New Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit Will Help Many Regain Independence

Some patients leaving the hospital after a serious injury or illness require intensive therapy to regain their independence and return home safely. Until recently, many of these patients were transferred to other facilities. But now, Hartford Hospital has a new on-site option available: a 26-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit located right on campus.

The unit’s state-of-the-art gym and apartment will help patients simulate everyday activities in a realistic way — with the goals of building strength, endurance, balance, coordination and mobility. Because of the unit’s location, patients also have access to an entire team of medical experts should the need arise, as well as ancillary inpatient and outpatient services.

Most importantly, the unit delivers highly specialized rehab care proven to get patients home faster and healthier. During their rehab, patients practice skills like grooming, bathing, dressing, feeding and other activities using new techniques and assistive devices. In the event patients have language or communication deficits, these needs are addressed as well.

Patients in an inpatient rehabilitation unit usually transition to the next level of care faster than when they go to a skilled nursing facility. Readmission rates are also lower, and the nurse-to-patient ratio is smaller for more personalized care.