Rehab units (step-down)
At times, people need a bit more time to recover after they have had surgery or been unwell. They can be offered a stay in a rehab hospital or rehab unit, where physiotherapists (and other therapists) help them recover their mobility and function before they return home.
What are the step-down (rehab) units in Tayside?
- Arbroath Infirmary
- Bluebell Intermediary Care Unit (Dundee)
- Centre for Brain Injury Rehabilitation (Dundee)
- Crieff Community Hospital
- Blairgowrie Community Hospital
- Pitlochrie Community Hospital
- Royal Victoria Hospital (Dundee)
- Stracathro Hospital (by Brechin)
- Whitehills Health and Community Care Centre (Forfar)
What if I live elsewhere (for example in Fife)?
There are rehab (step-down) hospitals and units in other NHS Trust areas as well. Please check the website of your NHS Trust for further information.
Which rehab unit is right for me?
All the staff involved in your care - your doctor, nurse, physiotherapist and other therapists, possibly your social worker - will work with you to help answer this question.
What does physiotherapy in a rehab unit involve?
Your physiotherapist will first undertake a new assessment, to see how much things have changed since the initial assessment by the physiotherapist in the acute hospital. For example, the physiotherapist may check your muscle strength, your exercise tolerance or your balance.
Your physiotherapist will ask you about your goals for treatment and work with you to establish a treatment plan. The treatment plan may include strengthening exercises, balance exercises, stretches, transfer practice (for example, practising to stand up from a chair), mobility practice (walking) or stairs practice.
Your physiotherapist will ask you about your goals for treatment and work with you to establish a treatment plan. The treatment plan may include strengthening exercises, balance exercises, stretches, transfer practice (for example, practising to stand up from a chair), mobility practice (walking) or stairs practice.
What will happen after I leave the rehab unit?
- The physiotherapist in the rehab unit may prescribe an exercise programme for you to continue at home. Occasionally, your physiotherapist may refer you for follow-up physiotherapy by the community rehab team. This may be a home visit by a community physiotherapist or a referral to one of the physiotherapy-led exercise classes. Your physiotherapist will discuss the different options with you.
- If you are able to go home but need help with some of your daily activities, you may be entitled to temporary support from your local authority's Enablement (or Reablement) team. For example, if you are not able to get washed or dressed on your own, Enablement (or Reablement) support workers can help you for a few weeks, encouraging and supporting you from day one to do as much as possible yourself. The therapy staff in the rehab unit will be able to advise you about the support available locally and whether it would be appropriate for you.
- If you need any equipment on your return home (for example a raised toilet seat), the rehab unit can organise a home visit by a member of the occupational therapy team. The occupational therapist in the rehab unit will be able to advise you about the support available locally and whether it would be appropriate for you.
