Stroke Rehabilitation For Irish Patients.
Intensive inpatient rehabilitation after a stroke, at a 287-bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Greece. At least 3 hours of therapy a day and a three-pool hydrotherapy complex. Reimbursed by the HSE.
No referral or paperwork needed for the first call.
Stroke rehabilitation at Evexia Plus
Evexia Plus is a specialist Rehabilitation Hospital near Thessaloniki, Greece, where people from Ireland come for intensive stroke rehabilitation as inpatients. A physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation leads your programme. A team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, psychologists and nurses works with you every day, with at least 3 hours of therapy a day. There is no waiting list: admission can be arranged as soon as your medical records are reviewed. Under the EU Cross-Border Healthcare Directive, the cost is reimbursable by the HSE.
- Led by
- A physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Therapy
- At least 3 hours a day, goals reviewed weekly
- Where
- Near Thessaloniki, Greece, about four hours' direct flight from Dublin
- Funding
- Reimbursable by the HSE under the EU Cross-Border Directive
- Start
- No waiting list, once your records are reviewed
How rehabilitation after a stroke helps
The brain can relearn.
A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, by a clot (an ischaemic stroke) or a bleed (a haemorrhagic stroke). Depending on the part of the brain affected, it can leave weakness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, understanding or swallowing, changes in vision, tiredness, low mood, and problems with memory and concentration.
With the right practice, other areas of the brain take over some of the work, a process called neuroplasticity. Recovery is usually fastest in the first few months, but it does not stop there: with clear goals and enough practice, many people keep improving long after a stroke.
What makes the difference is the amount and the kind of practice. Stroke rehabilitation guidelines recommend at least 3 hours of therapy a day for people who can take part, spent practising the real things you want to do again, many times over. That is what our programme is built around.
How we support your stroke recovery
Enough practice, every day
At least 3 hours of therapy a day across physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and hydrotherapy, planned by your rehabilitation physician and reviewed with you every week.
Stroke physiotherapy and gait
Daily physiotherapy for balance and gait, with treadmill training monitored by heart rate, robotic gait training, body-weight-supported gait training and functional electrical stimulation (FES) when you need them.
Arm and hand
Occupational therapy built around daily tasks, including constraint-induced movement therapy and two-handed training where suitable, with robotic and virtual-reality systems for extra practice.
Stiffness and spasticity
Daily stretching and positioning, splints and air splints, standing on a tilt table, shockwave therapy and electrical stimulation, with warm-water pool sessions to ease stiff muscles.
Speech and language
Speech and language therapy daily for most people, in fluent English, with aphasia therapy and communication aids where speech is limited.
Swallowing
FEES swallowing assessment on site, swallowing therapy with neuromuscular electrical stimulation where helpful, and texture-modified meals from our own kitchen.
Mood, memory and thinking
Our psychology and neuropsychology team assesses thinking and mood when you arrive, and supports you and your family through the stay.
Water
Our three-pool hydrotherapy complex, with hoists and adaptive equipment, so you can often stand and step in the water before you can on land. Your physician checks that the pool is safe for you first.
Your stroke rehabilitation programme
Every programme is planned around your goals by a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician, who leads the team and reviews your progress with you every week. Most people work with several of these services each day:
Physiotherapy and robotics
Gait and balance training, robotics, FES and virtual reality.
See the service
Occupational therapy
Washing, dressing, cooking, arm and hand training, and planning for home.
See the service
Speech and swallowing
Aphasia therapy, communication aids, FEES assessment and swallowing therapy.
See the service
Hydrotherapy
Therapy in our three-pool complex, indoor and outdoor, with poolside hoists.
See the service
Psychology and neuropsychology
Memory, mood and adjustment, for you and your family.
See the service
Neuromodulation
Non-invasive brain stimulation alongside therapy, if your physician recommends it.
See the serviceA typical day
The day is planned around your energy. Tiredness is common after a stroke, so rest is built in, and the timetable changes as your goals change.
Morning
Physiotherapy, then occupational therapy
Gait and balance first, then the tasks of daily life.
Midday
Lunch and rest
Served at your bedside.
Afternoon
Speech therapy, then the pool or psychology
Depending on your plan for the week.
Evening
Time with your family
In the gardens, the lounges or your room.
What to expect during your stay
In the first days, the team assesses you and agrees your goals with you, and with your family if you wish. Realistic goals might be:
Recovery after a stroke is different for everyone, and we cannot promise a particular result. What we can promise is that we track your progress, review your goals every week and tell you honestly what we see, including when progress is slow. Before you leave, occupational therapy prepares a plan for home, and we send a full report to your doctor in Ireland.
From the first call to coming home
Most people have never arranged care abroad. This is the whole route, so you know what happens next and who does it.
Before you travel
- 1
Talk to us
Call, send a WhatsApp message or use the form. We explain how the Cross-Border Directive works and what we need from you.
- 2
Send your records
A recent medical summary, your medication list and any recent scans. Our physician reviews them and tells you honestly whether a stay is likely to help.
- 3
Referral and estimate
Ask your GP or public hospital consultant for a dated referral letter; we tell you exactly what it should say. We send a written estimate in English before you commit.
Your stay
- 4
Choose your date
There is no waiting list. You choose the date, and we meet you at Thessaloniki airport.
- 5
Consultation and admission
The outpatient consultation with our physician the day before admission, then your programme starts.
- 6
Your stay
At least 3 hours of therapy a day, with your goals reviewed every week.
Back home
- 7
Home and your claim
You go home with a plan for home, a full report for your doctor and every document the HSE claim needs.
How the HSE reimburses stroke rehabilitation
Stroke rehabilitation at Evexia Plus is reimbursable by the HSE under the EU Cross-Border Healthcare Directive. You don't need a medical card or private insurance.
You pay the hospital
You pay Evexia Plus directly for your stay.
You claim from the HSE
With the documents we give you at discharge.
The HSE repays you
What you paid, up to what the same care would cost in the Irish public system.
What the HSE needs
- 01
A referral letter from your GP, or from a hospital consultant who sees you as a public patient.
- 02Our recommendation
An outpatient consultation, in person, dated after the referral. Have it with our physician in Greece the day before admission: one trip, and no wait for a clinic appointment in Ireland.
- 03Optional
Prior Notification gives an indicative figure, not a guarantee, and with current delays the HSE's reply can take months. We usually advise going ahead without it, because the HSE assesses every claim after treatment either way.
Reimbursable
- The inpatient programme (therapy, nursing care and your stay in the hospital)
- Medicines and tests during the stay
- The outpatient consultation at the HSE's rate
Not reimbursable
- Flights and other travel
- Family travel and accommodation outside the hospital
- Medicines you take home
Before you commit, our team sends a written estimate in English. At discharge, we give you every document the claim needs.
Your family can stay with you
Rehabilitation goes better with the people you love close by. One family member can stay with you free of charge, in your room or in nearby accommodation we arrange.
See Evexia Plus before you travel.
Photos and reels from the therapy halls and the pools. Follow us for a closer look.
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Questions about stroke rehabilitation
How soon after a stroke can rehabilitation start?
As soon as you are medically stable and our physician has reviewed your records. For many people that is within weeks of the stroke, when the brain is most ready to relearn. There is no waiting list, so once the records are reviewed you choose your admission date.
Is it too late if the stroke was a year or more ago?
Often it is not. Most recovery happens in the first few months, but people can still make meaningful gains in walking, arm use and communication years after a stroke, with clear goals and a lot of focused practice. Our physician will look at your records and tell you honestly what might realistically change.
How long does recovery from a stroke take?
It is different for everyone. Recovery is usually quickest in the first three months and can continue for much longer. The length of your stay is set by the consultant at your outpatient consultation and reviewed every week with you. The HSE does not limit the number of weeks it reimburses; it caps the rate.
Can I be admitted if I can't walk or speak yet?
Yes. You don't need to be walking. Physiotherapy includes robotic and body-weight-supported gait training, and the water in our pools can make standing and stepping possible earlier. Our speech and language therapists, who work in fluent English, help with communication and swallowing, using communication aids where speech is limited.
How much therapy will I have each day?
At least 3 hours of therapy a day, combining physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and, where helpful, hydrotherapy and psychology. Your physician sets the mix and reviews it with you every week. Rest is built into the day, because tiredness is common after a stroke.
How does hydrotherapy help after a stroke?
Water supports your weight, so you can often stand, step and move in the pool before you can safely do so on land, with less fear of falling. Our three-pool complex has hoists and adaptive equipment for every level of mobility.
Can I arrange stroke rehabilitation from Cork, Galway or Limerick?
Yes. It makes no difference where in Ireland you live. Everything before you travel is done from home: you talk to us by phone or WhatsApp, send your records by email, and your own GP writes the referral, whether that is in Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford or Dublin. You don't need a clinic appointment in Dublin first, because the outpatient consultation can take place with our physician in Greece, the day before admission.
Does the HSE pay for stroke rehabilitation abroad?
Yes, under the EU Cross-Border Healthcare Directive. You pay the hospital directly, then the HSE repays what you paid, up to what the same care would cost in the Irish public system. You need a referral from your GP or a public hospital consultant and an outpatient consultation. Flights and family accommodation outside the hospital are not reimbursable.
Where does the outpatient consultation take place?
You can have it in Ireland with a public hospital consultant, or with our physician in Greece on the day before admission. We recommend the second: you make one trip and avoid waiting for a clinic appointment. Either way, it must take place after the date on your referral letter.
Can my family stay with me?
Yes. One family member stays free of charge, in your room or nearby accommodation we arrange. More relatives can stay in seaside hotels five minutes away, family can visit every day, and airport transfers are free for you and your family. Our psychology team supports family members too.
What happens when I go home?
We plan for home from the start. You leave with a home plan from occupational therapy, and we send a full report to your GP or consultant in Ireland, so the people caring for you there can carry on the work. You also receive every document your HSE claim needs.
