Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson’s New “ReCharge” Program Provides Intensive Therapies to Increase Strength, Mobility, and Independence

Short-term, In-Patient “Bootcamp” for People Living with Parkinson’s, MS,COPD, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Amputation and Other Serious Conditions

A new inpatient program at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, called ReCharge, provides intensive therapies and medical interventions to increase the strength, mobility, and independence of people living with serious and complex medical conditions. 

ReCharge is a two-week “bootcamp” for those with Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury, COPD, traumatic brain injury, amputation, chronic heart failure, encephalopathy, transplant, and other illnesses and injuries.

“We focus on getting our ReCharge patients stronger, steadier, and more independent,” said Sara Cuccurullo, M.D., Medical Director of JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute. “Our goal is to make their lives at home better, keep them out of the hospital, and improve their overall function and quality of life.”

A skilled, multi-disciplinary team, along with physician specialists and 24-hour nursing care, provides rigorous therapies, medication evaluation, and innovative approaches. Patients must be able to tolerate three hours of therapy each day, which could include physical, occupational, cognitive, and other therapies. Patients may also meet with nutritionists, social workers, and case managers. 

The program is tailored for each patient. People with COPD, for instance, will receive pulmonary rehabilitation and people with amputations will receive prosthetic and orthotic management. 

One of the patients who completed the program is Robert Burgos, a father-of-three and business owner in Nutley, New Jersey. Burgos, 60, contracted COVID in 2020, well before vaccines were available, and he became sick enough to require ventilation at a local hospital. Burgos went into a coma and experienced a stroke, leaving his left side mostly paralyzed.

At JFK Johnson recently, Burgos explained that he entered the program to build his strength and improve his ability to function independently. To focus on his stroke rehabilitation, physicians began onabotulinum toxin (Botox) injections to reduce over-activity in the muscles affected by spasticity and make his affected limbs less stiff. He also underwent Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation, a common therapy for patients with stroke. He participated in multiple types of therapies, such as physical, occupational, and speech. He received therapy with the Zero G, a track system and harness that provides body-weight support as patients practice walking and balancing. 

“I’ve been to other places, but this is another level. The staff is incredible. It’s beyond expertise,” Burgos said. He likened the program to a winning baseball team: “You have the best pitcher, the right catcher. The right coach. All the pieces of the puzzle come together here in one place.”

After his two weeks in ReCharge, Burgos left feeling stronger and more confident to get around. He improved his speech and strength as well as his ability to do more things on his own.

“Robert got stronger. It was a positive experience. There was intense therapy on a daily basis,” said his wife, LuAnn Burgos. “We would highly recommend the ‘ReCharge’ program to anyone living with a serious condition like my husband. You can actually see that his muscles are stronger.”

After patients complete the program, they return to the care of their physician. Most insurance companies, including Medicare, cover ReCharge. The ReCharge program will apply for insurance coverage for patients and handle the paperwork. 

Talya K. Fleming, MD, Medical Director of the JFK Johnson Stroke Recovery Program, said outpatient therapy has great value for patients recovering from stroke as well as those living with complex conditions.

“But if patients are declining, and especially if they are at risk of falling, the intensity of the ReCharge program can make an enormous difference in their lives,” Dr. Fleming said. “We want to keep people home and out of the hospital. And we want people to live as independently and as well as they possibly can.”