An elective two-week interdisciplinary acute rehabilitation program improves functional and speech outcomes in patients with Parkinson's disease

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of an intensive, multidisciplinary, inpatient rehabilitation program on the functional outcomes of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), admitted directly from home. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Suburban academic medical center with an inpatient rehabilitation facility. Methods: The study included 37 patients with PD who participated in a two-week acute inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. Functional assessments utilizing the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC), Section GG of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility–Patient Assessment Inventory (Section GG scores), and Voice Handicap Index (VHI) were collected and compared upon admission and discharge from the program. Results: Significant improvements were observed in the AM-PAC domains of Basic Mobility and Daily Activity between admission and discharge (p < 0.0001), as well as in Section GG scores for self-care and mobility (p < 0.001). Importantly, VHI scores demonstrated statistically significant improvements in vocal functioning (p = 0.028). No significant changes were observed in the Applied Cognitive domain of the AM-PAC (p = 0.871). Conclusions: Intensive inpatient rehabilitation programs have the potential to enhance both physical functioning and speech and vocal abilities in patients with PD. This study is the first of its kind in the United States, demonstrating the safety and efficacy of a multidisciplinary acute inpatient rehabilitation program designed to enhance the functional outcomes of individuals with PD living at home.