By Meghan Streit
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Rose Gilbert is in good health but developed a fear of falling as she got older. These days, she is more confident, and her fears have subsided.

Gilbert is one of many Sedgebrook residents who have taken advantage of the Lincolnshire retirement community’s new outpatient rehabilitation center.

The center, which offers physical, occupational, and speech therapies, caters to the needs of the 65-plus crowd. Yvette Hammonds, the therapist who manages the center, says she and her colleagues are familiar with the specific needs of these adults and work one-on-one with each patient to get the best possible results.

Focused on the needs of older adults
“Receiving therapy services at Sedgebrook is unlike many other therapy clinics,” Hammonds says. “We specialize in integrated health care geared for the older adult that many other rehab programs cannot offer. By integrated, we mean we share the information with the adult’s physician and other health providers to assure care is coordinated.”

The facility is open to the public, serving Chicago’s north and northwest suburbs, and is one of the few Lake County locations to offer all three Medicare-reimbursed therapy services.

Hammonds says she and the other therapists focus on managing common problems like backaches, knee pain, and arthritis— before they start to affect patients’ quality of life. She says the focus is on wellness, so all patients are routinely evaluated for things like balance and osteoporosis.

“What makes us unique is our proactive and preventive approach,” she says.

Results in just a few visits
The number of visits required depends on each patient’s individual needs, Hammonds says. But many people notice vast improvements after just a few sessions, and Hammonds says people can continue their treatment by practicing certain exercises at home.