Your Path to Recovery: Quality Rehabilitation Services

When illness or injury affects your ability to move, speak, or care for yourself, our Rehabilitation Services Department is here to help. Bergen New Bridge Medical Center offers physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy to support your recovery and help you live as independently as possible.

Once your doctor refers you, a licensed therapist will meet with you to understand your strengths, challenges, and goals. A physiatrist—a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation—may also evaluate your needs. Together, we’ll build a care plan that focuses on what matters most to you: getting back to the life you love.

Occupational Therapy: Get Back to Daily Life

We help you do everyday tasks safely and independently.

Occupational therapy helps you return to the activities that matter most—like dressing, cooking, working, or using a computer. We support people recovering from:

• Stroke or brain injury
• Hand, wrist, or shoulder injuries
• Joint surgery or arthritis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis
• Memory or cognitive challenges
• Developmental or sensory issues
• Training in daily activities (bathing, grooming, meal prep)
• Adaptive tools and devices
• Therapeutic exercises
• Pain management strategies
• Paraffin Wax Bath
• Home or work safety evaluations
• Cognitive and memory exercises
• Family and caregiver education

What to Expect

Your therapy may include:

Safety and Risk Management

Occupational therapy is generally very safe, but like any physical activity, it carries small risks such as fatigue, soreness, or falls. Our therapists follow strict safety protocols and:

• Assess your home or work environment for hazards
• Teach safe use of tools and equipment
• Monitor for signs of overexertion or discomfort
• Adjust therapy plans based on your feedback

We actively work to prevent complications, such as falls, especially for patients with neurological conditions or limited mobility. Our team identifies risk factors and teaches practical strategies to reduce the chance of falling both at home and during therapy.

Physical Therapy: Move Better, Feel Stronger

We help you regain movement, reduce pain, and build strength.

Our physical therapists treat a wide range of conditions that affect your muscles, bones, joints, and nerves. We help you recover from:

• Joint replacements and orthopedic surgeries
• Stroke, spinal cord injuries, and neurological disorders
• Heart and lung conditions
• Back and neck pain
• Sprains, strains, and tendonitis
• Balance and mobility issues
• Weakness after lengthy hospital stays
• Strength and flexibility exercises
• Balance and coordination training
• Pain relief techniques and modalities
• Joint mobilization
• Myofascial Release
• Mechanical Traction
• Kinesiotaping
• Gait training and mobility aids

What to Expect

We’ll create a personalized therapy plan that may include:

Preventing Complications

Physical therapy is safe and effective, but we take extra care to prevent:

• Falls: We assess your balance and use assistive devices when needed.
• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): We encourage early movement and may use compression devices or refer for medication if you're at risk 
• Pressure Injuries: We monitor skin health and teach proper positioning and mobility techniques.
• Polypharmacy Risks: We coordinate with your care team to ensure medications don’t interfere with therapy or increase fall risk.

Our team uses evidence-based tools to assess and reduce risks during your recovery. 

Speech Therapy: Speak Clearly, Swallow Safely

We help you communicate, think clearly, and eat safely.

Our speech pathologists support people who have trouble speaking, understanding, remembering, or swallowing. We treat:

• Stroke and brain injuries
• Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions
• Swallowing disorders (dysphagia)
• Voice and speech problems
• Hearing loss
• Throat or voice box cancer
• Ventilator dependence

What to Expect

We create a personalized therapy plan that may include:

• Speech and voice exercises
• Language and memory training
• Swallowing therapy and safety strategies
• Modified Barium Swallow Studies
• Use of communication devices (AAC)
• Family education and support

Aspiration Pneumonia: What You Need to Know

Aspiration happens when food, drink, or saliva enters the lungs instead of the stomach. This can lead to aspiration pneumonia, a severe lung infection.

Fast Facts

• Causes about 58,000 deaths each year in the U.S.
• 30% of cases occur in nursing homes
• 76% of deaths involve people age 75 or older

Common Causes

• Stroke, dementia, COPD, seizures, and swallowing problems

Symptoms

• Coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, and fatigue

Treatment

• Antibiotics, oxygen therapy, and swallowing therapy

What About Silent Aspiration?

Some people don’t show any signs. That’s why we use a Modified Barium Swallow Study—a special X-ray test done by a speech pathologist and radiologist. You’ll swallow food and liquid with barium, and we’ll watch how it moves through your throat. This helps us create a safe eating and drinking plan just for you.

Let’s Get Started

Call 201-967-4225 to learn more or schedule an appointment. Please have the following information ready:

• Patient’s name, address, and daytime phone number
• Insurance details
• Date of birth
• Reason for the appointment

No insurance? We can connect you with our Patient Financial Assistance team to explore your options.