Brain Injury Programs for Rehabilitation and Treatment

Pate Rehabilitation provides the same specialized care and support in Spanish as we do in English. Spanish-speaking therapists and caregivers work with each patient and family to develop personalized brain injury programs and tailored plans for better results. This includes therapies conducted in Spanish-speaking environments, enabling patients to practice these skills in their own cultural communities. Our research includes ongoing clinical studies that focus on improving rehabilitation results specifically for diverse groups including Spanish speakers. Read More

Physical therapy helps patients improve mobility, reduce pain, and restore function through therapeutic exercise and functional training, and the use of assistive and adaptive devices and equipment.

Physical therapy covers many skills and includes:

Our occupational therapists (OTs) help patients regain everyday skills, including:

From hand dexterity to fine motor skills, OTs work to re-integrate patients into their home, work and school environments. They also focus on evaluating these environments and then recommending adaptations to the environment to fit the persons lifestyle, whether its assistive technologies or task changes. They provide guidance and education for family members, employers and caregivers to assist in the healing process.

Our speech/language pathologists help patients regain the ability to:

Therapeutic exercises target speech muscle strengthening, language-focused training and strategy development, and social conversation training. For those patients who have swallowing and eating difficulties, speech/language pathologists target muscle stimulation, strengthening, and coordination to regain the ability to swallow safely.

Our treatment teams provide cognitive rehabilitation that is evidence-based, meaning our approaches are backed by years of scientific studies and research.

When our treatments are combined with functional, individualized therapy activities, it enhances each patients best potential to recover their most important brain skills and abilities, such as memory, attention, and problem solving just to name a few.

Our psychologists and behavioral analysts assist patients struggling with depression and frustration, and help them replace maladaptive and sometimes self-destructive behaviors with new, more appropriate actions that make it easier to create an environment of success for themselves. Instead of punishment, Pates approach is rewards-based and encouraging, helping to modify and reinforce behaviors positively.

Many of our patients want to return to work. Our vocational rehabilitation staff members, led by a PhD-level vocational specialist, evaluate and assess each patient to successfully re-enter the working world. By conducting in-depth professional evaluations to determine the persons abilities and interests, our specialists help patients not only learn and practice everything from workplace behaviors to interview skills, but also help them understand their own unique abilities and challenges to return to their previous job or identify new career, volunteer or educational options.

With biofeedback, patients make the mind-body connection. Our therapists teachpatients to help themselves with techniques for handling the general stress, pain management and sleep disturbances often experienced after a brain injury. Therapists use specialized equipment that measures physiological activity and teach patients how to recognize these signs of stress in their bodies. Once they internalize this new awareness, patients are trained intechniques like breathing, meditation and mindfulness to calm the body, reduce stress and sleep better. These are life-long skills that endure long beyond rehabilitation.

The deep connection between horses and people has existed for thousands of years. Equine therapies at Pate use the sensitivity of horses to human emotions to help patients recognize their inner state. This therapy gently guides patients to physical, emotional and psychological recovery.

We offer Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) as well as Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) as part of our brain injury programs. Available on a seasonal basis at our Brinlee Creek Ranch for appropriate patients who will benefit. Pate is the only brain injury rehabilitation center to offer these therapies in North Texas.

Many patients find the therapy pool to be the first place they can move without pain. The pool is equipped with many aquatic therapy features to aid recovery:

Adjustable depth to increase or decrease weight bearing and increase stability Strategically placed jets to create resistance andwork on patient stability and range of limb motion Treadmill at the bottom of the pool, including a camera and monitor, for instant feedback relating to gait and balance Water temperature between 88-90 degrees to promote joint flexibility and mobility, relieve pain, decrease muscle spasms and increase muscle relaxation

Counseling is offered to individuals, families and caregivers. The counselor provides support and guidance to allow the individual to increase their awareness and acceptance of thoughts and feelings. Many people experience depression, anxiety, and other common emotional reactions in response to a traumatic event. Counseling offers a safe and supportive environment that allows for emotional processing, coping and adjustment. For families, counseling can help process emotions, create healthy coping strategies, encourage understanding and strengthen bonds. Pate offers:

Pates emphasis on neuropsychology in brain injury programs and rehabilitation is unique. Neuropsychology focuses on how the brain influences thinking. The first step we offer our patients is a comprehensive evaluation to assess overall brain function:

Intellectual functioning Attention and concentration Speech and language Verbal and visual memory Problem solving and judgement Emotional functioning and personality assessment

The results of this advanced testing give our therapists deeper insight into the individuals brain function and provide a foundation for our therapy plans. Our psychologists and neuropsychologists oversee these plans on an ongoing basis to evaluate progress and make adjustments when needed.

Pate Rehabilitation is among a small number of organizations who employ Driver Rehabilitation Specialists certified by the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED).

Driver training and evaluation is included in the rehabilitation program for individuals who meet certain criteria. The program does not utilize a simulator. On-the-road training helps participants regain their independence.

Animals have a special way of connecting to people with brain injuries. They offer comfort, cuddling and can motivate patients to become more physically active. Grooming a dog or playing fetch helps patients improve their motor skills. Its also more fun to take a walk with a pet when encouraging people to begin moving. Pates pet therapy brightens everyones day (including our therapists). The pet program is an activity that is provided by volunteer pet therapy organizations and they rotate periodically through our locations.

Pate partners with Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physicians associated with UT Southwestern Medical Center. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physicians from UTSW visit Pate weekly to meet the rehabilitation medical needs of patients.

Patients admit to Pate brain injury programs at various levels. Using our own unique systematic assessment program called Pate Environmentally Relevant Program Outcome System, or PERPOS, patientsreceive a score that will indicate the best fit toone of our three teams so treatment is tailored to their current skills and provides peer support.

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Brain Injury Programs for Rehabilitation and Treatment