Rehabilitation services

Our rehabilitation services help you return to health and independence as soon as possible after injury, illness or surgery.

Allied Health

Your rehabilitation is a partnership between you, your family and your health care team. Our Allied health care professionals will work with you to set goals for your recovery to help you return to health and independence as soon as possible after injury, illness or surgery. 

Allied health can help with:

• disease prevention and control
• helping you with nutritional health
• helping you with physical and mental rehabilitation to help you get back to the best health possible.

Our allied health professionals may include:

• physiotherapists
• occupational therapists
• social workers
• dietitians
• speech pathologists
• podiatrists
• music therapists
• other health professionals.

Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy involves exercising in a heated pool to help treat a condition and/or improve your recovery after injury, illness or surgery. Our hydrotherapy rehabilitation programs are overseen by experienced physiotherapists and may benefit you if:

• you find it difficult to exercise on land
• you are recovering from joint surgery
• you are recovering from injuries that involve the muscles and bones, known as musculoskeletal injuries
• you have a chronic condition that affects your nervous system
• you suffer from arthritis.

These benefits depend on your particular circumstances and require you to fully participate in necessary before and after care and management. You should consult a specialist in this area before deciding whether treatment is suitable for you.

Occupation Therapy

Occupational therapy teaches you different ways to go about your daily activities like showering, dressing and personal hygiene. There are many benefits of having occupational therapy as part of your rehabilitation plan. 

Your occupational therapist will:

• discuss your recovery goals and what you need to do to achieve these
• build your understanding of managing your own health and develop a plan on how you can do this, including looking at self-care activities that are part of day-to-day life, managing household tasks and returning to those activities that are meaningful to you.

The occupational therapist may help you consider different ways of doing everyday activities better suited to you during your recovery, including:

• working with you to promote good habits and new skills to make it easier for you to go about your daily activities
• working in partnership with your health care team to help you reach your recovery goals. You may receive a home visit from your occupational therapist.  

This allows them to carry out an assessment to make sure your home is safe for you.  They may make recommendations regarding environmental modifications and recommend equipment that enables you to be more independent.  

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists are a key member of your health care team and play an important role in helping you regain movement and function so you can better manage day-to-day activities.

We take a whole-of-person approach to your health care, which includes developing individual health care plans. This brings together a team of health professionals to help you recover and reach your goals.

Our physiotherapists consider your physical and emotional needs when planning your care and involve you in setting rehabilitation goals.

We provide ongoing education and support for your effective recovery.

Hydrotherapy may be offered to you as part of your rehabilitation care plan, to help you on your way to recovery. You may need medical approval from your doctor to access hydrotherapy services.

Your physiotherapist works with you to help you move more freely and reduce pain.

This may include:

• individual and group exercise and education programs
• joint and soft tissue manipulation and mobilisation
• helping you use any walking aids correctly, such as a walking stick, crutches or a wheelchair
• helping you use your muscles correctly to improve control
• hydrotherapy classes to ease any pressure on your joints and muscles. 

Speech pathology

Speech therapy helps to strengthen your voice and improve the way you communicate, and assists you if you are having trouble chewing or swallowing. 

Communication is a key part of our lives.  It helps us let people know how we are feeling, what we are thinking, and allows us to be independent in our daily lives.

If your ability to communicate has been impacted by illness or injury, speech therapy may help in your recovery. A speech pathologist can:

• work with you to exercise and strengthen your vocal cords, helping you to better form words and make louder sounds
• teach you different ways to make it easier for you to communicate with others and to better understand when they communicate with you, such as using gestures, writing, drawing or using electronic devices to assist you
• help you with any difficulties with swallowing when eating and drinking.