Baylor's Colorful Rehab Lineup

From a web page for Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation:

Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation (BIR) has been named seven times in U.S. News and World Report as one of the top rehabilitation hospitals in the U.S. BIR's Traumatic Brain Injury program has earned the rare distinction of being one of 16 federally designated "model systems" of care, in the country, for the treatment of persons with brain injuries.

From a Web Page for the Traumatic Brain Injury Program Treatment:

Brain injuries and the disabilities they cause are extremely complex. Often, patients with seemingly similar injuries do not have the same level of disability. Therefore, each patient is provided with an individualized treatment plan, based on an evaluation performed by members of the interdisciplinary treatment team and the goals of the patient and family.
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A variety of specialists comprise the treatment team. Each specialist brings to the team an expertise in a specific area of neurological rehabilitation, and the team is assembled based on each patient's individual needs and may consist of all or some of the following:

(From the same web page) Mom meets with all of the following types of rehab professionals:

Physiatrist
The physiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation. The physiatrist manages the patient's medical needs, calling in appropriate physician specialists when necessary and leads the team in treatment planning to accomplish unified goals.

Neuropsychologist/Neuropsychology Therapist
The neuropsychologist is a PhD. level psychologist while the neuropsychology therapist is a Master's degree level psychologist with expertise in the area of brain/behavior relationships. Specialized testing is used to determine cognitive, intellectual and behavioral changes that may have resulted from the brain injury. The neuropsychologist/ neuropsychology therapist plays a critical role in planning cognitive rehabilitation activities with the treatment team members. They conduct preliminary testing for possible return to work or school and provide counseling and support for patients and family members.

Speech-Language Pathologist
These clinicians evaluate and treat difficulties in the areas of speech, language, thinking and swallowing. They coordinate each patient's treatment program to help ensure that cognitive and communication deficits are identified for maximizing participation in the program, so that patients have the opportunity for achieving outcome goals.

Occupational Therapist
This therapist's role is to assist in promoting independence and safety with activities of daily living through self-care skills and management of home activities. They evaluate the motor, sensory, visual, perceptual and cognitive deficits which may interfere with independent living skills. They assess and work to improve upper extremity (arm) weakness and spasticity, and evaluate the use of casting and splinting. The occupational therapist implements a treatment plan to teach self-care and activities of daily living. Adaptive devices may be recommended for the patient to achieve a greater level of independence in the home and community.

Physical Therapist
Physical therapy focuses on improving motor function, minimizing physical disabilities, and restoring normal movement patterns. The physical therapist assesses and treats the areas of strength, joint range of motion, balance, endurance, motor planning, gait, transfers and mobility. They will work to help the patient improve lower extremity (leg) weakness, muscle tone and spasticity.

Therapeutic Recreation Specialist
These clinicians evaluate past leisure pursuits and help develop skills necessary for successful return to an active and healthy lifestyle. They act as a resource to the patient and family in identifying activities within the community that the whole family can continue to participate in after discharge.

Clinical Nurse Coordinator
The clinical nurse coordinator coordinates with all the people involved in planning and implementing the patient's treatment program. The coordinator will help with issues related to financial resources and be the primary contact and source of information about the patient's progress achieved in the treatment program.

Social Worker
The social worker works with the family to address issues related to discharge planning. She provides the family with information on follow-up therapy providers and community resources and makes referrals for continued services upon discharge from the hospital.

Rehabilitation Nurse
The responsibilities and involvement of the rehabilitation nurse vary, depending on the stage of recovery and level of care required by the patient. The nurse will monitor the patient's medical condition, level of alertness, nutrition, bowel and bladder function, response to medications and vital signs. The nurse also provides patient/family education.

Rehabilitation Assistant (RA)
Like the nurse, the rehab assistant provides varying degrees of support based on the patient's level of independence. The RA's primary role is to assist the patient with self-care activities in the patient's room. As the patient progresses in the treatment program and becomes capable of performing these activities more independently, the rehab assistant provides less hands-on care.