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Amputation Recovery

Personalized Rehab Programs

The goals of the amputation program are to assist the patient to achieve functional independence, to improve quality of life and to provide effective patient and family education. The Amputation Rehab Team develops individualized treatment plans aimed at assessing patient risk, promoting functional gains, and teaching the patient and family effective coping skills for life after discharge from rehab. This program has an educational component that provides the patient and family with the information they need during their rehab and when they return home. After a thorough assessment and consultation with the patient/family, the team establishes realistic goals for the patient to achieve.

The Amputee Program provides specialized evaluations and therapy for patients in the early postoperative period to assess in the need for balance, transfer training, and wound and skin care. Improving strength, endurance, and mobility are all a focus to assist the patient in reaching their goals.

Specialized Care

Additionally, the program offers specialized care in important focus areas including:

  • Adaptive techniques and utilization of assistive devices needed for completing activities of daily living.
  • Coping with limb loss
  • Techniques for desensitization of the residual limb
  • Managing phantom limb pain
  • Prevention of secondary complications associated with limb loss
  • Prosthetic (Artificial Limb) options, management, and proper fitting
  • Skin/Wound Care of the residual limb
  • Skin/Preventative care of the unaffected limb

The team provides the training necessary to achieve those skills while focusing on the medical, social, emotional, spiritual, and vocational needs of the patient and their family. As the patient achieves his/her goals, the team modifies the program to promote as much functional independence as able while ensuring the patient’s safety and wellbeing.

Rehabilitation counsellors assist patients and their family members/support system with learning techniques necessary for coping with limb loss. The program also incorporates peer visitors (individuals who have recently experienced limb loss) who will meet with patients to answer questions. The program also hosts monthly support meetings that are open to the community.

Technologies Involved

Therapies use the latest technology in rehabilitation to ensure the best results. A list of some of the technologies used in the amputation program follows:

  • Aretech ZeroG
  • LiteGait
  • VTree
  • Interactive Metronome

Learn more about our technology.

Our Rehabilitation Team

The Amputation Rehab Teams at Allied Services Scranton Rehab Hospital and Allied Services Wilkes-Barre Rehab Hospital have dedicated teams of experienced professionals. Each individual’s treatment team is made up of a physiatrist (a doctor who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation), a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, recreational therapist, respiratory therapist, a psychologist, rehabilitation nurses, a medical social worker, a dietitian, and rehab technologist, as required. They work together with the patient and their family to meet the unique physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs of the patient.

Patients receive at least three hours of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and/or Speech Therapy, five days per week. Prosthetic providers perform the construction and fitting of the prosthesis (artificial limb) and assist with the education regarding the use of a prosthetic device.

Plan of Care

Weekly team meetings are held to discuss each patient’s individualized plan of care and discharge plan. Patients and their families are encouraged to be active participants in the care and discharge planning process. The Medical Social Worker updates the patient and his/her caregiver to ensure full understanding of the current treatment plan and to address each patient’s concerns and challenges.

Upon discharge, patients continue with treatments designed to continue the transition toward an active, independent lifestyle. Allied Services remain lifetime resources for the patient and their family. The Rehab team also maintains communication with each patient’s physicians to ensure the complete coordination of care throughout the recovery process.

The Transition Home

During the Amputation Program, we train patients in the techniques they need to live independently at home and at work. Community integration skills are taught as part of therapy and activities are practiced during the rehabilitation process. Patients and their caregivers are provided with a self-care training program based upon principles of self-advocacy and self-direction. Patients are taught how to direct their care and what to do if emergencies arise.

When appropriate, the team may perform evaluations of the home, school or work site to identify barriers and make recommendations for accessibility. The family works closely with the occupational therapist to assess the home and make accessibility changes as recommended.

Discharge

All pertinent discharge information is forwarded to the patient’s primary care physician and therapists to facilitate a smooth and safe transition to the next care provider. After discharge, patients receive surveys and follow-up phone calls to assess their satisfaction with their service, assess their functional status, and determine if there are any on-going needs.

At Allied Services Rehab and Heinz Rehab, rehabilitation does not end when a patient is discharged. In addition to inpatient rehabilitation, we offer a wide range of post-acute care services to meet the needs of the patients.

Admissions & Referrals

Patients are admitted to the amputation rehabilitation program at Allied Services rehab when they are medically stable and determined appropriate for a rehabilitation program. Referrals may be made by a private physician, general hospital, family member, or those who have been injured themselves.

For specific questions on how to obtain a referral, please call 570-826-3900 (Wilkes-Barre) or 570-348-1360 (Scranton). Contact us to learn more or start your referral process today.

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