Why COVID-19 Patients Turn to Rehabilitation Experts After Leaving the Hospital

The team from Hartford HealthCare Rehabilitation Network (HHCRN) has been on the frontline of the COVID pandemic since it began, providing care for patients returning from the hospital to their homes.

Cassidy Marang, a physical therapist at HHCRN’s Skytop clinic in Torrington, is one of those team members. Reassigned to help with the patient surge last spring, Marang spent long days and nights working on several hospital units helping patients with COVID. She has since returned to her role in the outpatient setting with a new understanding of what it takes to help patients recover.

“Recovery really spans the continuum of care,” said Marang, who worked with doctors, nurses and care coordinators in the emergency department, ICU and other medical units during the height of the pandemic. “We helped patients in a lot of settings in the hospital before transitioning them home and finally to outpatient care. It’s a long journey we help these patients make.”

Throughout that journey, HHCRN therapists and clinicians provide patients speech, occupational and physical therapy to address cognitive impairments, help them readjust to living in a home environment and improving their physical abilities needed in everyday life.

“Rehab providers play a large role in helping transition patients though the system and getting them where they need to be to recovery,” Marang said. “Whether it be in another hospital unit, transitioned to homecare or into an outpatient rehab clinic, we’re with them every step of the way.”

“We provide recommendations for where we feel the patients will be most successful in their recovery,” she added. “That could mean getting them home with their family, moving to a short term rehab facility or nursing home or even to an inpatient rehab facility.”

For those who are recovering from COVID, Marang shares the following advice;

“Be patient. It can be a long road filled with a lot of different obstacles.  Remember to take a moment to celebrate every win you get no matter how small because they help get you where you want to be.”