NeuLife Rehab Honors Pets of all Shapes, Sizes, and Breeds

NeuLife Rehab’s Clients value pets, too. Many existing Clients have the benefit of pet therapy as part of NeuLife Rehab’s innovative post-acute rehabilitation. They can attest to its benefits.

The benefits of pet therapy are different, not less, than those of, for example, a seeing-eye dog to a sight-impaired individual. Dogs and other kinds of pets provide comfort and enjoyment to individuals who are undergoing therapy and rehabilitation. The therapy and rehabilitation have the goal of independence or supported independent living to the fullest extent that the individual’s physical and mental condition allow. The need for innovative post-acute rehabilitation such as that provided by NeuLife Rehab in Mount Dora, Florida may be required because of any one or more of the following catastrophic injuries:

• Limb amputation
• Mild brain injury (MBI)
• Multiple trauma
• Post-traumatic stress syndrome
• Spinal cord injury (SCI)
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Animal-assisted therapy, sometimes called “pet therapy,” is a broad term that refers to the use of animals to help people better cope with illness and disability. In contrast, animal-assisted activities serve a more general purpose. They provide comfort and enjoyment for people who are clients or residents in longer-term care facilities, such as rehabilitation hospitals, post-acute care facilities like NeuLife Rehab or nursing homes. It is a goal-directed therapy that utilizes an animal as the motivator for individuals such as the Clients of NeuLife to enhance a treatment regimen.

The presence of, and involvement with an animal during post-acute rehabilitation sessions can calm a Client. It does so by helping him or her accept the challenges that the catastrophic injury presents. Moreover, the animal can assist Clients in improving social interactions. The interaction starts first with the animal. It expands to others undergoing post-acute rehabilitation, including the therapist. Finally, it extends to relationships with others outside the post-acute rehabilitation setting when the Client has gained that level of independence that his or her physical and mental condition permits. That can be in a supported independent living environment or one of wholly independent living.

Many of NeuLife Rehab’s Clients had pets before their catastrophic injury. In fact, statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association suggest that in 2012 almost 43 million households owned dogs, more than 36 million households owned cats and nearly 18 million owned horses. While cats and dogs, and to some degree horses, are commonly kept pets, those numbers do not consider the many millions of individuals that enjoy the companionship and undertake the care of fish, reptiles, rabbits, lizards, birds and numerous other kinds of pets.

In addition to the calming effect of a pet, its presence and its requirements of care facilitate a Client’s goal-directed behavior. That is part of the reason that NeuLife Rehab in Mount Dora, Florida uses pets as part of its innovative and clinically relevant services. Further, pets are often used to assist in post-acute rehabilitation from depression, which often attends catastrophic injuries. Something as basic as petting an animal is believed to cause the release of endorphins that can have a positive impact for Clients dealing with post-acute depressive disorders. NeuLife Rehab’s innovative interventions using pet therapies are often based on the premise that focusing on the pet and its needs, draws the Client’s attention away from his or own problems. The Client also has the chance to develop nurturing skills and is encouraged to develop a sense of empathy with the pet¹.

When an individual becomes a Client of NeuLife Rehab in Mount Dora, Florida, he or she undergoes an independent functional evaluation administered by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals that may consist of:

• Board Certified Neurologist
• Board Certified Behavior Analyst
• Board Certified Physiatrist
• Neuropsychologist
• Psychologist
• Board Certified Psychiatrist
• Speech Language Pathologist/Cognitive Therapist
• Physical Therapist
• Occupational Therapist
• Nurses
• Certified Rehab Counselor

From the results of the independent functional evaluation, the professionals of NeuLife Rehab formulate a Client Goal Plan. The Client Goal Plan guides the clinically relevant services delivered by NeuLife Rehab. The Client Goal Planit guides the cognitive, psychiatric, neurologic, psychological and neuropsychological therapy of the Client. The goal of NeuLife Rehab’s innovative post-acute rehabilitation is the attainment for our Clients of independence to the fullest extent that his or her physical and mental abilities permit.

NeuLife Rehab in Mount Dora, Florida consistently provides the highest standard of care in the delivery of clinically relevant services to achieve successful, sustained outcomes and exceed the expectations of all persons served.

NeuLife Rehab consistently provides the highest standard of care in the delivery of clinically relevant services to achieve successful, sustained outcomes and exceeds the expectations of all persons served. Our philosophy of that healing, wellness, and personal fulfillment are best accomplished in an uplifting, therapeutic environment where caring staff encourage, assist and support each Client so he or she may achieve specific goals. NeuLife Rehab believes personal fulfillment is equally as important as goals to increase function and independence.

Proper and timely post-acute rehabilitation that may determine the difference between disability and independence is what NeuLife refers to as the “platinum post-acute period” —  the crucial window following acute care that is needed to nurture the whole person to health with specialized, clinically relevant services.

NeuLife, in Mount Dora, Florida, is an accessible residential post-acute program providing specialized rehabilitation to individuals diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI), Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), Amputations, Burns and other Catastrophic Injuries and Challenging Diagnoses.

2725 Robie Avenue

Mount Dora, Florida 32757