Rehabilitation

Following immediate, acute care patients often need rehabilitation (or sub acute care) to recover more fully. We provide rehabilitation services in a number of specialty areas for patients around the state.

Support worker with client in swimming pool.

We care for patients after a range of conditions or injuries – including those affected by stroke, burns, acquired brain injury and non-traumatic spinal injury.

Our experts will help patients to become independent again, which sometimes requires help walking, talking or showering. Rehabilitation care is provided by a team of experts, including speech therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and hydrotherapy, along with a medical and nursing team. Care is tailored to individual needs and goals.

Our services

We provide a range of rehabilitation services across our hospitals and community locations.

Research

Our intention is to contribute significantly to the implementation of effective translational research and interdisciplinary, person-centred models of care, with links to defined clinical outcomes in areas of greatest need. Many of our services are involved in research, including:

  • The Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Unit is involved in a program of research, funded by the Transport Accident Commission through the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research. The program involves a multidisciplinary research group across Caulfield and Alfred Health collaborating together to improve the outcomes of rehabilitation patients with an ABI.
  • The Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit is involved in various research projects including studying the outcomes following cardiac rehabilitation in regards to return to work, eating behaviours, fat loss and changes in muscle mass. Another project is evaluating cognitive change following cardiac rehabilitation.
  • The Spinal Rehabilitation Unit’s international activities include involvement in a World Health Organisation publication on Spinal Cord Injury; lead investigator in a multicentre rehabilitation outcomes collaboration; and participation in a working party with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke on spinal cord injury common data elements.