How quickly will I be evaluated after I arrive at Oak Brook Care?

You will usually meet your therapist on your day of arrival, and depending on how you are feeling, you may be evaluated at that time. If you arrive late in the day or early evening, you will be greeted by someone from the therapy team, but your evaluation will probably happen the next morning.

How does your team determine what kind of therapy I need?

We work right along with your physician to choose the best course of therapy for your needs. We also have a physiatrist (a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation) on staff who will meet with you each week. Dr. Papa is a beloved member of our team, and he will help ensure you are meeting your goals and getting the best possible results from therapy.

How much therapy will I receive each day?

You will receive as much therapy as you are able to tolerate to help you recover faster. Your level of pain will help the therapists determine the best options, and so we encourage our patients to be truthful about how they feel. We can address pain with medications and other therapies but only if you tell us.

What happens if therapy is too painful for me?

No activity should cause intense pain. If therapy becomes too painful, we stop until we have provided you with the medication and other therapies needed to make it manageable. Therapy is key to making a full recovery and we believe in making it easy and tolerable.

What if I’m too fatigued or achy to participate in my PT session?

If you are too tired to continue, we want you to rest because rest is an important component of recovery. Perhaps you would prefer to try again later in the day after a nap. That’s fine with us; you tell us what you want. We will work with you to control pain, aches and stiffness. Sometimes, even if you feel fatigued, exercise is the best medicine for tightness or for working through a joint replacement.

You also may choose a day of rest and then we can pick up another day further on in your recovery to make up the therapy day lost.

Will I work with a consistent team of therapists?

Yes, you will work with the same few therapists every day, and our physiatrist, Dr. Papa, will see you on a weekly basis. On days he is not here, his nurse practitioner will communicate your progress to him.

How can I continue therapy after I leave Oak Brook Care?

If you still need therapy after you go home, we can help arrange for a home health therapist to visit you or you can continue with an outpatient therapy service. Our discharge social worker will support you in making the best choices for your lifestyle.