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A Perfect Fit for Sidney

Posted on February 18, 2020 in Active Aging, Community Care, Health and Wellness, In The News

A report to the community: Looking back at three years of the Sargeant Family Center for Aquatic Therapy & Rehab

Just three short years ago, a revolutionary new healthcare concept was unveiled in Sidney. What began as a local idea was brought to life by a nearly century-old nonprofit and a visionary group of Sidney area residents and business owners.

Today, the Sargeant Family Center for Aquatic Therapy & Rehab – located at Ohio Living Dorothy Love – is the area’s premier outpatient therapy and short-term rehabilitation center. And it’s just what the Miami Valley needed.

 

 

Ready for the Silver Tsunami

In 10 years, almost one-third of the total population in the Miami Valley will be age 65 and older. This upcoming swell of the older population is sometimes called the “Silver Tsunami.” As this population grows, so will demand for services. This is especially noticeable in the area of short-term rehabilitation and outpatient therapy, as hospitals nationwide are releasing their patients much more quickly after treatment than in the past.

Because of donors, this area of Ohio will be ready. “The Sargeant Family Center is one strong reason the people of Sidney, Shelby County and beyond will have quality, reliable care and services in their own backyard,” said Patricia Atwood, Executive Director of Ohio Living Dorothy Love. “You don’t have to be a resident of our campus to take advantage of rehab, outpatient therapy, and aquatic therapy. It’s open to all people.”

 

Benefiting the Community

Keeping these services in the city is good for the local economy, and even better for its residents. Remaining close to home, family and friends can be key to successfully treating chronic illness, recovering from injury or surgery, and maintaining the highest level of functioning or wellness.

“Creating a short-term rehabilitation space that is separate from long-term nursing care was the right thing to do,” said Atwood. “People need a place to recover and regain strength, with staff that are specifically trained to meet their needs. Our Rehab Studios and the Sargeant Family Center are positive spaces of recovery and wellness, helping everyone focus on getting better and going back home.”

“The Sargeant Family Center for Rehab & Aquatic Therapy has been a godsend to the area,” said Chuck Kuhlman, Sidney resident and frequent outpatient therapy user. “Everyone appreciates having it available. It’s a resource to the community, and we’re lucky to have it.”

For Kuhlman, the fact that the center is part of a local entity and not a cog in the corporate healthcare machine makes a difference. “Ohio Living Dorothy Love has a soul. It’s obvious that it’s more than just a job to the people that work there. I can’t speak highly enough of the staff.”

The Sargeant Family Center is proving to be a popular option for numerous people who don’t already live on the campus. “Our patients appreciate the expanded therapy space, which is accommodating a higher number of users, allowing them to comfortably receive physical therapy and achieve the best outcomes possible,” said Atwood. “Patients are also benefiting from innovative equipment like the NeuroCom Balance Master, which provides advanced balance and mobility assessments and treatment.”

 

No Ordinary Pool

Adding advanced aquatic therapy brought something essential — and extraordinary — to people of all ages in the Miami Valley.

The HydroWorx 2000 warm water therapy pool contains technology such as underwater cameras, moveable resistance jets, an integrated treadmill and a rising floor for easy access, which make it one of the most progressive therapy tools available. Because of the body’s buoyancy in water, the HydroWorx pool eliminates 20 to 90 percent of an individual’s body weight. There is no pool of this kind anywhere else in the Miami Valley.

 

“Aquatic therapy is known for its amazing ability to speed recovery, prevent injuries and treat chronic illness; but moving through pain often stops people before they start,” Atwood explained. “In warm, soothing water the weight on joints is reduced, decreasing or even eliminating the pain commonly associated with therapy.

“Aquatic therapy can be ideal for people with chronic illness who have a difficult time exercising on land. Individuals with conditions including chronic pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, neuromuscular conditions and more are experiencing a variety of benefits from exercise in water at the Sargeant Family Center.”

 

For All Ages

Although located at Ohio Living Dorothy Love, everyone – regardless of age – has access to aquatic therapy. Atwood is particularly grateful for this accessibility.

Services in the Sargeant Family Center are typically covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicare, with a therapy prescription that’s less than 30 days old.

Many feel that Ohio Living Dorothy Love’s location is both convenient and accessible, with parking adjacent to the therapy entrance. Additionally, the quiet campus provides a relaxing and comforting environment conducive to recuperation.

 

A Cross-Country Endorsement

Local businessman and philanthropist Bob Sargeant, along with his late brother, John, were the lead donors that made the Sargeant Family Center possible. “My mother, brother, sister-in-law and wife have all been cared for at Ohio Living Dorothy Love,” said Bob. “I gave to this project and to several other of the campus’s charitable initiatives over the years because of how they cared for my family. Their people are the best, and highly dedicated.”

Now age 95, Bob has found himself on the receiving end of these services. “I spend most of my time on Marco Island in Florida. Four years ago, I broke my hip. I was in a very nice rehab facility, but I wasn’t happy with my care. So, I had myself transferred from Florida to Ohio Living Dorothy Love! My rehab was much better there, and it worked wonders. I spent two weeks in the new Rehab Studios before the therapy expansion and pool were even finished, and I’ve been independent ever since.”

 

In Gratitude to the People of Sidney

Nancy Hamilton, Gift Planning Director, emphasized the importance of the Sidney/Shelby County community to the success of the Sargeant Family Center and Ohio Living Dorothy Love. “Donors are the reason why Ohio Living Dorothy Love has become the model of care and service it is today. A total of 19 local individuals, families, and businesses donated the leadership gifts, and an additional cadre of donors rounded out the effort to fully fund the Center, a $1.5 million initiative.

“Your gifts have created this dynamic facility that serves not just the resident population of Ohio Living Dorothy Love, but the entire Miami Valley community. Know that your support is making a difference!”


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