With over 100 years in the North Tonawanda community, DeGraff Memorial Hospital (DeGraff) continues to provide high quality, personalized medical care that includes outpatient rehabilitation for Buffalo’s Northtowns. By offering a full array of programs – including cardiac rehab and outpatient restorative rehabilitation – DeGraff can efficiently care for patients’ needs and restore independence after serious illness, surgery or injury.

DeGraff’s dedicated, interdisciplinary team of rehabilitation specialists work together to ensure you reach your full recovery potential by using the latest technology and therapeutic techniques available. The team consists of physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists. The therapists’ diverse skill set and resources combined with their compassion allows them to provide a wide variety of treatment options for individuals experiencing decreased function or mobility. With specific certifications, degrees and continuing education, the rehab staff matches their expertise to the individualized needs of each patient. Therapists work with patients referred by their physicians for care in the specialty areas of orthopaedic, neurological (stroke, brain, spinal cord, MS) and vestibular (balance, dizziness) conditions. DeGraff Outpatient Rehabilitation Center also offers an independent post-rehab program where individuals can continue an exercise program to maintain functional ability when their rehab is complete.

DeGraff is also a proud partner with Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital (Millard Suburban) in offering a unique service for those with a cancer diagnosis – a supportive cancer rehab and recovery program for survivors called Survivor Steps. As a Survivor Steps patient, you receive individualized, comprehensive cancer rehabilitation treatment to improve the symptoms affecting your daily functioning and your quality of life. This program uniquely helps those throughout their battle with cancer from diagnosis to remission. Millard Suburban and DeGraff are leading the way in oncology by offering excellent cancer rehabilitation and support services to their patients following treatment.

Specialty caregivers from a variety of disciplines — including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nutritionists and more — work together with each patient on a personalized rehabilitation plan to increase strength and energy, alleviate pain, and improve daily function and quality of life. Millard Suburban offers a supportive pre-surgical class for those with a breast cancer diagnosis to attend in order to best prepare them for surgery, recovery and survivorship. When rehabilitation is necessary, patients are able to receive services at either of Kaleida Health’s two outpatient locations: Buffalo Therapy Services in Williamsville or DeGraff Memorial Hospital in North Tonawanda. Some of the common treatable symptoms experienced with cancer treatments are fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, joint stiffness, limb swelling (lymphedema), weakness, memory problems, balance, and issues with speech or swallowing. For more information about Survivor Steps, please call the program coordinator, Donna Gefaller RN, MSN, at 716-568-3511.

DeGraff also has a unique therapy that treats Lymphedema. There are three physical therapists from the Survivor Steps Rehab and Recovery team who completed an intense certification and work closely with oncology patients. Lymphedema therapy is a non-invasive approach to treat lymphedema and related conditions. The specialized treatment consists of a combination of manual manipulation of the lymph nodes through gentle rhythmic massage, compression bandaging, specific exercises to promote fluid reduction, skin care and education. For more information on lymphedema therapy, call Buffalo Therapy Services at 716-690-2031 (DeGraff Memorial Hospital) or 716-580-7360 (Maple Road in Williamsville) for more information.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at DeGraff is designed to restore optimal health to heart patients after they have suffered a heart attack, heart surgery, stable angina or some other cardiac event. This medically-supervised program helps heart patients recover quickly and improve their overall physical and mental functioning. The goal is to reduce the risk of another cardiac event or to keep an already present heart condition from getting worse.

DeGraff Memorial Hospital is proud to offer a full continuum of supportive and restorative rehabilitation services delivered by outstanding professionals committed to their patients’ recovery. DeGraff continues to grow to serve North Tonawanda and the surrounding communities, and ensures the delivery of the same high quality care that our community has relied on for over a century. For more information on these and other services offered at DeGraff, visit degraff.kaleidahealth.org.