CHCC’s Outpatient Short-term Rehab Expands in Passaic County

When Maria Bauer needed outpatient short-term rehab, she simply had to travel across the street from her apartment in Wayne. The township resident was delighted that she could undergo outpatient therapy in the Rehab Room at Christian Health Care Woodhaven of Wayne.

“I’m so happy that I could go there. There are no words to describe how well I was treated and the progress that I made. It was amazing,” Mrs. Bauer says.

Following a total replacement of her left hip, Mrs. Bauer began rehab as an inpatient at Christian Health’s David F. Bolger Post-acute Care Unit. A regimen of outpatient short-term rehab followed, not only for the hip replacement, but also for tendinitis in her right arm.

“Community members can elect to have outpatient physical, occupational, and/or speech therapy at our adult day services, if appropriate,” says Kim Martin, OT, who was recently named Wayne Rehab Services Manager.

Short-term rehab at CHCC, both inpatient and outpatient, is beneficial for patients like Mrs. Bauer who have had a joint replacement, as well as individuals who have had surgery; are recovering from a stroke, cardiac surgery, or pneumonia; or have a chronic illness.

In Wayne, the outpatient program is dynamic, in terms of location options. Residents of Siena Village and Summer Hill of Wayne, both CHCC communities offering affordable and fair market apartments for independent seniors, can elect to have outpatient rehab in their apartments, if appropriate.

“The benefits of doing rehab in your personal apartment is significant. Residents use their own furniture, appliances, devices, etc. It’s extremely beneficial to practice bed mobility and transfers using your own bed, and performing home-management skills using your own kitchen and laundry machines. They are the real thing,” Ms. Martin says. “Most residents enjoy this convenience, especially because weather is not a factor in getting to rehab.”

“I appreciated having physical and occupational therapy in my apartment,” says Summer Hill of Wayne resident Walter Vuurens. “I have Parkinson’s disease, which affects my mobility. Therapy has helped me.”

Siena Village, Summer Hill of Wayne, and community members have the option of therapy taking place in the Rehab Room at Christian Health Care Woodhaven of Wayne, which is adjacent to Siena Village. At Summer Hill of Wayne, some rehab sessions may take place in the Community Room or Lounge so residents use furniture in their own environment.

All outpatients may opt for therapy in the 14,000-square-foot Bolger Rehab Gym & Wellness Center on CHCC’s Wyckoff. The high-tech facility, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a serene view of the Ramapo Mountains, includes state-of-the-art equipment, an indoor track, and a variety of free weights and exercise devices. It also includes the Transitional Care Suite, a treatment modality unique to North Jersey. The suite, which encompasses a kitchen/dining area, family room, laundry room, bedroom, and bathroom, offers patients a chance to relearn activities of daily living under the guidance of their therapist in a safe, private environment that simulates a typical home-like setting.

“The rehab staff provides guidance on the best rehab location. If an individual has had a knee replacement, for instance, the equipment in the Bolger Rehab Gym & Wellness Center may offer the most beneficial treatment,” Ms. Martin says. “Free transportation to and from the gym is provided by CHCC for Siena Village and Summer Hill of Wayne residents.”

Additionally components of the Wayne rehab program include regular monitoring of Christian Health Care Adult Day Services clients for changes in ambulation, function, and/or swallowing, and monthly wellness lectures and exercise classes for Siena Village and Summer Hill of Wayne residents.

“The exercise classes are very well-attended because the seniors find it more enjoyable and motivational to exercise in a group setting,” Ms. Martin says. “I also incorporate a cognitive exercise into each session for a mental-health workout.”

For more information about inpatient and outpatient short-term rehab, Siena Village, Summer Hill of Wayne, and Christian Health Care Woodhaven of Wayne and Wyckoff, contact Karen Hockstein at (201) 848-4463 or khockstein@chccnj.org, or visit ChristianHealthCare.org.