Cancer Rehabilitation

Cancer treatments cause many patients to suffer from various side effects during their treatment. Some of these side effects can cause permanent physical impairments, with the possibility of increased risk of other illnesses or a lower quality of life. Oncology rehabilitation services treat the whole person in the St.Vincent "Spirit of Caring" to provide each individual the opportunity for maximum recovery and optimal health.

Conditions We Treat 

Rehabilitation therapy may help patients who have the following symptoms during any phase of their cancer treatment:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Non-cancer related pain
• Vocal problems
• Hearing problems
• Difficulty with daily living activities, such as self-care
• Difficulty walking or rising from a chair

Our Clinicians 

The skilled, licensed clinicians of St.Vincent Rehabilitation Therapies work to help restore the cancer survivor's optimum level of physical health and maximum enjoyment for life. 

Services 

We offer a wide range of services for the cancer survivor including:

• Physical therapy: Therapeutic strategies include flexibility, strengthening, reconditioning, debilitation risk reduction, postural retraining, pain management, manual therapy, aquatic therapy and wound care.
• Occupational therapy: Energy conservation strategies, adaptive equipment recommendations and therapeutic activities to enhance activities of daily living.
• Speech and language pathology and voice rehabilitation: Therapy to address the quality and tone of the voice following cancer treatment, disorders, and/or surgery. This may include fitting for a voice prosthesis due to removal of larynx, or therapy with an electronic device for speech.
• Audiology: Monitors damage or hearing loss that can result from chemotherapy. Includes evaluation during and following cancer treatments and intervention with hearing aids and or cochlear implant as needed.

Specialized Oncology Rehabilitation Services  

Rehabilitation services specific to oncology address all phases of cancer care. They are tailored to meet patients’ needs before, during and after medical cancer treatment:

• Debilitation risk reduction, to minimize functional decline during cancer treatment
• Functional mobility restoration, to restore physical function following cancer treatment
• Pre-surgical oncology procedures, prepares the patient for possible impairments and physical side effects from surgery
• Post-surgical oncology procedures, aims to return patients to their pre-surgical function and prepare for the possibility of further treatment
• Pain management, provides non-pharmacology methods to cope with and manage pain
• Lymphedema Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT), assists in prevention, treatment and management for survivors who develop secondary lymphedema
• Specialized interventions to address bowel/bladder incontinence and pain in the lower abdominal and pelvic floor areas
• Caregiver patient training, to train the caregiver to safely help the cancer survivor with physical activities without risk of injury to themselves

“Thanks to [my therapist’s] help and support, I was in the hospital for only three weeks after my stem cell transplant. That was about half the expected recovery time.” ~Recent St.Vincent patient

Centralized Scheduling

For centralized scheduling in the Indianapolis area, call:

• Adult therapies: (317) 338-LIVE (5483)
• Pediatric therapies: (317) 338-GROW (4769)

Tips for Outpatient Rehabilitation  

Check out our steps to ensure a smooth start up to your therapy.