Our Team of Rehab Specialists
Our rehab team represents a full range of rehabilitation professionals who work with patients and their families to ensure a smooth transition to outpatient care and the community.
Each team member is a valuable resource, with a diverse set of skills, specialized knowledge, unique talents and dedication.
Acupuncturists: Acupuncture, one of the modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, involves inserting fine needles into specific points of the body. By facilitating the body's self-healing system, acupuncture can assist with the management of symptoms in conjunction with conventional medical treatment of diseases.
Chiropodists: Chiropody involves treatment and prevention of diseases, disorders or dysfunctions of the foot by therapeutic, orthotic or palliative means. Chiropodists are trained exclusively to assess and treat foot problems and are often called upon by physicians and other health care professionals for patient consultation and treatment.
Chiropractors: Chiropractors treat neuro-musculoskeletal conditions, primarily of the spine, using spinal adjustments. The chiropractic adjustment facilitates the return of a joint to its normal function, relieving back pain, headache and other related conditions.
Hospitalists: Hospitalists are physicians whose primary focus is general medical care of patients in hospitals. Their activities include patient care, teaching, research and leadership related to hospital medicine.
Massage Therapists: Massage Therapists assess and treat soft tissue and joints to help alleviate discomfort, occupational stress, muscular over use, injuries and chronic pain syndromes.
Nurses: Nurses provide care; lead and collaborate with colleagues, patients and families; educate and coach patients and their families; act as patient advocates; and coordinate care for patients. Nurses assess, administer and monitor treatments, help diagnose problems, and are watchful of any complications.
Occupational Therapists (OTs): Occupational therapists at St. John’s Rehab assist patients in identifying and overcoming barriers to meaningful activities of daily living. Occupational therapists gear their treatments to focus on improving the relevant physical, mental or social skills required to address the self-care, productivity and leisure activities.
Pharmacists: Pharmacists at St. John’s Rehab are an integral part of your health care team. Pharmacists review your medications at least once a day, choose and dispense your medicine, and teach you about your medications.
Physiatrists: A physiatrist is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Physiatry emphasizes the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders, particularly those of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.
Physiotherapists (PTs): Physiotherapists at St. John’s Rehab provide assessment, treatment and education for a wide range of health problems. These involve preventing and managing the effects of injuries and illnesses through treatment that includes therapeutic exercises, ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation, strengthening exercises using weights, and gait training.
Psychologists: Psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat emotional health issues. Psychologists at St. John’s Rehab Hospital help people deal with illnesses, injuries, and personal crises in their lives. Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, pain management, sleep difficulties, adjustment difficulties, anxiety, and feelings of grief and loss are often treated by psychologists.
Registered Dietitians (RDs): A Registered Dietitian assesses the nutritional status of patients with diabetes as well as cardiac, transplant, stroke, trauma, burns, and cancer. Dietitians are available for individual as well as group counselling, including diabetes, cardiac, weight management and living with stroke education sessions.
Social Workers: Rehabilitation social work strives to help patients and their families adapt to changing circumstances in their lives. Social work provides supportive counselling which may focus on adjustment, self-esteem, coping with loss and change of role, changing family dynamics and relationships and reintegration into the community.
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs): Speech-language pathologists help individuals overcome and prevent communication problems in the area of language, speech, voice and fluency. SLPs also identify and help manage swallowing difficulties. Typically, patients with neurological impairments and burn patients are seen by SLPs.
Spiritual Care: The Sisters of St. John the Divine provide hospitality, a listening ear and spiritual support to patients and their families. As St. John’s Rehab is a multi-faith hospital, the Sisters can connect you with your faith tradition if you wish.
Support staff: A vital team supports our health professionals in rebuilding people's lives. Support staff roles include environmental services, financial servies, food services, human resources, information technology/management, strategic communications, quality and risk management, decision support, health information records, patient support workers and administrative professionals.
Volunteers: Volunteers play a vital role in patient care and support services. Our volunteer force contributes more than 20,000 hours of volunteer service per year. Volunteers plan and run special events to provide entertainment, fellowship and fundraising opportunities for the hospital. Volunteers run our gift shop and lottery desk, visit patient rooms on a weekly basis with our coffee, shopping and library carts, and provide staff support.