Working together to advance your recovery
It takes a dedicated team of rehabilitation specialists, support staff and administrative personnel at Kessler Institute to ensure quality care and individual progress.
Depending on your diagnosis and rehabilitation needs and goals, your team may include:
- Physiatrists who are physicians board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, will direct your overall medical care. A neurologist, internist, urologist or other medical specialist may also be involved in your treatment as needed.
- Rehabilitation nurses who are on duty 24 hours a day to assist you with medications, self-care, and help reinforce techniques learned in therapy sessions. Specially trained rehabilitation assistants will also contribute to your care and comfort.
- Physical therapists will help optimize your muscle control, balance, flexibility and movement, and build strength and endurance.
- Occupational therapists will help you regain the skills and strategies needed to perform daily activities, such as dressing, grooming, eating and more. They will also assess the need for assistive equipment and help resolve any visual or cognitive issues you may have.
- Speech-language pathologists will work with you to improve language, cognition and communication skills, as well as swallowing deficits.
- Respiratory therapists will help you with breathing issues, particularly among those individuals who are ventilator dependent.
- Recreation therapists will help you to relearn or teach adaptive skills that will enable you to pursue a wide range of leisure activities, such as arts and crafts, gardening and sports.
- Psychologists and neuropsychologists offer individual, group and family counseling to help you understand and cope with the many changes you will experience both during rehabilitation and after discharge.
- Case managers will coordinate your discharge, helping to plan for the appropriate destination, continued medical and rehabilitation services and equipment, as well as sharing any community and other resources that may be available to you.
- Pharmacists will work closely with you, your physician, nurses and therapists to ensure that your medication needs are met.
- Dietitians will provide a nutritional plan designed to help regain your strength. This may include the need for any supplements or texture modifications as well as vegetarian, kosher or other special dietary needs.
- In addition, other clinical, administrative and support staff may be consulted as warranted. Please note, that Kessler Institute is a teaching hospital and medical residents and fellows, as well as therapy and nursing students, may be involved in your care and treatment under the supervision of our clinical staff.
Meet our leaders
Kessler physicians and senior leadership work closely with our more than 2000 clinical, administrative and support staff to create an exceptional rehabilitation environment for our patients and their families.
INSIGHT: In the words of our founder
Dr. Henry H. Kessler, M.D. (1896-1978)
"… an institution, whether large or small, is built not merely of brick and mortar. Its strength lies in its people — qualified, dedicated people with vision and imagination, as well as understanding and compassion."
Ask us
If you have any questions, we are here to help