Rehabilitation Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Services offers our cancer patients the support, treatment, education, and professional care they require to continue to participate in the activities of daily living. Under the direction of a physiatrist, our interdisciplinary team assesses each patient's realistic goals. All of our rehab programs include education to promote understanding of the illness, help the patient adjust to lifestyle changes, and return him or her to optimal functioning. Our programs include the services of an enterostomal therapist or ostomy nurse. These registered nurses have special training in the care of ostomies and ostomates, greatly enhancing our ability to support cancer patients with stomas.
Education goes a long way in easing the concerns of stoma patients.
Dietary Cancer patients are at increased risk for developing nutritional deficiencies that may adversely affect their quality of life, their tolerance of treatment,and in some cases, their survival. Working with physicians, oncology nurses, patients and families, our registered dietitians identify those who are at nutritional risk and develop realistic goals for them based on a comprehensive nutritional assessment. Patient and family education and counseling to achieve these goals follows. For those with cancer for whom a cure will not be possible, palliative or hospice care offers symptomatic relief, nursing care, and psychological and spiritual support for the patient and his or her family. Inpatient or at-home hospice care for Memorial Hermann's cancer patients is arranged through Houston Hospice, an affiliate of the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System.