Genesis Rehab Services: Vitality to You Program

July 31, 2019

Vitality, by definition, is “the state of being strong, active, and full of energy”. Genesis Rehab Services (GRS) offers a unique program that embodies the essence of this definition. Vitality to You is an outpatient therapy services that brings occupational, physical, and speech therapy services directly to the client, in their home or community. GRS offers this program in the Omaha Metro and in various cities throughout the state.

Not only can they provide therapy services in the home or their clinic, but they can also complete therapy sessions in non-traditional environments, focusing on community integration. Common locations include, but are not limited to, grocery stores, the gym, church work areas, family member’s homes, camp sites, restaurants, sporting events, accessing public transportation, and indoor/outdoor leisure tasks. Their team of professional, knowledgeable, and compassionate therapists assists clients in developing the skills needed to be safe and successful at home and to confidently return the tasks they want and need to do in the community.

The GSB team has extensive training in complex diseases, pain, dementia management, seating and positions, falls and balance, and specialized equipment evaluations. In the Omaha Metro area, Vitality to You also provides specialty programs for Parkinson’s disease. The program targets the Parkinson’s symptoms using the LSVT BIG ©️ and SPEAK OUT! ©️ Programs.

LSVT BIG ©️ is a four times per week, one month long program designed to combat the common motor symptoms of Parkinson’s such as shuffling gait, rigidity, small movements, poor posture, and loss of balance. The SPEAK OUT! ©️ program focuses on speech production, vocal quality, volume an control, along with a home exercise program to help maintain function once therapy is complete. Based on individual needs and personal goals, the team develops an individualized plan of care to increase safety and independence.

Listed below are common reasons for therapy services:

Physical Therapy

• Unsteady gait
• Frequent falls
• Loss of range of motion
• Pain
• Decreased activity tolerance
• Difficulty with transfers
• Difficulty with mobility

Occupational Therapy

• Decreased success to complete Activities of Daily Living (dressing, bathing, toileting, grooming, and hygiene, self-feeding)
• Decreased independence with home management or community tasks
• Adaptive equipment recommendation and evaluations
• Decreased safety at home
• LSVT BIG ©️ (Omaha Metro area)

Speech Therapy

• Changes with speech, resulting in others having difficulty understanding you
• Trouble expressing wants, needs and/or socializing less
• Problems with understanding or following directions
• Changes in vocal quality
• Difficulty with cognition (i.e. focusing, problem solving, memory, organizing thoughts, etc.)
• Difficulty swallowing
• SPEAK OUT! ©️ (Omaha Metro area)

Vitality to You in Omaha is the only Vitality program based out of a skilled nursing facility. If a skilled need is required, the Vitality therapists can develop a plan of care at the facility, then transition to the Vitality program after discharge. The team is able to follow clients through the entire continuum of care.

How to get started:

1. Obtain an order for occupational, physical, or speech therapy services from your primary doctor or neurologist. The Vitality team can assist wit retrieving orders and determining which services would be the most beneficial.
2. Verify insurance coverage.
3. Get started with therapy services.

For Vitality to You program information, referrals, skilled nursing care, or assistance obtaining physician’s orders, please contact:

Molly Ganow Senior Director of Rehabilitation 2525 S. 135th Ave Omaha, NE Phone: 402-350-4232 Fax: 402-333-3356 molly.ganow@genesishcc.com

For information regarding the Parkinson’s specialty program in the Omaha area, please contact:

Amber Rieken OTR/L, MOT, Certified Dementia Practitioner, LSVT BIG©️ Phone: 402-350-4232 amber.rieken@genesishcc.com

For information on the Vitality to You program offered throughout the state, please contact RehabReferrals@vitalitytoyou.com.

Vitality to You can assist in returning to independence at home or in the community. Take control over Parkinson’s disease, and live life to the fullest!

Delay the Disease training improves Parkinson’s services in Nebraska

July 19, 2019

Parkinson’s Nebraska welcomed 55 professionals from across Nebraska to the Midwest Delay the Disease training in Grand Island, Neb., on July 18-19. The training provided attendees with the knowledge and tools to design and implement a community-based, Parkinson’s- specific exercise class. Because of the Parkinson’s Nebraska commitment to making training accessible, all attendees were provided with the cost of registration, lodging, a mileage stipend, and meals throughout the training.  

Jackie Russell, RN, BSN, CNOR and David Zid, BA, ACE, APG, the co-founders of the Delay the Disease program and training instructors, led an informative and interactive workshop. The training began with Jackie sharing the science and evidence- based benefits of exercise. David led the rest of the training, teaching exercises that target Parkinson’s symptoms and how to design a Parkinson’s exercise class. Together, they brought a dynamic energy that made the training fun and inspiring!

Parkinson’s Nebraska provided the attendees with a dinner and presentation hosted at the Ramada by Wyndham Midtown Grand Island. John Bertoni, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Neurological Sciences, and director of the Parkinson’s disease program at Nebraska Medicine, UNMC’s clinical partners, was the guest speaker at the training. He presented on the role of Exercise in Parkinson’s Disease Management and conducted a lively Question and Answer session. The group appreciated Dr. Bertoni’s experience, and humor, in the presentation.

On the second day of the training, there was a demo class for the attendees to practice their new skills with real participants. More than 20 people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers traveled from Omaha, Lincoln, and Grand Island to participate in the training’s Demo Class. After the class, they enjoyed a lunch provided by Parkinson’s Nebraska and get to meet the training attendees. It was a great opportunity to celebrate and strengthen the Parkinson’s community and network with others across the state.  

The immense impact this training has made on the Nebraska community is made possible through a partnership with the Parkinson’s Foundation.  The foundation awarded Parkinson’s Nebraska a community grant to help training costs. Because of the grant, Parkinson’s Nebraska was able to provide the training to more professionals and further increase the number of exercise classes throughout Nebraska.  

As a result of the Delay the Disease training there will be 21 new Parkinson’s exercise classes across Nebraska. Parkinson’s Nebraska has recognized a lack of services in rural communities and is proud that over 15 classes will serve under-served areas. This is just the beginning of Parkinson’s Nebraska’s commitment to the making services across the entire state.

To learn more about how Parkinson’s Nebraska is serving the Parkinson’s community, visit www.Parkinsonsnebraska.org.

Columbus Community Hospital’s Rehabilitative Services boasts impressive Parkinson’s program

July 3, 2019

At Parkinson’s Nebraska, we have been focused on expanding our reach into the rural communities across Nebraska. In June, Amber was able to travel to Columbus, NE to visit with the Columbus Area Parkinson’s Support Group to share information about Parkinson’s Disease and how we are helping improve lives. Thank you to Michell Ruskamp, M.S., CCC-SLP, assistant director of CCH’s Rehabilitative Services, for inviting Parkinson’s Nebraska to talk to the group!

After the meeting, Michell gave a tour of the Columbus Wellness Center. The impressive facility is home to both the CCH’s Rehabilitative Services and the Columbus Family YMCA. The partnership provides many benefits to patients, including the Transition Program. After progressing out of therapy, the therapists provide patients with fitness advice and help them transition into a regular exercise routine at the Columbus Family YMCA. This unique program promotes healthy living by encouraging patients to continue exercising after the completion of therapy. This is especially valuable for people with Parkinson’s because of the immense benefits exercise provides in symptom management.

The CCH’s Rehabilitative Services also boasts a comprehensive Parkinson’s Wellness Program designed to help people with PD delay the effects of the disease while improving their quality of life and independence. There are many therapy, exercise, and community services available within the Parkinson’s Wellness Program including:

• LSVT-BIG®: An intensive physical training for individuals with PD
• Parkinson Wellness Recovery – PWR!®: A therapy approach focused on early intervention, enrichment, education, and empowerment
• LSVT-LOUD®: An intensive speech therapy to improve the speech and swallow functions for people with PD
• SPEAK OUT!®: An intensive speech therapy to improve the speech and swallow functions for people with PD
• The CCH LOUD Crowd®: A weekly maintenance voice exercise group designed to help PD patients carry over the skills they learned in voice therapy, so they are able to keep their voices and swallow function strong long after therapy has ended. Participants must be a former SPEAK OUT!® or LSVT-LOUD® patient.
• Occupational therapy:  Therapy that focuses on the Activities of Daily Living for people with PD.
• Rock Steady Boxing: A noncontact, boxing-based fitness curriculum designed to help people with Parkinson’s improve quality of life through lessened symptoms and a happier, healthier life. The class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:15-2:15 pm at the Columbus Wellness Center.
• The Columbus Area Parkinson Disease Support Group: The monthly support group invites speakers to present on information selected by the group. The group meets the second Thursday of every month from 2:30-4:00 pm at the Columbus Wellness Center.
• The PD Resource Library: The PD Resource Library in Rehabilitative Services includes information from many Parkinson’s resources such as Speak Out!® workbooks, LSVT-LOUD® and BIG® Homework Helper DVDs and digital sound level meters for The CCH LOUD Crowd® participants.

The CCH’s Rehabilitative Services will also be hosting the first Parkinson’s symposium to take place in Columbus, NE in April 2020. It will include a variety of speakers sharing PD education on a variety of topics throughout the one-day event. Stay tuned for more information! For more information about the Columbus Community Hospital’s Rehabilitative Services and the Parkinson’s Wellness Program call the Columbus Wellness Center at 402-556-3333 or visit https://www.columbushosp.org/our_services/rehabilitative_services/parkinson_wellness_program.aspx.