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.