Transportation for Stroke Patients in Metro Detroit: Rides to Rehab, Therapy and Follow-Ups

Your dad came home from the hospital last week. He's doing better than anyone expected, but his right side is still weak, he tires quickly, and his doctor has been clear: no driving for now. His calendar, meanwhile, is filling up with physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, a neurology follow-up and a primary care visit. Someone has to get him to all of it.

This guide covers transportation for stroke patients in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties: which kind of ride fits, what the driver should know, how to set up a recurring therapy schedule, and how the rides are paid for. It's written for spouses and adult children, and for the discharge planners and therapy schedulers who help families plan the weeks after a stroke.

CuraTransit is a non-emergency medical transportation company based in Southfield. We drive wheelchair users and people who walk with a cane or walker to medical appointments across Metro Detroit every day.

The short answer

Most people can't drive for a while after a stroke, but rehab and follow-up visits start quickly. Book door-to-door rides: a wheelchair van if the person uses a wheelchair or can't get into a car safely, or an assisted ambulatory ride if they walk with a cane or walker. Set up therapy visits as one recurring schedule. CuraTransit covers Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties. Call 248-320-9092 or book a ride.

Why transportation for stroke patients is a real problem

Stroke is common, and the recovery is long. The CDC reports that more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke every year, that stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability, and that it reduces mobility in more than half of stroke survivors age 65 and older (CDC stroke facts).

Rehab also starts early. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, rehabilitation therapy usually first takes place in the hospital within 48 hours of the stroke (NINDS, "Know Stroke: Recovery Through Rehabilitation"). After the hospital and any inpatient rehab stay, many survivors continue with outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy, often on a recurring weekly schedule.

That creates a gap families feel right away:

• The stroke survivor usually can't drive, and may not be able to get in and out of a car without help
• The spouse may not drive, or may not be able to lift or steady them safely
• Adult children have jobs, and therapy runs on weekdays
• A curbside taxi or rideshare drops the person at the entrance and leaves, which is a problem when they need help walking in or checking in

Missing therapy sessions because no one could drive is one of the most avoidable setbacks in recovery. Planning transportation early, ideally before discharge, keeps the schedule on track.

Which ride fits after a stroke?

Stroke affects people very differently. Some walk out of the hospital with a cane; others leave in a wheelchair. Match the ride to how the person moves today, and change it as they improve.

A wheelchair van for stroke patients is often the safer choice in the early weeks, even for someone who can stand with help. Getting from a wheelchair into a low car seat, with one side weaker than the other, is a hard transfer. Rolling up a ramp in their own chair avoids it entirely. For a broader comparison, see wheelchair van vs. ambulance vs. rideshare.

If the person is having new stroke symptoms, such as sudden weakness, trouble speaking or a drooping face, call 911. NEMT rides are for scheduled, non-emergency trips only.

Can you drive after a stroke?

Not until the care team says so. The American Stroke Association advises survivors to talk with their healthcare professional about whether it's safe to drive, and suggests an assessment by a rehabilitation specialist or a certified driver rehabilitation specialist before getting back behind the wheel (American Stroke Association, "Driving After Stroke").

In Michigan, the Secretary of State can also review a driver whose safety is in question. A Request for Driver Evaluation (form DA-88) can be submitted by the medical community, police, family members and others, and the reexamination can include vision screening, a knowledge test and an on-road test, plus a medical statement completed by a physician or other licensed clinician (Michigan Secretary of State, Driver Assessment).

For families, the practical point is simple: plan on someone else doing the driving for therapy and follow-up visits, and treat a return to driving as a goal the care team signs off on, not a date on the calendar.

Rides to stroke rehab, step by step

These steps work for a single neurology visit or a three-day-a-week therapy schedule.

1. Start before discharge. Ask the discharge planner or rehab social worker which outpatient program the person is going to, the expected schedule and the start date. Book the first rides before the person comes home.
2. Tell us how they move. Wheelchair (manual or power), walker or cane; which side is weaker; and how the therapists have taught them to stand and transfer. Our drivers follow that plan rather than improvising.
3. Share communication needs. NINDS notes that at least one in four people who have a stroke have difficulty talking or understanding language (aphasia). If that applies, tell us when you book. A short note card with the person's name, your phone number and the clinic name helps, and a companion can ride along.
4. Describe the home entrance. Porch steps, a ramp, a side door or a long driveway all change the pickup. In winter, clear and salt the path before the ride.
5. Book the whole schedule at once. Give us the days, times, clinic address and suite. We set it up as a recurring schedule, with the same driver whenever possible.
6. Plan the return trip. Therapy sessions can be tiring. Book the ride home with an estimated end time so nobody waits in the lobby; if a session runs long, call and we adjust.
7. Update us as recovery changes. Many people move from a wheelchair to a walker over the course of rehab. Tell us and we'll switch the ride type.

Here's how that can look. A Warren family books rides for their mother's outpatient therapy three mornings a week, plus a neurology follow-up. For the first month she rides in her own wheelchair in the van, and her husband takes the companion seat. When her therapist clears her to walk with a quad cane, the family calls and her rides switch to assisted ambulatory, same days, same times.

Setting up rides for a parent after a stroke? Call 248-320-9092 or book online. We'll confirm the ride type, the companion seat and the price before the first trip.

Outpatient stroke therapy transportation across Metro Detroit

Outpatient stroke therapy takes place in hospitals, rehab centers and clinics all over the region, and a survivor's care often crosses county lines. Some of the programs families are referred to:

• Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM), part of the Detroit Medical Center, runs a CARF-accredited inpatient stroke program in Detroit and lists outpatient locations including its Northwest Detroit, Novi and Sterling Heights centers and Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital (RIM stroke rehabilitation).
• Henry Ford Health offers inpatient stroke rehab at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital and Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, and outpatient stroke rehab at more than 20 locations in southeast and south central Michigan (Henry Ford stroke recovery and rehabilitation).
• Corewell Health, whose inpatient rehabilitation serves patients recovering from stroke among other conditions (Corewell Health inpatient rehabilitation), plus many independent outpatient therapy clinics across the three counties.

CuraTransit is not affiliated with any of these health systems. We drive patients to whichever program their doctor chose:

• Wayne County. Homes in Detroit, Dearborn and Livonia to the DMC campus, RIM Northwest Detroit, Henry Ford Wyandotte and local clinics. See Wayne County.
• Oakland County. Southfield, Royal Oak, Troy, Farmington Hills and Novi, including RIM Novi and the Corewell Health hospitals in Royal Oak and Troy. See Oakland County.
• Macomb County. Warren, Sterling Heights and Clinton Township, including RIM Sterling Heights and Henry Ford Macomb. See Macomb County.

Transportation after a stroke in Metro Detroit often means a Livonia patient seeing a specialist in Detroit, or a Southfield patient doing therapy in Sterling Heights. That's routine for us. Longer trips outside the three counties are quoted case by case depending on distance.

What to bring on therapy and follow-up days

• ID, insurance cards and the clinic's paperwork
• The current medication list, especially for the first follow-up after discharge
• The person's own mobility aids: wheelchair, walker, cane, any brace or splint the therapist wants them to wear
• Comfortable clothes and supportive shoes that work for therapy
• Water and a small snack for longer days
• Glasses and hearing aids, and a written list of questions for the doctor
• A communication aid if speech is affected, such as a note card, a picture board or a phone app the person already uses

For discharge planners, rehab units and senior communities

Stroke patients move through several settings: the hospital, inpatient rehab or a skilled nursing stay, then home or assisted living with outpatient therapy. Every handoff needs a ride.

CuraTransit works with facilities across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties:

• Discharge rides from the hospital to inpatient rehab, a skilled nursing facility or home, booked by phone, email or fax (248-919-0942). Our hospital discharge transportation checklist covers what to send.
• Recurring outpatient therapy rides for residents of skilled nursing and assisted living communities, kept on the calendar with the same driver whenever possible
• Direct handoffs to staff or family on return, not a drop-off at the curb
• Contract pricing for regular volume. See patient transportation contracts or set up an account on our Healthcare Partners page.

Our drivers are trained, background-checked and CPR-certified. They help with mobility, securement and handoffs, but they are not medical staff. If a patient needs clinical supervision during the trip, the facility should arrange a staff escort or an ambulance.

How rides after a stroke are paid for

With CuraTransit, rides are paid in one of four ways:

1. Private pay. Most families book and pay directly. We quote the price before booking, based on distance, ride type and wait time. See private pay medical transportation. Some families also use HSA or FSA funds; see using an HSA for medical transportation.
2. Facility contract. Hospitals, rehab units, skilled nursing and assisted living communities with an account schedule rides and are billed on agreed terms.
3. Michigan auto no-fault (PIP). Only when the rides are for treatment of injuries from a car accident, after benefit verification. A stroke on its own is not an auto claim. See Michigan no-fault medical transportation.
4. MACP. For eligible car-accident cases with no applicable auto policy, once the claim is assigned and benefits are verified.

Our insurance and payment page explains each option.

Frequently asked questions

How do stroke patients get to therapy if they can't drive?

Most families book door-to-door rides with a non-emergency medical transportation provider. A wheelchair van works for people who use a wheelchair or can't transfer into a car safely; an assisted ambulatory ride works for people who walk with a cane or walker.

Is a wheelchair van better than a car after a stroke?

Often, yes, in the early weeks. In a wheelchair van the person stays in their own chair and rolls up a ramp, so there's no transfer into a low car seat with a weaker side. Once their therapist says car transfers are safe, an ambulatory ride may be enough.

Can a family member ride along to stroke rehab?

Yes. A spouse, adult child or caregiver can ride in the companion seat. Mention it when you book so we reserve the seat.

Can you set up recurring rides for outpatient therapy?

Yes. Give us the therapy days, times and clinic address and we'll set up a recurring schedule, with the same driver whenever possible. Call if the schedule changes.

When can you drive after a stroke?

Only when your care team says it's safe. The American Stroke Association recommends asking your healthcare professional and getting a driving assessment from a rehabilitation specialist. In Michigan, the Secretary of State can also require a driver reexamination.

Does insurance pay for transportation for stroke patients?

CuraTransit accepts private pay, facility contracts, and Michigan no-fault or MACP benefits when the rides are for car-accident injuries. For most stroke survivors, rides are private pay or arranged by a facility. We quote the price before you book.

Do you provide stretcher transport after a stroke?

No. CuraTransit provides wheelchair-accessible van and ambulatory rides only. If the person must lie flat or needs monitoring during the trip, use an ambulance provider.

Keep recovery on schedule

Recovery after a stroke takes months of steady work, and every missed therapy session is a step lost. CuraTransit provides door-to-door transportation for stroke patients across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties, in wheelchair vans or assisted ambulatory rides, with a companion seat for the person they trust. Rides are paid through private pay, a facility contract, or Michigan no-fault and MACP benefits after verification when an accident is involved. Book a ride, set up a facility account on our partners page, or contact us at 248-320-9092.

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Sources: CDC — Stroke Facts; NINDS — Know Stroke: Recovery Through Rehabilitation; American Stroke Association — Driving After Stroke; Michigan Secretary of State — Driver Assessment; Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan — Stroke Rehabilitation; Henry Ford Health — Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation.