Call us at 1-833-252-2737 (TTY 711)

8AM-8PM Monday-Friday

Call us at 1-833-252-2737 (TTY 711)

8AM-8PM Monday-Friday
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Rehab at CenterLight Teamcare

In this blog post, Maria Lorena Cerni, Corporate Director of Rehab and Karina Gurevich, Regional Rehab Manager, discuss the role of Teamcare rehabilitation therapists and how the rehab staff works in conjunction with the rest of the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) to help keep our participants healthy and at home.



What is the role of rehab within the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT)?

MLC: As we age, our muscles get weaker, our bones get softer and we lose our flexibility. Rehab provides the exercise training that our participants need in order to be fit.

Rehab works with the participant and other members of the IDT in finding out what’s most important in terms of exercise, safety in the home, and safety in the community. Each member of the team gets to know the participant and informs each other about any changes or issues that need to be addressed.



What is the difference between Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists?

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MLC:
Physical Therapists focus on evaluating a participant’s ability to walk, to climb up and down stairs, and their ability to go outside in the community like go to a baseball park and have fun.

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The Occupational Therapist will help you find out what’s most important in your life in terms of being able to take care of yourself like dressing, cooking, feeding, taking a shower, going to the bathroom, going grocery shopping, or taking a walk in the park.

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The Speech Therapists’ focus is evaluating our participants’ ability to communicate and their ability to swallow safely so they can have the appropriate diet consistency and be well nourished.


How does rehab help participants stay healthy and at home?

KG: The rehab department goes to our participants’ homes to make sure that they are safe. Together with the IDT, we evaluate their needs and provide them with the appropriate equipment to ensure that they reach and maintain their maximum level of function. This also helps prevent them from going to the hospital.

MLC: We also provide them with the training they need so they can continue to exercise, do their self care activities, and be fit.

 

What other services does rehab at CenterLight Teamcare provide?

KG: At CenterLight Teamcare, we provide participants unlimited access to our open gym, supervised by therapists. Plus, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy services depending on the participants’ needs as prescribed by the IDT. If a participant declines in their function, we provide unlimited therapy services until the participant gets back to their maximum level of function.

If our participants finish physical therapy or occupational therapy, we provide what’s called open gym services. Our participants can come in and use our equipment under a physical therapist’s or occupational therapist’s supervision.

The rehab department also conducts group classes on a daily basis. We do what’s called therabands, sometimes we do weights, we get the entire center circle in and participate with the therapists. The goal of these classes is to maintain our participants’ strength, current function and their well-being. And our participants are extremely happy when we conduct these classes.


How does rehab benefit caregivers?

MLC: Rehab is beneficial to caregivers and family members because we teach and train them as well, so we can ensure continuity of care.


Why did you become a rehab therapist?

MLC: Working with the participants brings me joy in my life. Everytime I see them happy and healthy, that puts a smile in my face.

KG: The reason I became a physical therapist is because I enjoy helping our participants get stronger, when they go from being bed bound or a hospital to being back home and be able to enjoy their family and be able to walk and be able to talk. It makes me feel great because I get to see that smile on their face and on their family, so this way, I could see them go back to their prior level of function and enjoy whatever it was that they enjoyed in their life.

 
For more information, contact us at 1-877-212-8877, Monday-Friday, 8AM - 8PM. TTY users should call 711. Representatives and message service also available on weekends.

H3329_2019_BlogRehab Approved 11012019
Pending CMS and DOH approval
Last updated October 21, 2019

 

About the writers

Maria Lorena Cerni has been working at CenterLight Teamcare for more than 7 years.

Lorena
Karina

Karina Gurevich has been working at CenterLight Teamcare for nearly 3 years.


If you have questions, please call us at 1-877-212-8877, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. TTY users should call 711. You may also request a callback from one of our representatives by completing the form below:

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