A renovated and larger inpatient rehabilitation services unit has reopened at Franciscan Health Dyer.
Hospital and community representatives dedicated the expanded facility Sept. 17. Updates include a refurbished gym, featuring an array of state-of-the-art equipment to prepare patients for their return home.
Franciscan spent $255,000 on the renovations and upgrades. Hospital officials said patient growth and the expanded facilities also will lead to hiring additional nursing and therapy staff.
When the Dyer unit opened in 2009, it had six beds though patient use rapidly grew, which necessitated expansion, hospital officials said.
“It’s so much more spacious,” said Nancy Cutler, director of rehabilitation services and program development. “Families are able to come to the gym and participate in the therapy with them.”
The expansion doubled the size of the gym, which features a panoramic view of the surrounding area. The number of patient rooms was increased to 15, almost all of which are private, Cutler said.
“It’s a bright, joyful environment,” she said. “The more uplifted the patients feel, the better their gains.”
Updates also include a Bioness Integrated Therapy System, which provides touchscreen therapy activities for neuro-cognitive restoration. Electric parallel bars move up and down to adjust to patients’ height and an electric sit-to-stand device assists patients in moving from a sitting to standing position.
