Stroke & Neurological Rehabilitation

• Medically stable with no significant fluctuations in medical status within 72 hours
• Motivated to participate in rehab, has active rehab goals
• Able to participate in 3 sessions of active rehab therapy 5 to 7 days a week
• Able to sit unsupported for a minimum of 30 minutes
• Patient's cognitive abilities and state of mental health support participation in active rehab
• AlphaFIM score is greater than 55
• Completed or scheduled necessary diagnostic work-up

Special needs accommodated include the following:

• Intermittent oxygen therapy/home oxygen
• Tracheotomy (must by corked)
• Intermittent tube feeds (PEG tube only)

To help ensure accurate assessment, please provide the following information about the patient, prior to, or upon admission:

Patient Profile

• Allergies
• Anti-coagulation profile (recent blood work; Coumadin/Fragmin doses: up to 4 days)
• Diet information with orders including formula, rate, # hours of feed, water flushes
• Medication Administration Record (MAR)
• Prescribed Activity levels for upper and/or lower (weight bearing; restrictions), (order to be signed by physician)
• Special needs (egs. infusion therapy, oxygen, Ostomy)
• Wound management orders
• Follow up specialist appointments

Work-Up

• Behavioral assessment/management (if applicable)
• Consult reports
• Discharge summary
• ECG/Echocardiogram (if applicable)
• Infection control screen results (MRSA, VRE, and others)
• Lab results (most recent copy)
• Names and contact information for all physicians, surgeons specialists
• Other tests results (including video fluoroscopy)
• Physician acute care admission report
• Surgical procedures and dates of surgery
• X-ray, CT/MRI (if applicable)
• Social Work summary

1. For seamless continuum of care, please ensure patients have had the following arranged before, or upon transfer:
   • Clinical follow-up appointments
   • Diagnostic (acute) appointments
   • Transportation for off-site tests/treatments

2. St. John’s Rehab is a rehabilitation facility and does not have the following services:
   • emergency services
   • mechanical ventilation, total parenteral nutrition, and nasogastric feeding
   • dialysis service
   • isolation or secured units

Download our Outpatient Referral Form on our referral information page.

Please include all relevant medical/therapy reports with your application

• Has active rehab goals and is able to participate and tolerate increasing amount of rehab therapy.
• Has adequate cognitive communication abilities for rehab.
• Has a reliable means of transportation.

St. John's Rehab at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is dedicated to specialized rehabilitation. Our stroke and neurological rehabilitation program is for patients who are recovering from strokes, Multiple Sclerosis and other neuro-degenerative diseases, recent neurosurgery and neuro-oncology.

• Program partners include the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Community Care Access Centre, Acquired Brain Injury Network, Alzheimer Association, The Aphasia Institute, Guillain-Barré Society, Multiple Sclerosis Society, Ontario March of Dimes and Stroke Recovery Association.
• Our multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation professionals develops realistic goals and timelines with each patient and keeps in close contact with the patient and his or her family. This helps achieve maximum recovery, independence and quality of life.
• The individually customized program consists of assessment, treatment and support focused on the whole person - body, mind and spirit. Patients receive customized rehabilitation programs that address their individual health, social and emotional issues.
• Our program is Aphasia-friendly.
• We offer comprehensive education and support programs to help patients manage speech and cognitive impairments, maintain promote optimal health and wellness, and decrease risk of further stroke or brain injury.
• Once discharged, patients can benefit from a seamless continuum of care by being referred to our outpatient rehabilitation program.
• Our highly skilled and committed multidisciplinary rehab team includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses, speech-language pathologists, pharmacists, physicians, dietitians, social workers, psychologists and spiritual care.
• As a teaching hospital for the University of Toronto, we excel in teaching and researching rehabilitation care. We have established a Neuroscience Alliance with the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care to advance research and ensure patients get the best neurological care when and where they need it.