INSIDE:
Medical, Money Woes
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90
PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS OPEN CLINIC
NEXT TO WEST BLOOMFIELD HEALTH CLUB.
BILL CARROLL
Special to the Jewish News
A
"We see a lot of people with orthopedic con-
ditions, such as back and neck pain, plus people
with arthritis, hip and knee replacements, those
who were injured in traffic accidents, and some
stroke victims," said Scott Person, director of
the facility.
Person graduated from Central Michigan
n oasis of wellness has sprung up at
the Jewish Community Center In
West Bloomfield — and it's beco m-
ing more and more popular among
users of the nearby
health club as well as
outside patients.
The Rehabilitation
Institute of Michigan
combined with the
Detroit Medical
Center/Wayne State
University to open a
new outpatient rehab
clinic offering physical,
occupational and hand
therapy on the upper
level of the JCC.
The one-room clinic
covers about 600
square feet formerly
University with a bachelor's
occupied by exercise bikes. It's open Left: Physical therapist Scott
Personhelps Marjorie
degree in sports medicine and a
7 a.m.-7:30 p.m. weekdays and is
Lebenbom of West Bloomfield master's degree in physical thera-
staffed by three people. It provides
with her rehabilitation.
py. "We also take care of many
all physical therapy services, focus-
post-surgical patients," he said.
ing on sports medicine and general
Rig-ht• Athletic trainer Bob
Over 50 patients a week
orthopedics.
Lehrer
observes
Marjorie
receive
about one hour of per-
The patients, mostly Jewish, are
Lebenbom
during
exercises.
sonal
contact
per visit from
referred to the clinic by physicians,
Person, Marilyn Gilin, a Wayne
and they use their regular medical
State graduate specializing in
insurance. The clinic is convenient
occupational therapy and hand therapy, and
for patients who are health club users to just
Bob Lehrer, who has a University of Michigan
walk over after working out.
degree in sports medicine.
Treatments include hot and cold treatments,
range of motion, strengthening, gait training,
joint-mobilization, soft tissue mobilization,
Boost To JCC
muscle re-education and pool therapy. Other
"We felt we needed a presence at the JCC of
types of treatments are moist heat, ultrasound,
this type of health fitness and sports medicine,"
cold packs, electrical stimulation and traction.
said Stuart Wachs, assistant executive director of
the JCC. "We've been working with the Detroit
Medical Center and the Rehabilitation Institute
of Michigan for about three years to plan and
launch this facility. They have a number of
other satellite sites like, this in Oakland, Wayne
and Macomb Counties.
"The organization
leases the space from
us, so that provides
us with extra rev-
enue, but we're also
hopeful that new
patients will get
interested in the
health club and join.
We've gotten three
new members so far.
Before or after their
clinic appointments,
the patients have
access to the fitness
center and two
indoor pools."
Person pointed out that some patients make
amazing progress with their therapy in a short
period of time. “A woman with a very bad
ankle problem was in a wheel chair when she
first came here ... she couldn't walk at all," he
said. "But after some weeks of intense therapy,
she's walking on her own again. Those are the
types of cases that give us the most gratifica-
tion." ❑
,
The outpatient rehabilitation clinic on the
upper level of the Jewish Community Center,
6600 W Maple inWest Bloomfield, is open to
the public, by appointment only For an
appointment or information, call (248) 788-
1039.
1/12
2001
83