Life Rehabilitation
About Life Rehabilitation
What is rehabilitation? Rehabilitation is a critical part of the stroke-recovery process – without it, patients may struggle to regain the skills that allow them to be independent and confident. The rehabilitation journey is often challenging and exhausting, but with our support, we know that together we can achieve many recovery goals and help you start a new chapter in your healing.
Our facilities are designed to make you feel comfortable, and are conducive to achieving a high rate of recovery. Our interdisciplinary teams understand the difficulty you may be facing and work tirelessly to help you mentally and physically.
You can access our facilities across South Africa, including all major cities. We’re here to offer care and set a comprehensive recovery plan for patients recovering from major injury and/or recovering from surgery. If you or a family member are recovering from a serious illness or injury and require acute physical rehabilitation, download more information below for guidance:
- You or a loved one have suffered a spinal cord injury? What now?
- You or a loved one requires rehabilitation? What now?
- You or a loved one have suffered a traumatic brain injury? What now?
How do we set recovery goals?
We know that every patient and their circumstances are unique, so we establish specific goals to maximise your potential for independence and quality of life. Your rehabilitation team, along with you and your family’s input, will set these goals.
All activities undertaken at the unit are fundamentally aimed at the rehabilitation of our patients, no matter how mundane they may seem. Added to this, we like to have some fun!
Who is in the rehabilitation team?
We employ an interdisciplinary-team approach to your recovery. This ensures that you receive comprehensive, goal-directed care, with daily visits from the resident rehabilitation doctor, and all the therapy you may need. Our interdisciplinary teams include:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational therapists
- Psychologists (who may perform neuro-cognitive assessments)
- Speech and language therapists
- Social workers
- Dietitians
What rehabilitation support do we offer?
We provide care to patients recovering from:
- Head injury
Any trauma to the skull, brain or scalp, ranging from minor bumps to serious injury. - Traumatic brain injury
Sudden damage to the brain caused by a blow to the head. Common causes of brain injuries include road-traffic accidents, near-drowning incidents, violence and trauma at birth. - Spinal cord injury
Damage to any part of the spinal cord due to a blow or tear to the spine. We also offer a specialised spinal cord injuries review programme. - Severe orthopaedic injury
A serious injury of the skeletal or muscular system. Common injuries include spinal injuries, bone fractures and dislocations or complicated recovery from major joint replacements. - Stroke and nerve-related injury that has resulted in weakness or paralysis
- Traumatic injury, amputation and/or joint replacement.
We also offer support for:
Unsteadiness and weakness
Usually provided to patients following a severe medical illness.
- Patients in cancer recovery
May include strengthening exercises, adjustments to your diet and other lifestyle changes to help you recover. - Post-surgery rehabilitation
Treatment and recovery to aid you in strengthening and stabilising your body after having undergone surgery. - Chronic pain
Treatment for ongoing pain that usually lasts for more than six months. - Major bone- or joint-surgery recovery
For fractures, trauma or limb amputation. - Severe rheumatoid arthritis
An autoimmune disease where there is pain and joint damage throughout the body. With severe rheumatoid arthritis, the symptoms worsen. - Difficulty in breathing, eating, swallowing, bowel or bladder control
Due to a non-progressive neurological (including spinal) condition or injury.
What specialised services do we offer?
Spinal cord injuries review programme
Since January 2006, we have successfully treated and rehabilitated more than 2,000 people with spinal cord injuries (SCI). Spinal cord and related injuries account for almost 20% of our admissions, giving us substantial experience in the field.
We’re well equipped to offer:
- Holistic assessments and reviews of all body systems and functions
- Interdisciplinary and ongoing management and care of people living with SCI
Download the Spinal Cord Injuries Review Programme brochure to learn more
Orthopaedic rehabilitation programme
We’re well equipped to offer:
- Stabilisation of medical co-morbidities
- Patient and family education on the correct and safe performance of activities of daily living
- Mobility and independence retraining with self-care tasks
- Recommendations on home adaptations and assistive devices
- Addressing psychosocial needs of adjustment and coping
- Caregiver training, if required
- Download the orthopaedic rehabilitation brochure to learn more
Hospitals offering this service
If you’d like to find a rehabilitation centre near you, see below:
Eastern Cape
Gauteng
- Life Eugene Marais Hospital
- Life New Kensington Clinic
- Life Riverfield Lodge
- Life Springs Parkland Hospital
Western Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
