Regardless of whether you are recovering from surgery, injury or illness, rehabilitation services will help you get back to the activities you love. Rehabilitation specialists take the time to carefully evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, help you set short-term and long-term goals, and work with you to create a therapy plan that will put you on the right track. The Rehabilitation Services Department at Helen Newberry Joy Hospital provides comprehensive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy services to inpatients, outpatients, and Long-Term Care residents. While providing service to patients not only at Helen Newberry Joy Hospital in Newberry but also in the Manistique Lakes Family Clinic in Curtis, it is our goal to help you maximize function in the shortest period of time.
Physical therapy can help those in any stage of life when movement and function are threatened by aging, injuries, diseases, disorders, conditions, or environmental factors. By participating in a therapy program, individuals can maximize their functional abilities and encourage activities and changes to help prevent further injury and improve their overall health. Deb Whitmer, HNJH Physical Therapist, has been working with patients for 33 years, most of that overseas, and just celebrated her 10 year anniversary with HNJH. She was instrumental in bringing rehabilitation services to the Manistique Lakes Family Clinic in Curtis where patients can make an appointment for services on Mondays and Thursdays. “We understand the cost involved for those individuals coming from out-of-town for physical therapy services, so being able to offer a full range of services and reduce travel time has really helped our patients,” says Whitmer.
Occupational therapy and physical therapy are often confused because both will help you perform everyday tasks as independently as possible. The main difference is that occupational therapy focuses on your ability to perform activities of daily living where physical therapy focuses on your ability to perform movements of your body. For example, an occupational therapist could help a client suffering from physical limitations to develop a substitute method for dressing or bathing, so as to regain independence in those areas. Participants in our swing bed program work with an occupational therapist to increase their independence for a return home. In some cases, the therapist will even conduct a home visit and potentially make recommendations for any necessary adaptations to ensure a safe return home.
Speech therapy addresses many disorders that may impact your ability to eat safely, communicate well, and process information efficiently. A speech therapist works with a wide variety of patients, from infants to the elderly, from sufferers of chronic diseases to victims of traumatic accidents. Patients might be experiencing issues with a variety of causes, including stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, aphasia, or suffering from impairments in memory, attention, judgment or speech and language development, etc.
Whitmer states, “You won’t find a more caring and compassionate staff than those who work in the HNJH Rehabilitation Services Department. Our highly qualified and trained staff are available to meet your therapy needs. We all truly enjoy taking care of our friends and neighbors.” A physician referral is needed to receive therapy services at our department. Appointments may be scheduled by calling 906.293.9231.