differing consistencies and textures containing barium, which allows the food/drink to be visible via X-ray. The test is relatively quick and non-invasive and allows a speech language pathologist to observe specifics of swallowing function that otherwise cannot be assessed at bedside.
• Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES): This assessment is typically done at the inpatient’s bedside. A fiberoptic scope which is passed through the patient’s nasal cavity and into the upper pharynx [throat] is used to view the structures involved with swallowing. During the test, the patient is given a number of items to eat and drink, and the speech language pathologist is able to observe and evaluate the swallowing function.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy at Levindale focuses on the evaluation and rehabilitation of physical, sensory, cognitive and perceptual skills that affect the ability to perform activities of daily living, such as:

• Dressing
• Grooming
• Bathing
• Toileting
• Self-feeding
• Money management
• Meal preparation
• Medication management

Patients are taught community living skills such as those related to public transportation. Our occupational therapists assess the patient’s need for adaptive equipment (i.e. a tub chair, raised toilet seat, reacher, or sock aide) as necessary.

Physical Therapy

Levindale’s physical therapy services are geared towards helping patients regain independent mobility. Our physical therapists evaluate:

• Balance
• Endurance
• The ability to walk and negotiate stairs
• The need for assistive devices such as walkers or canes
• The need for any lower extremity bracing

Therapeutic activities include basic exercises (including mat exercises) and advanced exercises (including those that can be done outdoors or in crowded situations). Levindale’s fully equipped gym can help patients maximize their strength, endurance, balance and overall mobility.

Therapeutic Recreation

Our therapeutic recreation program offers comprehensive treatment services to patients in the acute rehabilitation, comprehensive medical rehabilitation, subacute, long-term care and behavioral health units. These services are generated by physician orders.

Therapy is provided individually and in group settings, with community reintegration being a priority. Together, patients and therapists develop goals for community therapy sessions to be completed towards the end of the patient’s stay.

Our nationally certified therapeutic recreation specialists lead programs and activities designed to meet the physical, cultural, social, cognitive, emotional and creative needs of long-term care residents and hospital patients. Therapists use social events, community outings and educational classes to achieve these goals and to enable individuals to establish healthy leisure lifestyles.

• Music therapists use music to focus on the physical, psychological and social needs of patients, including those with disabilities. Music can reduce anxiety, spark memories of happy times and stimulate the senses with rhythm and melodies.
• Art therapists use art to enhance the lives of the elderly, giving them a chance to express themselves creatively in an emotional environment.
• Horticulture therapy helps residents, including those with physical and mental challenges, relax while working with plants and flowers.

Wound Care

Levindale’s physical therapists are certified experts in providing comprehensive wound care both in an inpatient and outpatient setting. Our team works closely with physicians both within and outside of the LifeBridge Health system. Our services include:

• Negative pressure wound therapy
• Conservative sharp debridement
• MIST therapy (low-frequency ultrasound)
• Electrical stimulation

We commonly treat patients with:

• Pressure ulcers
• Diabetic ulcers
• Vascular ulcers
• Surgical incisions
• Wound dehiscence
• Skin grafts
• Postsurgical wounds