A peer visitor acts as a mentor to patients and families, offering hope, support, empathy, education and information for recovery and transition back into the community-based programs.


At Brookdale, patients are evaluated


for their physical and mental health as they spend an average of 18 to 28 days in the in-patient facility. “Most stroke recovery occurs in the


first three months,” Parowski explains, “but it can be up to two years before full recovery can be determined.” Brookdale offers a comprehensive


stroke recovery program that Medicare recognizes. It includes physical, occupational and speech therapy for a minimum of three hours each day. Therapists help patients perform weight liſting and use other exercise equipment,


walk with assistance from parallel bars and other devices, and even participate in biofeedback using electrical stimulation to trigger muscles. The rehabilitation nursing program trains patients to gain independence over


issues such as loss of bladder control from either the physical or cognitive impact of a stroke. Psychological counseling is also important. “If you’ve lost a body function and not


sure it will recover, you can get depression,” Parowski says. Patients are given coping strategies to use if they begin to feel anxiety or sadness,


and they can be prescribed an antidepressant or given counseling as well. Brookdale Rehab has a group of volunteers who are trained to talk with people


recovering from a stroke and undergoing rehabilitation. Brookdale is the first organization to partner with the Brain Injury Peer Visitor Association, based out of Atlanta, Georgia, to offer specialized programming. A peer visitor acts as a mentor to patients and


MEDICAL EDUCATION Dr. Supriya Parowski is Board Certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Her rotating internship was at Suburban General Hospital in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Her residency took place at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in Newark, New Jersey.


Supriya Parowski, DO, FAAPM&R


Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Brookdale Center for


Healthy Aging & Rehabilitation


ACADEMIC AND CLINICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Medical Director, Acute Rehabilitation Unit- St. Joseph’s Healthcare System- Paterson, New Jersey


• Physiatrist, Kindred Hospital- Long Term Acute Care Hospi- tal - Wayne, New Jersey


• Physiatrist, Subacute Rehabilitation Centers- Careone at Wayne, Barnert, Health Care Center of Bloomingdale, Wa- naque, New Jersey


• Physiatrist, Outpatient Private Practice, Advanced Reha-


families, offering hope, support, empathy, education and information for recovery and transition back into the community- based programs. Brookdale staff conduct a home


evaluation to help patients prepare to return home. They look for obstacles such as throw rugs that should be removed and may advise moving furniture around to assist if someone had a stroke on one side of their body. Preventing another stroke is another


very important part of the therapy process. “Once you’ve had a stroke, you’re at


the highest risk of having a subsequent stroke,” Parowski says. Patients are advised to quit smoking,


become more active, eat a healthy diet for beter blood sugar control, lower their blood pressure and cholesterol, and limit their alcohol intake.


FOR MORE INFORMATION on NCH Brookdale Rehab or Dr. Parowski please call 239-552-7222.


bilitative Medicine, Fairlawn, New Jersey


• Nominated as one of the St. Joseph’s Distinguished Physi- cian in 2012


• Physician who participated in a robotic recovery research with New Jersey IT & Robert Wood Johnson, One of 3 cen- ters worldwide.


CLINICAL INTERESTS • Post-stroke recovery and rehabilitation • Complex medical conditions with a focus to improve func- tional recovery


• Rehabilitation and recovery of orthopedic conditions


PERSONAL PROFILE: Dr. Supriya Parowski enjoys spending time with her husband and sons outdoors. She loves to give back to the community by participating in charity balls and other community out- reach events.


March - JULY 2017 27


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