By LOIS KINDLE
When it comes to providing outstanding physical, occupational and speech therapies, Sun Terrace Rehabilitation Center never stops in its pursuit to remain the area’s provider of choice.
Its parent company, Clear Choice Health Care, made a significant investment over the past several years by enlarging and upgrading Sun Terrace’s rehab facility, introducing an ADL (activities of daily living) gym and adding two new HydroWorx pools for aquatic therapy and rehab.
“The purpose of our doing this is to reach out to our community and offer cutting-edge therapy services not available elsewhere,” said Joelle Schahfer, Clear Choice’s regional director of rehabilitation. “We’re investing in our patients’ overall health care with the goal of trying to meet everyone’s needs, regardless of age or physical condition.
“And we will continue to invest in both facilities on campus,” she said, referring to Sun Terrace Rehabilitation Center and Sun Towers Outpatient Therapy.
Heather Movley, COPA, shows how patients can walk in the new aquatic therapy pools to gain strength and endurance and improve their gait.
But seeing is believing.
Sun Terrace Rehabilitation Center is hosting an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. March 23 to showcase its recently completed renovation project, including its new, indoor therapy pools.
The open house is being held in conjunction with March Madness for Moffitt, so tickets will be sold for a Lotto board, fancy wine basket and 50/50 raffle. RSVPs are not required and admission is free. The event will include a strolling musician, hot hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and free valet parking.
Visitors will be especially impressed by the indoor pools for aquatic therapy, an especially effective exercise modality for the community’s senior population. And they’ll have the opportunity to learn more about Sun Terrace’s aquatic therapy program, which was started years ago in the Sun Towers Retirement Community’s outdoor pool by Vicki Kosky, Sun Terrace director of rehabilitation and speech-language pathologist; Jennipher Lenoir Robbins, certified occupational therapist assistant; and Taryn Rzepkowski, licensed physical therapist assistant. Robbins and Rzepkowski both specialize in aquatics therapy.
Aquatic therapy has been proven to be of great benefit to folks who are injured, disabled or otherwise unable to perform traditional forms of exercise comfortably and safely.
Certified occupational therapists Jennipher Lenoir Robbins, standing, and Heather Movley are seen here demonstrating Watsu, a form of aquatic therapy involving stretches, massage and acupressure in warm water, which has been shown to have many therapeutic benefits.
From left, Sun Terrace Rehab therapists Vicki Kosky, Heather Movley and Jennipher Lenoir Robbins demonstrate the lift for non-ambulatory patients at one of the two new aquatic therapy pools recently opened at the facility.
“It allows us to do so much more for both inpatients and outpatients,” said Kosky. “It can help patients with chronic pain, orthopedic conditions, range-of-motion limitations and many other issues.”
Vicki Kosky, Sun Terrace director of rehabilitation, stands inside the new ADL (activities of daily living) kitchen, where patients needing occupational therapy work perform tasks they will use at home under the supervision of a therapist.
That’s because the goals of aquatic therapy include improving balance and coordination, building muscle strength and endurance, enhancing flexibility and range of motion, assisting with gait and movement, reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
LOIS KINDLE PHOTOS
Taryn Rzepkowski, LPTA, left; Vicki Kosky, director of rehabilitation and SLP; and Jennipher Lenoir Robbins, COTA, are the heart of the aquatic therapy program at Sun Terrace Rehabilitation Center.
Aquatic therapy can decrease pain and reduce edema [swelling], slow down muscle atrophy, improve heart rate, relax spastic muscle tone, improve aerobic capacity and more.
“We like to say, ‘Exercise doesn’t have to be so dry,’” said Robbins, noting aquatic therapy is perfect for people with chronic pain, folks who don’t swim and those who are afraid of water. “The therapy takes place in a controlled environment with one-on-one supervision in the pool with a therapist. We give people options and help them remain safely independent.”
Sun Terrace has been recognized as a 5 Star facility by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and has received the Governor’s Gold Seal. The facility has been certified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation for Health Care Organizations.
For more information, call 813-634-3324.