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LAKEWOOD, NJ – If you break your arm, suffer a stroke or undergo a total knee joint replacement, chances are your doctor will refer you for physical therapy.
October is National Physical Therapy Month; Kimball Medical Center is recognizing its physical therapy staff and their efforts to help individuals recover from injury and illness, regain strength and mobility, find relief from pain, and restore independence and good health.
“We help to empower patients who are experiencing short- and long-term debilitation for a variety of reasons. With our assistance, they can overcome their injury or illness and live life to the fullest,” says David Terlizzi, director of Rehabilitation Services at Kimball Medical Center’s Institute for Rehabilitative and Occupational Health Services. “Our job is to help patients function as best they can within their unique situation,” he adds.
Hands-on patient care, along with therapeutic exercise and functional training, are the cornerstones of physical therapist treatment at Kimball Medical Center, according to Terlizzi. Depending on the particular needs of each patient, physical therapists may manipulate a joint, exercise a limb, or massage a muscle to promote proper movement and function. The team also utilizes electrotherapy, ultrasound, heat and ice therapy, as well as other techniques and treatments to help patients. “Our team of physical therapists will also work with individuals to prevent loss of mobility by developing fitness programs and wellness plans. All of this is geared to promote a healthier, more active lifestyle,” adds Terlizzi.
Kimball Medical Center offers a comprehensive array of inpatient and outpatient physical therapy services through its Rehabilitation department, logging some 7,000 inpatient and 11,000 outpatient visits each year.
According to Terlizzi, his staff works with a wide range of patients with a variety of different conditions. “We help patients ease back and neck pain, and manage spine and joint conditions. We help children with conditions such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida improve their overall function and quality of life. We help young athletes with sports injuries, and older adults recovering from stroke or recuperating from joint replacement surgery – and everyone in between,” he adds.
Educating patients to help prevent injuries is another role that Terlizzi and his team of therapists take seriously. “Falls account for the largest number of injuries among older adults, and they often lead to a loss of independence,” he states. This month, to help educate their patients, the department has put up display boards promoting home safety tips and information. “We also have a safety checklist that people can take back to their residence and look for ways to make their home safer, particularly when it comes to decreasing the incidence of falls in the home,” he says.
In addition to physical therapy services, Kimball Medical Center’s comprehensive array of inpatient rehabilitation also includes occupational therapy, speech and language pathology and audiology services.
The hospital also offers comprehensive outpatient services through Kimball Medical Center’s Institute for Rehabilitative and Occupational Health Services. The facility, conveniently located on the hospital’s campus at 500 River Avenue in Lakewood, offers a continuum of rehabilitative care that crosses a multitude of specialties including post-stroke care, sports' injury rehabilitation, pediatric rehab programs, speech, language and audiology services and a corporate health and workers compensation program, in addition to a Wound Care Center. Last year, according to Terlizzi, the Institute provided approximately 12,500 outpatient visits.
“The Institute provides area residents with convenient access to some of the region's most specialized physicians, nurses, therapists and support staff all under one roof,” says Terlizzi. “The state-of-the-art facility provides a full array of occupational and physical therapy services as well as speech-language pathology and audiology services for people of all ages and abilities,” he notes.
“The Institute also houses our Corporate Care program – offering health care services and worker’s compensation programs to area businesses,” he adds.
By offering a continuum of care, customized therapy, and access to the latest advances in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, Kimball Medical Center’s team stands ready to help every patient return to their optimal level of function and good health.
“We provide a large variety of inpatient and outpatient services to all different ages and all different abilities. Our staff is highly skilled and dedicated to instilling hope, a sense of achievement and ensuring success as they work together with our patients to restore their highest functional ability,” he adds.
For more information about physical therapy or other rehabilitation services or corporate healthcare programs available at Kimball Medical Center or through the Kimball Institute for Rehabilitative and Occupational Health Services, please call 1-888-SBHS-123
(888-724-7123).
Date: October 24, 2008
CONTACT: Carrie Cristello
Director, Public Relations
732-923-6552
ccristello@sbhcs.com
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