Golisano Restorative Neurology & Rehabilitation Center

Restoring Hope, Function, Independence and Lives

People who are recovering from a serious brain injury or neurological condition have one goal: to rebuild their lives. The expert team at Rochester Regional Health's Golisano Restorative Neurology Rehabilitation Center is here to help patients restore as much of their independence as possible — and get back to doing what they love.

CARF accreditation seal. Established in 1989, our nationally recognized rehabilitation program provides a complete range of services to adults and children with neurological, orthopaedic and complex medical conditions. No other facility in New York state – and very few in the country – offer our exceptional variety of resources. We are unique for several reasons:

The largest program in the Finger Lakes region
Accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation, Brain Injury and Stroke
The only program in Western New York that is CARF-accredited for Brain Injury and Stroke that serves children and adolescents

Another unique strength of our program is our interdisciplinary approach to cognitive rehabilitation. Our team of highly skilled physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, neuropsychologists, physician assistants (PAs), nurses and therapists provide advanced care. And since we work within a larger health system, we have ample opportunities to consult with other specialists as needed.

Our Amenities

We’re available 24/7 and based at Unity Hospital, so we have access to state-of-the-art medical and diagnostic services. We focus on providing high-quality services and compassionate patient care. Our physicians (and our entire team) are open, friendly and approachable.

These are just a few of the amenities that patients and families find here:

All private rooms, complete with private bathrooms and showers
Complimentary phone and television service
New therapy gym with areas for individual, small group and pediatric use and a full-sized kitchen
Communal dining and activity room
Special patient/family education center
Comfortable family lounge
Free parking

Our Rehabilitation Programs

Our interdisciplinary team works with patients ranging from pediatric (3 months of age and older) to geriatric. We help patients who have a wide variety of neurological conditions, including:

Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Stroke Rehabilitation
Comprehensive Medical Rehabilitation
Pediatric Rehabilitation

While each treatment plan is customized for the patient’s specific needs, they can expect to have at least three hours of therapy five days per week.

Hear From Our Patients

Meet Ayanna. It was an average day, and Ayanna was on her way to the gym when her car suddenly went off the road. That day her life changed forever, and she began the most inspirational and remarkable fight to regain the life she knew.

The Golisano Restorative Neurology & Rehabilitation Center is a nationally recognized brain injury rehabilitation program. Our exceptional, compassionate treatment helps patients and families rebuild their lives.

Patients who have suffered a traumatic or acquired brain injury may experience difficulty with language, thinking skills, swallowing, movement, balance, getting in and out of bed, walking, dressing, bathing and other daily living skills. These difficulties are directly related to the size and location of the brain injury.

We treat patients with brain injuries (both open and closed) due to:
- Trauma
- Cerebral hemorrhage
- Infection
- Tumors
- Oxygen deprivation (anoxia or hypoxia)
Our compassionate team will provide a thorough evaluation and an individualized treatment plan to address each patient's specific challenges. We also offer educational resources for patients and families. Our goal is to help restore function so that they can continue to work toward their highest level of independence.

Of course, treatment may continue following discharge, if necessary. We assist patients and families through every step in their recovery.
A stroke can be a life-changing event. We offer an individualized stroke rehabilitation program that combines state-of-the-art therapies with compassionate care — all designed to help patients achieve their potential and regain their quality of life.

Our team helps patients restore their abilities and independence in areas such as: language, cognitive changes, swallowing, one-sided weakness and inattention, sensory changes, moving in bed, walking, balancing, dressing, bathing and other daily living skills.

Our therapists work with patients to both restore function and teach new ways of doing things.

For more information on our comprehensive stroke care, see the Rochester Regional Stroke Center at Unity.
When patients have a serious medical condition, their body can lose its strength and stamina. The path to recovery often involves rehabilitation to help them move beyond physical weakness.

Our medical providers coordinate care with our highly trained therapy staff to ensure that patients take a comprehensive approach to return to health and function. We often see patients with:
- Orthopaedic conditions
  Patients with a fracture, joint replacement or spine surgery may have pain, weakness or difficulty moving in bed, walking or handling daily living skills. Our team works with patients to improve comfort, strength, mobility and function.
- Spinal cord injury
  Patients may have decreased feeling and movement below the level of injury to the spinal cord. The loss may be partial or complete, depending on the extent and location of the injury. We work with patients to increase strength and function where possible and show them how to compensate or move in new ways when necessary.
- Limb loss
  Patients who have had an amputation or limb loss may experience some challenges after surgery. They may have difficulty getting in and out of bed, walking, balancing, dressing, bathing and performing other tasks. They may also experience phantom sensations or pain. Therapy can help them regain the ability to walk, move and manage other daily living activities. Our team also provides emotional support and educates them on caring for the residual limb. We can even consult with a prosthetist to initiate the process of getting a prosthesis (artificial limb) if necessary.
- Neurologic conditions
  The right kind of therapy can address many areas of difficulty and help patients return to normal activities. Our professionals provide treatment for all types of neurologic conditions, including (but not limited to):
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Cerebral Palsy (CP)
- Myelopathy
- Encephalopathy
- Tumors
Golisano Rehabilitation Center offers the only pediatric rehabilitation of its kind in Western New York! We understand the unique needs of children — and their families — and our team is with you every step of the way to recovery.

Our experienced, caring pediatric rehabilitation team provides consultation and treatment for a wide range of neurological and orthopaedic conditions. Our safe, comfortable, friendly environment is specially designed for children, so that we can provide the emotional and physical support they need as they face the challenges of rehabilitation. A parent or adult caregiver may stay overnight with the child to further support their needs and those of their family.

Our physicians, neuropsychologists, and our entire therapeutic team work closely with the entire family and the child’s pediatrician to coordinate the specific services that the child needs. We will even work with school districts to provide education and information regarding recommended accommodations as the child prepares to return to school. Our neuropsychologist and therapists can also attend CSE meetings to help facilitate the child’s individual education plan (IEP).

After discharge, we can continue to work with the school or other therapy providers on the child’s education. Our goal is to ensure that each child has the services they need to function to the best of their abilities at home, in school and in the community.

Depending on their diagnosis, patients receive care under one of our carefully designed, fully integrated and accredited programs.

Eligibility for admission

Patients need a referral from their physician to be admitted to the Golisano Restorative Neurology & Rehabilitation Program. Many of our patients have deficits in mobility, safety, self-care, communication and thinking skills. To be eligible for our program, the patient must:

Have an active medical condition, but be medically stable
Be free from life support systems (such as ventilators)
Require 24-hour rehabilitative nursing
Be able to tolerate an intensive rehabilitation program that includes therapy at least three hours per day, five days per week
Have the potential to return to a community setting

We see patients from age 12 months and up; we will consider admission for children under the age of 12 months on a case-by-case basis.

We accept patients with a spinal cord injury, complete or incomplete at the level of C-5 or lower; we will evaluate patients with injuries above C-5 on a case-by-case basis.

Our rehabilitation physicians will determine appropriateness for admission by evaluating the patient at a local hospital or by reviewing a detailed chart and discussing the situation with referral sources.

When you are ready to move forward with admission, we will guide you through the process including medical insurance and disability claims. We know that paperwork can be overwhelming at a time like this, so our staff is available to answer any questions and keep the ball rolling. We accept payer sources such as private pay, Medicare, Medicaid, HMOs, No Fault insurance and Workers' Compensation.

Tour the program

We welcome (and encourage) patients, families and supportive friends to visit our program, tour our facilities and meet our team members prior to admission. We want to make sure that our environment is the right fit for everyone involved.

Preparing for discharge

When patients are ready to go home, they can be confident that they will have our continued support in the days and months ahead.

Our case manager works with patients, families and their rehabilitation team throughout the stay to help coordinate rehabilitative needs, including outpatient care, community resources, home health care, equipment needs, transportation, education, or vocational training. If patients need to be discharged to an alternative level of care, such as a skilled nursing facility, our case manager assists with that process as well.

Our physicians, neuropsychologists and therapists also continue to help interface with school or work for as long as needed following the patient's return home.

Contact

We're happy to answer any of your questions about our program.

Golisano Restorative Neurology & Rehabilitation Center
1555 Long Pond Road
Rochester, NY 14626

Phone: 585.368.3222
Fax: 585.368.3844

Office hours: Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 5 pm

Urgent after-hours and nurse's station: 585.368.3600

Neurosciences Institute