2. Choose the right setting

Rehabilitation starts in the hospital, as soon as a patient is stable. After two to four weeks of intense inpatient rehabilitation, his team will recommend what step to take next.

• Skilled nursing facility. This type of facility is for patients who are too disabled for rehabilitation in another setting. If someone is too weak or sick to return home or to an assisted living facility, he may need to go to a skilled nursing facility, at least temporarily.

• Outpatient rehabilitation. This is an option for stroke survivors who are able to live on their own, in an assisted living facility, or in their families' homes. A patient will go to a hospital or separate clinic for his various therapies. Most outpatient programs have patients come in three days a week, but some are more intensive.

• Home-based rehabilitation. This process usually follows the completion of an outpatient program and focuses on teaching a patient to function in his own home. Alternatively, it's an option if he comes to a family member's home instead of a nursing facility but is too disabled for an outpatient program.

Which rehabilitation setting you choose depends on a number of factors, including the extent of the patient's disability, his finances, his living situation, and the location of the facility. Also take into account your personal impressions of the rehabilitation center and staff. Visit the rehabilitation center, interview the staff, and observe what's going on with other patients. Ask questions and take notes. You can print out these checklists or make your own to bring with you:

^*Check the website for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) or call CARF at 520-325-1044 to find out if a facility is accredited.

Once you've chosen a rehabilitation facility, keep in mind that it's not an irreversible decision. If the patient doesn't seem to be progressing, you can always revisit your selection.