http://www.aikenstandard.com/news/rehabilitation-unit-opens-at-aiken-regional-medical-centers/article_52717348-bf37-11e7-a908-23fb9aa92aba.html
Patients in need of physical
rehabilitation won't have to far now that Aiken Regional Medical Centers
has opened its new 14-bed rehabilitation wing.
Tours of the new rehabilitation center followed a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday afternoon, allowing interested parties to take a look at the new wing before it fills with patients.
“It’s a beautiful unit,” said hospital CEO Vance Reynolds, who thanked everyone who made the addition possible.
“We stayed local,” said Reynolds. “Everything in here has been done by local providers and people in the community. All the pictures are also local pictures of Aiken or somewhere in Aiken County. We want this to be home.”
Reynolds took note that a typical rehabilitation patient may stay in rehab for 21 to 28 days, adding that for those patients it was important to make their surroundings comfortable.
“The ultimate goal is that we be taking patients who are typically coming straight from the hospital from an acute episode, disability or catastrophic event who are typically in need of a higher physical therapy level,” said Heather Raynack, director of rehab services. “Our goal is to get them home so that they can have better outcomes, have more success and be able to return to their families."
Raynack said patients who have had a catastrophic accident or injury may need time to adjust. The rehabilitation training is as much for the family as it is for the patient, saying the family will be the support the patient goes to once he or she is able to leave the hospital.
“We hope to get people back to home independently and not have them be re-admitted,” said Raynack. “We have an Activities Daily Living suite which has a full kitchen, washer and dryer. A lot of patients that may have suffered a or something like, once they go back home still need to be able to prepare meals so this will be a part of that."
The unit also has a dayroom where patients will be encouraged to mingle and socialize with not only their family, but other patients as well. Families are encouraged to be with the patients to give them and be trained in the same physical therapy the patient learns. Each room with a patient bed has a chair and sofa as well.
“It very much makes a sense of community for the patients,” said Raynack.
Opening the unit also means patients who would otherwise need to go another area for treatment can stay home close to their families.
“It allows patients that have to go to a rehab hospital to stay local,” said Reynolds. “Instead of having to go to Columbia or Augusta … they can actually stay here so that when they are discharged from the hospital and need rehab, they can now stay here and it’s easier on family and loved ones.”
He also pointed out a convenience factor, stating that expending a hospital is better for the community surrounding it by making that form of health care more accessible.
“There are two things that can make a Chamber president really happy,” said J. David Jamerson, president and CEO of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce. “One is a new company coming in with new investment in our community. The other is someone that’s been around for a long, long time and continues to invest because it’s a continuing statement that they believe in our community and want to continue to grow with our community, and that’s what this represents today.”
Mayor Rick Osbon also took a moment to thank everyone involved in the opening of the rehab unit.
“Thank you for being such a great community partner,” said Osbon of the hospital. “It really is astounding, the way this campus steps up to meet the needs of our city. This is a service that will touch the lives of our citizens and means so much to the city, we just say thank you for all you do.”
The rehabilitation services are designed to help a patient through events such as a stroke, brain injury, neurological condition, amputation, major trauma or medical reconditioning and other disabling conditions, according to a brochure provided by Aiken Regional Medical Centers.
Tours of the new rehabilitation center followed a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday afternoon, allowing interested parties to take a look at the new wing before it fills with patients.
“It’s a beautiful unit,” said hospital CEO Vance Reynolds, who thanked everyone who made the addition possible.
“We stayed local,” said Reynolds. “Everything in here has been done by local providers and people in the community. All the pictures are also local pictures of Aiken or somewhere in Aiken County. We want this to be home.”
Reynolds took note that a typical rehabilitation patient may stay in rehab for 21 to 28 days, adding that for those patients it was important to make their surroundings comfortable.
“The ultimate goal is that we be taking patients who are typically coming straight from the hospital from an acute episode, disability or catastrophic event who are typically in need of a higher physical therapy level,” said Heather Raynack, director of rehab services. “Our goal is to get them home so that they can have better outcomes, have more success and be able to return to their families."
Raynack said patients who have had a catastrophic accident or injury may need time to adjust. The rehabilitation training is as much for the family as it is for the patient, saying the family will be the support the patient goes to once he or she is able to leave the hospital.
“We hope to get people back to home independently and not have them be re-admitted,” said Raynack. “We have an Activities Daily Living suite which has a full kitchen, washer and dryer. A lot of patients that may have suffered a or something like, once they go back home still need to be able to prepare meals so this will be a part of that."
The unit also has a dayroom where patients will be encouraged to mingle and socialize with not only their family, but other patients as well. Families are encouraged to be with the patients to give them and be trained in the same physical therapy the patient learns. Each room with a patient bed has a chair and sofa as well.
“It very much makes a sense of community for the patients,” said Raynack.
Opening the unit also means patients who would otherwise need to go another area for treatment can stay home close to their families.
“It allows patients that have to go to a rehab hospital to stay local,” said Reynolds. “Instead of having to go to Columbia or Augusta … they can actually stay here so that when they are discharged from the hospital and need rehab, they can now stay here and it’s easier on family and loved ones.”
He also pointed out a convenience factor, stating that expending a hospital is better for the community surrounding it by making that form of health care more accessible.
“There are two things that can make a Chamber president really happy,” said J. David Jamerson, president and CEO of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce. “One is a new company coming in with new investment in our community. The other is someone that’s been around for a long, long time and continues to invest because it’s a continuing statement that they believe in our community and want to continue to grow with our community, and that’s what this represents today.”
Mayor Rick Osbon also took a moment to thank everyone involved in the opening of the rehab unit.
“Thank you for being such a great community partner,” said Osbon of the hospital. “It really is astounding, the way this campus steps up to meet the needs of our city. This is a service that will touch the lives of our citizens and means so much to the city, we just say thank you for all you do.”
The rehabilitation services are designed to help a patient through events such as a stroke, brain injury, neurological condition, amputation, major trauma or medical reconditioning and other disabling conditions, according to a brochure provided by Aiken Regional Medical Centers.
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