Rehabilitation After a Stroke: A Personalized Program, State-of-the-Art Technology & Experienced Specialists
A stroke changes your life in an instant. For sufferers and their relatives, it is a time that is full of questions and uncertainty. But with specialist rehab for strokes, there is a route back to greater independence, mobility, and quality of life.
What is a stroke?
A stroke is damage to the brain caused by either a circulation disorder or a cerebral hemorrhage. Depending on the location and extent of the damage, different cognitive and motor failures can arise.
In severely affected patients – such as those partially or fully ventilated on an intensive care unit or recovery ward – rehabilitation must follow the framework of a specialist stroke early rehabilitation program.
The importance of rehabilitation after a stroke
It is crucial to start treating a stroke as quickly as possible and that the stroke treatment is as intensive and as personalized as possible. The foundations are laid for the best possible recovery in the early phase.
However, even years after a stroke, a targeted program of stroke treatment can achieve noticeable progress – for specific complaints as well as everyday problems.
Goals of rehab after a stroke
- Restore motor and cognitive skills
- Improve swallowing disorders
- Restore continence
- Regain independence in everyday life
- Gradually increase quality of life
Therapies available as part of stroke rehabilitation
As a specialist stroke rehabilitation center, we use a wide range of therapies. We combine proven experience with innovative stroke treatment methods to achieve the best possible recovery.
Conventional therapies for treating a stroke
- Physiotherapy – promotes mobility, strength, and balance.
- Occupational therapy – trains everyday skills and supports independence.
- Speech therapy – improves speech, voice, and swallowing.
- Neuropsychology – strengthens memory, attention, and emotional stability.
Specialist therapies
- Orthoptics – treats visual impairments.
- Dysphagia therapy – helps swallowing disorders.
- Neuro-urology – supports bladder and continence problems.
Technological therapies
- Robotics-assisted procedures – enable intensive, precise exercises.
Modern neuro-stimulation
- Non-invasive brain stimulation – modern procedures like TPS® (transcranial pulse stimulation), rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation), or tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) activate specific areas of the brain and support rehabilitation.
Recommended rehab duration after a brain hemorrhage
The optimal duration depends on how long ago the stroke occurred.
As a general rule: The earlier the rehab after a stroke starts and the more intensive it is, the greater the chance of achieving long-term improvement.
For recent strokes (within the last 2 years):
Stays of several weeks to several months – as long as progress is evident. Progress can still be achieved at a later date but requires more effort.
For historic strokes (over 2 years ago):
Intensive programs for 3 to 6 weeks are appropriate even though progress requires more effort.
Our specialists for stroke rehabilitation
Dr. med. Daniel Zutter
Chief Physician and Medical Director, Chief Medical Officer VITREA Switzerland
Specialist in Neurology and Internal Medicine
German, English, Italian
Prof. Dr. med. Karsten Krakow
Chief Physician of Neurological Rehabilitation and Early Rehabilitation, Deputy Medical Director
Specialist in Neurology
German, English
Dr. med. Stefan Schuko
Head Physician International Ward
Specialist in Neurology
German, Russian
Dr. med. Anne-Dore Jungbäck
Head Physician
Specialist in Neurology
German, English
Our specialist stroke rehabilitation clinic
Why VITREA?
A focus on medical care
Personalized stroke treatment plan
Dedicated patient service
Individual admissions planning
Patient testimonials and success stories
The successes of our patients speak for themselves: 88% return to their familiar home environment following their stroke treatment at VITREA. This shows how effective specialist rehabilitation for a stroke can be – and encourages you to follow your own path.
Visit our YouTube channel to see more videos and testimonials from patients—authentic insights into everyday rehabilitation at VITREA.
Which therapies are used after a stroke?
Some of the most important therapies are physiotherapy for mobility, occupational therapy for everyday functions, and speech therapy for speech and swallowing. This is complemented by modern procedures such as robotics therapy and cognitive training programs. This provides individual support for recovery.
How long is the recommended rehab duration for patients after a stroke?
The optimal duration depends on how long ago the stroke occurred. For recent strokes, a stay of several weeks or months is usually recommended as long as progress is observed. If the stroke occurred longer ago, intensive programs of three to six weeks are appropriate. As a general rule: The earlier rehabilitation starts and the more targeted it is, the better the chances of success.
What is the role of robotics therapy in rehabilitation?
Robotics therapy uses state-of-the-art equipment to guide and repeat movements in a targeted way. This allows patients with strokes, Parkinson’s or back injuries to make progress more quickly. The combination of precision, motivation and feedback makes the treatment especially effective.
What languages do the staff at the rehab center speak?
Our staff all speak German, French and English. In addition, there are several other languages spoken, like Croatian, Russian and Italian.
We will clarify whether your language is represented among our specialist staff. Should this not be the case, we work with interpreters or translation devices, as required.
Do you want to find out more about our stroke rehabilitation center?
Get in touch.
