Neurorehabilitation Switzerland: cereneo Center for Neurology & Rehabilitation

Prof. Dr Andreas R. Luft is a specialist in neurology and Medical Director at the cereneo Center for Neurology & Rehabilitation with clinics in Vitznau and Hertenstein near the city of Lucerne. The patients of the cereneo neurological rehabilitation clinic receive an innovative and personalised therapy, which ensures continuous and empathetic care combined with state-of-the-art clinical science and technology.

The rehabilitation concept of cereneo is based on innovative technologies, continuous measurement of therapy progress and the latest research knowledge to ensure a personalised and effective treatment programme. At cereneo, we involve a patient’s social environment in order to sustainably increase motivation, which is an important success factor for the patient's progress. The rehabilitation clinics of cereneo are located directly at the beautiful shore of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. The clinic in Vitznau is directly connected to the elegant and exclusive Park Hotel Vitznau, while the clinic in Hertenstein was exclusively built for innovative therapy measures and strikes by its pure and modern design. Thanks to the state-of-the-art facilities at both locations, with only 12 beds in Vitznau and 23 beds in Hertenstein, the clinic provides its patients with exclusive and personalized treatment.

cereneo – a Clinic for State-of-the-Art Neurological Rehabilitation in Switzerland

After several years of planning, the Center for Neurology & Rehabilitation came into being in 2012 because Prof. Dr Luft and his colleagues considered the possibilities of neurorehabilitative care to be not yet sufficiently exhausted. Therefore, a perfect interplay between the various health professions and therapeutic options is crucial for the best possible long-term results when it comes to the rehabilitation of neurological impairments. In addition to the use of state-of-the-art rehabilitative techniques, Prof. Dr Luft is constantly working towards the goal of continuous advancement and fundamental research in the field of neurorehabilitation.

Individualised Treatment Concept with a Lot of Time Given to the Individual Patient

With their centre for neurorehabilitation, Prof. Dr Luft and his colleagues have made it possible for neurological patients to receive holistic care on both a medical and human level. Thanks to its small size – cereneo has the smallest clinics in the canton of Lucerne with only 12 beds in Vitznau and 23 beds in Hertenstein – and with ideal patient-to-therapist ratios, the two centres for neurology & rehabilitation are able to address the needs and wishes of individual patients in an optimal and exclusive manner. In the cereneo clinics, patients regularly enjoy patient-specific one-to-one care during their therapies, in order to ensure the best possible, individualised care. Depending on the level of care and therapy needed, there are up to 3 medical-therapeutic or nursing specialists for a patient at cereneo. An individualised treatment plan is developed by an interdisciplinary team of neurologists, therapists and experienced nurses taking the patient’s and relatives wishes and needs into consideration.

Robot Technology Complements a Classic Rehabilitation Concept for optimal Treatment Success

The treatment concept at the cereneo clinics consists of various different building blocks. During treatment, patients will undergo physiotherapy or occupational therapy according to their individual needs. Speech and swallowing therapy is implemented in collaboration with the experienced team of speech and language therapists, and neuropsychological therapy is used to improve cognitive abilities.

A particularly outstanding innovation in the field of neurorehabilitation is the support of therapies by robotic systems (locomotion therapy), such as the Indego® Exoskeleton or the Armeo® Power. These systems are used when training arm movements or walking, and then perform computer-controlled movements to help patients with brain damage to regain coordination and the ability of the functions they had lost. In-house gait labs use high-speed cameras, a split-belt treadmill and ZeroG®, among other tools, to analyse walking and running movements. The motion or gait training will be adjusted, regularly evaluated and aligned with the patient's goals. This regular assessment together with intensive training supports the brain during the recovery process to produce a more symmetrical gait over the long term.

Exclusive Equipment for Patients and Relatives

On average, neurorehabilitation in the cereneo clinic takes four to eight weeks. Both clinics are connected to hotels. In Hertenstein alle patient rooms have a magnificent view on the lake. Patients and their family have access to services offered by the 4-star Campus Hotel Hertenstein, while family members can be accommodated in private apartments on the clinic campus. In Vitznau, the cereneo clinic is located in the building of the 5-star Park Hotel Vitznau. All rooms offer state-of-the-art, high-quality furnishings, where patients find themselves more in a haven of well-being than in a classic clinic. Since one's social environment and family are crucial factors when it comes to an optimal recovery process, we also offer accommodation for relatives if desired. The cereneo team would be delighted to help you find the right accommodation, or will even organise your entire travel, leisure activities or translators, or will assist you in obtaining visas.

Specialisation in Rehabilitation Following Stroke

The cereneo clinic is one of the world's leading rehabilitation clinics for stroke patients. The clinic - under the direction of the experienced neurologist Prof. Dr Luft and its team - is outstanding, first and foremost due to its highly personalised therapeutic approaches and innovative techniques in this field.

A stroke, vascular occlusion or haemorrhaging leads to the death of brain tissue within a very short period of time, sometimes causing serious long-term consequences. Depending on the localisation of the brain damage, patients may lose some or all of their speech, their ability to swallow, or their control of arms or legs. About two-thirds of patients are dependent on outside help after a stroke.

Thanks to state-of-the-art medical technology, stroke patients are now often able to be helped well. In addition to timely care in acute cases, optimised rehabilitation as time progresses is crucial for the long-term development of those affected. Our expert's specialist area of neurorehabilitation deals exactly with this time window. Two-thirds of patients who survive a stroke have physical impairments of varying severity. In order to enable a patient to live an autonomous life or to reduce her or his impairments as time progresses, rehabilitation is essential.

In the cereneo clinics, treated people experience rehabilitative measures in line with the latest technological standards paired with personal and individualised care. Regular interdisciplinary meetings between the supervising therapists, nurses and doctors ensure that patients receive optimised care and that treatment plans are regularly evaluated. The personalised therapy programme, perhaps consisting of motion therapy, speech therapy and brain performance training, is regularly adapted to the individual patient and their progress based on a variety of different assessments.

Scientifically Well-Founded Knowledge Directly Benefits Patients

Prof. Dr Andreas R. Luft, in addition to his many years of expertise in the specialist field of neurorehabilitation, also has in-depth knowledge and experience in acute neurology. Alongside his work at the cereneo clinic, Prof. Dr Luft is also the Director of the Stroke Center at the Zurich University Hospital. In addition, he constantly researches the advancement of rehabilitative measures and techniques to continuously improve patient care, and teaches the specialist field of neurorehabilitation at the Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich. Our specialist's scientific focus is primarily on research into recovery after a stroke or brain injury, because the better a doctor understands the processes following such injuries or illnesses, the better she or he can support and advance those measures.

The aim of his research work is to optimise the convalescence and recovery of the brain during rehabilitation, and thus to achieve the maximum of what is feasible for the patient. The cereneo clinic works closely with the University of Zurich, Johns Hopkins, the University of Twente, and an international network of scientists in order to achieve the best possible research results. Furthermore, the cereneo clinic has its own research institute, the cereneo Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (cefir). Thanks to direct collaboration, the scientific findings are immediately incorporated into the therapies in order to continuously optimise the specific, individualised treatment programmes. Regular further trainings ensure that the entire cereneo team – doctors, therapists and nurses – is always in possession of the latest knowledge, and is able to apply it practically as soon as possible.

New! Innovative Neurorehabilitation Also Available at Home

As an innovation of 2020, cereneo is additionally offering its expertise and competence in the field of neurological rehabilitation at home and via digital channels. Our therapist will help patients in the transition from any clinic worldwide back to their homes consulting the patients and family members on all questions that may arise during this important step in the recovery journey and support patients to continue their rehabilitation program and training in the daily life at home. This could, for example, include training of local caregivers and family members, house assessments, therapy at home and support with buying and setting up training devices, sensors and telerehabilitation at home. The telerehabilitation is carried out in 1 to 1 units (patient to therapist) based on the proven cereneo concept. In various assessments and interprofessional conferences, the status of the patient is evaluated and therapies are continuously adapted according to the results. This is intended to ensure continuous improvement also in telerehabilitation. Thanks to the latest digital technology and interaction between patient and therapist, the best possible and personalised neurological rehabilitation is brought directly into a patient's home. The cereneo Switzerland Center offers the following services:

• Support by an occupational therapist to transition from any clinic worldwide to home
• Therapy at home worldwide
• Telerehabilitation speech therapy (also in Arabic)
• Telerehabilitation neuropsychology
• Telerehabilitation exercise therapy
• Online neurological consultations and second opinions by our doctors
• Online Nutrition Consultations

You can find further information on the cereneo website.