Featured Image: Members of the Riverton Team ( provided courtesy of Riverton Rehab & Healthcare)
Riverton Rehab & Healthcare Launches Stroke Recovery Program, Earns Pennsylvania’s First Skilled Nursing Stroke Rehabilitation Certification
PM&R Specialist Leading New Offering in Allentown, Pa.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (July 2, 2025) – Riverton Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Allentown has launched a Stroke Recovery Program, the first specialized subacute care offering of its kind for the region. In tandem, the center became the first in Pennsylvania – and one of the first in the nation – to earn the Skilled Nursing Facility Stroke Rehabilitation Certification offered by the American Heart Association®, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all.
Located at 803 N. Wahneta Street, Riverton offers post-hospital care, short-term rehab and long-term residential care. “Riverton’s Stroke Recovery program – designed to meet the American Heart Association’s evidence-based standards of care for stroke survivors – reflects its commitment to transformative skilled nursing services,” said Danielle Koons, regional vice president of market development – Pennsylvania for Marquis Health Consulting Services, which supports Riverton.
Riverton’s stroke rehabilitation services are tailored to meet the specific needs and goals of an individual, dependent on how they have been impacted by a stroke. Under the direction of Demetrice Ward, MD, MS, a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) specialist, the program aims to help restore physical function, gain strength and endurance, improve balance and mobility, manage pain and spasticity, overcome speech and communication deficits, and develop new cognitive strategies.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the U.S., and approximately 795,000 people each year experience a new or recurrent stroke, according to the American Heart Association’s 2024 statistical update. This certification provides a framework for evaluating skilled nursing facilities against rigorous science-based requirements for stroke rehabilitation, including program management, patient and caregiver education and support, care coordination, clinical management and quality improvement.
“When there are evidence-based processes during every phase of care, patients have the best opportunity for positive outcomes,” said Pamela Duncan, PhD, PT, FAPTA, FAHA, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association’s Skilled Nursing Facility Stroke Rehabilitation Certification Oversight Workgroup. “Participation in this certification benefits the patient and the facility by standardizing care, helping patients and their loved ones choose a facility that follows important best practices.”
The Association’s certification ensures stroke rehabilitation care is coordinated from pre-admission through discharge. “At Riverton, the team is committed to employing the most innovative care for its patients recovering from stroke,” Koons added. “With the certification, the American Heart Association has armed the center with additional tools and recognized its success.”
Riverton’s reputation for quality care and services is well established. The Lehigh County facility maintains a Five-Star Overall rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and has earned the prestigious Nursing Care Center Accreditation from The Joint Commission. Riverton Rehab & Healthcare Center is part of Riverton Enhanced Senior Living, a continuing care retirement community also offering personal care services and independent living apartments. A multi-million-dollar campus renovation is underway.
Additional information on Riverton can be found at rivertonrehab.com. Learn more about the American Heart Association’s Skilled Nursing Facility Stroke Rehabilitation Certification at heart.org/CertifiedCare.
Brick, N.J.-based Marquis Health Consulting Services provides administrative consulting services to skilled nursing facilities and senior living communities along the Eastern Seaboard. The company’s “Care, Anew” philosophy supports its mission to help clients transform industry processes, mindsets and outcomes. Marquis-serviced skilled nursing centers have access to an evolving suite of clinician-led specialty care models, signature services and comfort features – enabling innovation, compassion and purpose in every aspect of care.
Information provided to TVL by:
Sandy Crisafulli
