By Jo Anne Efird, Lifestyles Editor
Sunday, October 26, 2008 — In honor of National Physical Therapy Month, the Lutheran Home of Albemarle treated its therapy department to a breakfast in their honor and gifted them with pumpkin and gingerbread fall candles with thank-you notes saying “You are the ‘spice’ of our residents’ lives.”
The therapy team has been at the Lutheran Home-Albemarle for nine years, enabling them to provide physical, occupation and speech therapy on site at the home.
Priscilla Vint, administrator of the Lutheran Home of Albemarle, said the conception of the short-term rehab unit came at a time when the needs of the seniors in the community were shifting.
“We saw that there was a need not only for long-term nursing care, but short-term stays as well. Seniors are now scheduling their surgeries, knee and hip replacements and planning on where and how they will recover and receive therapy. Many are opting for skilled facility rehab centers.”
They go to these centers for rehab following strokes, fractures and other illnesses. Physical, occupation or speech therapy works with residents at many levels of rehab — improvement on self-care, grooming, toileting, balance, splinting to prevent contractures, swallowing problems, strength endurance, etc.
In the past year nearly 100 residents have successfully transitioned back to their homes or improved to assisted living level following therapy services at the Lutheran Home.
