GWCH Rehabilitation, Eureka, KSMultidirectional Approach to Improving Quality of Life

Speech Therapy assists individuals who have difficulty communicating and/or swallowing effectively. These difficulties result from stroke, traumatic brain injury, developmental delays, degenerative disease or many other related diagnoses. Speech Therapy works with individuals either inpatient or outpatient, at home or in the skilled nursing facility. 

Some of the specific difficulties for adults include:

• Slurred speech
• Oral motor deficits
• Finding words to express wants or needs
• Getting the words out
• Thought processing
• Swallowing dysfunction affecting nutritional intake

For the pediatric population, Speech Therapy may work with:

• Increasing language and/or vocabulary skills
• Articulation
• Oral motor strengthening
• Swallowing dysfunction

These are just some of the areas that speech therapy addresses. There may be other problems that are not mentioned that interfere with the ability to communicate wants, needs or ideas effectively and/or swallow efficiently.

Occupational Therapy works with those, who because of physical, developmental, social or emotional problems, need special assistance to lead independent, productive and satisfying lives. Occupational Therapy involves the therapeutic use of self-care, work and play activities to increase:

• Independent function
• Enhance development
• Prevent disability

The occupational therapist often adapts a patient’s task or environment to achieve their maximum independence and improve quality of life. Occupational Therapy provides treatment in a variety of environments:

• On an outpatient basis
• At home
• As an inpatient in acute care
• In a skilled nursing facility

Occupational therapy provides treatment for people with upper extremity dysfunction or hand injuries. Carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain injury and tendon repairs often require custom splinting for the wrist and hand to allow healing and functional return.

• Vestibular training
• Wound care
• Assistive devices for walking consultations

Physical Therapy involves the rehabilitation of a person to restore function and prevent disability following disease, injury, surgery or amputation. Each client is evaluated and treated with an individualized Physical Therapy program to achieve maximal physical functioning in the most effective and efficient way possible. 

Therapeutic intervention may include:

• Exercise / Stretching
• Heat / Cold
• Electrotherapy
• Massage
• Gait and balance training
• Traction
• Anodyne Therapy
• Iontophoresis
• Manual therapy

Physical therapists treat the full spectrum of people, from infants to the elderly. This includes inpatients in acute care or skilled nursing facilities, outpatients and home health clients. The next time an ache or pain does not resolve on its own or other activities cannot be performed properly due to physical restriction, physical therapy may be the answer.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a Medicare-approved program that aids in the recovery of a qualifying heart event or condition. Greenwood County Hospital’s physician-supervised cardiac rehabilitation team will help you with exercise training, education on heart-healthy living and activities to help you return to a healthy, active life. 

Benefits include:

• Reduces your risk of future heart problems
• Can decrease the need for some medications
• Improves overall health by reducing heart risk factors
• Improves your quality of life

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program of education and exercise to increase awareness about your lungs and your disease. You will learn to achieve exercise and other activities with less shortness of breath. Pulmonary rehabilitation may even decrease the need for hospital visits.

The skills and knowledge learned in the program will

• help you feel better and manage your chronic lung disease
• allow you to become stronger by increasing your level of fitness
• help you to be more active so you can do the things you enjoy with your loved ones