Cancer Rehabilitation

Regain your strength and independence

After cancer treatment, Genesis wants you to get back to feeling your best. That’s why we offer a comprehensive cancer rehabilitation program complete with a wide spectrum of therapies. The Genesis Cancer Rehabilitation program can help you:

• Gain energy, strength and endurance
• Feel more comfortable
• Increase your independence
• Reduce swelling (lymphedema)
• Sleep better

Breast cancer rehabilitation

After you’ve been treated for breast cancer, you may not have the same flexibility, range of motion or energy levels as before. Rehabilitation after breast cancer is designed to help you regain strength, mobility and reduce swelling after radiation, chemotherapy or surgery. As part of the Genesis breast cancer rehabilitation program, you’ll meet with a physical therapist who designs personalized treatment recommendations. Your plan may include manual therapy, exercise and education to prevent lymphedema, improve and maintain your shoulder’s range of motion and strength, and enhance your fitness level.

Ask your doctor for a referral to this program that you may participate in before, during and after cancer treatment.

Other therapies available

Genesis offers additional therapy services to assist in your healing and recovery after cancer treatment. Ask your Genesis patient navigator or doctor if you would benefit from rehabilitation services, which include:

• Lymphedema therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Physical therapy
• Speech-language therapy

Lymphedema therapy

If a surgeon removes your lymph nodes during cancer treatment, you may experience lymphedema – swelling in your arms, legs, neck or abdomen. A Genesis therapist trained in lymphedema treatment can teach you how to relieve symptoms through massage, bandaging, exercising and other techniques.

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy helps you relearn or learn how to better complete everyday tasks after an illness, surgery, side effect or injury. Depending on your needs, occupational therapies may include:

• Home skills such as housekeeping, gardening and cooking
• Personal care activities such as dressing and eating
• Personal management like balancing a checkbook, keeping a schedule
• Skills important in driving a car or motor vehicle
• Special vehicle determinations (if hand brakes are needed for vehicle)
• Vision, thinking and judgment skills needed for driving

Physical therapy

Physical therapy helps in the recovery from illness, surgery, side effects or injury through prescribed exercise. You will meet with a physical therapist who will examine you and talk to you about your symptoms and your daily activity. He or she will then work with you on a treatment plan. First, your therapist will try to reduce your pain and swelling. Your physical therapist also may use manual therapy, education, and techniques such as heat, cold, water, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation.

Physical therapy almost always includes exercise. It can include stretching, core exercises, weight lifting, and walking. Your physical therapist may teach you an exercise program, so you can do it at home.

Speech-language therapy

Speech therapy helps in the recovery from illness, surgery, side effect or injury. This therapy improves your ability to communicate, eat and swallow including:

• Recognizing swallowing problems
• Reducing long pauses or slurring
• Reducing nasal sounds when face muscles get too relaxed
• Improving speech patterns or rhythms and pronouncing words
• Learning other ways to speak, such as alphabet cards, cell phone or tapes
• Learning which foods are better to eat if it's hard to swallow