Bridgeway of Bensenville: Reaching Goals, Touching Lives

What is rehabilitation? And why would you need it?

These are questions we intend to answer during National Rehabilitation Week. The National Rehabilitation Awareness Foundation (NRAF) raises a week of awareness every September. The goal is to educate people about the benefits and impact of rehab, and how it helps people overcome obstacles and live their best life.

What is rehabilitation?

Rehab is the specific therapies that go into restoring someone to health or normal life after an injury or illness. At Bridgeway of Bensenville, we use physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy to help our participants regain maximum function.

We customize each patient’s rehab plan to their specific injury, current condition, and medical history. To read more about our rehab program, check out this article: What to Know About Short-Term Rehab.

When would I need physical therapy?

Physical therapy is a branch of rehabilitative therapy that deals with examination and treatment of musculoskeletal problems that interfere with your ability to function.

After an illness or injury, your body will be very weak, with limited mobility. Physical therapy can help you regain your movement and strength after a hip fracture, stroke, surgery, or serious injury.

When would I need occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy focuses on achieving or relearning specific goals. After a disabling illness injury, you may need to relearn basics like eating with cutlery, grooming, or other daily activities. Occupational therapy’s goal is to help you relearn these activities, and improve your fine and gross motor skills.

When would I need speech therapy?

Speech therapy deals with defects and disorders in communication. Many times after a prolonged illness in which a tracheotomy was used, patients lose the ability to talk. Strokes can also cause speech loss that can be fully or partially regained with therapy. In any case where speech difficulty, confusion, and diminished communication is a problem, speech therapy can help.

How can I maximize my time at rehab?

At Bridgeway of Bensenville, we use a combination of all three forms of therapy, as needed. This will help you achieve your rehab goals as soon as possible. Your rehab team will be in constant contact with each other, coordinating your care and maximizing each treatment’s effect.

But the most important component of a good rehab regimen is you. In order to get the most out of your therapies, you need to participate fully. While it can sometimes be painful and very difficult, stick with the exercises as much as possible. Follow all your therapists’ instructions and engage fully with your recovery.

Research shows that those patients who fully invest in their rehabilitation are the ones who consistently achieve their goals!