Northern Light Rehabilitation has been an integral part of the hospital’s inpatient and outpatient services since Northern Light Mayo Hospital opened in 1978. This busy department performs more than 12,000 occupational, physical, and speech therapy procedures annually.
Our skilled therapists provide services in a variety of settings including outpatient, acute, and swing bed rehabilitation.
- Wound care
- Vestibular dysfunction
- Hand dysfunction
- Prosthetic training
- Activities of daily living such as self-care, home management, work, and leisure.
- Cognitive and functional performance rehabilitation
- Incontinence management
- Energy conservation
- LSVT BIG & LOUD, for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease and other neurological conditions
- Concussion assessment and rehabilitation
- Pain management
- Generalized conditioning
- Neurological conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury
- Orthopedic conditions such as fractures, tendon repairs, tendonitis, and arthritis
- Rehabilitation following orthopedic surgeries
- Functional mobility and balance training
- Safety assessments including fall prevention and recovery training
- Assistive device training
- Kinesiotaping
- Fine motor and gross motor dysfunction.
- Evaluation of speech and language ability for children
- Evaluation of speech and language ability for adults
- Treatment of speech and/or language disability for children with delayed communication skills
- Treatment of adults who have experienced a change in their ability to communicate
- Treatment of adults with voice disorders or changes in the quality of their voice
- Evaluation of swallowing ability for adults and completion of modified barium swallow studies to assess the function and safety of their swallow
- Treatment of adults with disordered swallows
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy (OT) is centered around helping individuals with physical, cognitive, or sensory difficulties. Our Occupational Therapy team offers a variety of skill and services which includes the development of customized assessments and treatment to address physical, cognitive, and psychosocial limitations with focus on improving patient’s independence with daily activities and meaningful occupations. Occupational therapists work with the patient and caregiver to help regain or develop the skills necessary for the highest level of function and independence. By helping patients achieve their goals, our therapists work to enhance the quality of life, self- esteem, and overall well-being.
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy (PT) evaluates the patient and develops a long-term plan to help decrease pain, improve function, and prevent further decline and deconditioning. Our Physical Therapy team provides support to individuals with a wide range of deficits and work to educate patients on how to prevent or manage their condition to achieve maximal long-term health benefits. Physical therapists are competent in addressing mobility limitations by providing education and training on proper use of assistive devices such as walkers, crutches, and canes. Having certified wound care specialists among our team, the therapists collaborate well with other health care providers to meet the wound care needs of this rural community. Our Physical Therapists are also competent in treating a wide range of conditions with advanced training in concussions and vestibular rehabilitation.
Speech Therapy
Speech Language Pathologists (SLP) evaluate and treat individuals who have experienced a change in their ability to communicate due to a stroke, traumatic brain injury and other neurologic diseases. We also work with children who are not developing effective communication skills such as making clear sounds in their speech, those who have difficulty understanding the language they hear, and/or in producing language to express themselves effectively.
Speech Language Pathologists also work with individuals who have swallowing problems. SLPs evaluate the safety of their swallow ability by observation and through completion of swallow studies with radiology. Then create an individual treatment plan which may include; making alterations in food textures, teaching swallow strategies, and developing swallow exercise programs to improve the function and safety of their swallow.