New therapy center opens in Boardman

March 22, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

BOARDMAN

An integral part of recuperating and returning home from a hospital after having suffered a short-term setback is having vital therapies and services in between.

The recovery process can be long, challenging and, at times, painful, but a new progressive rehabilitation center here is committed to offering a serene and tranquil atmosphere to ease the transition for patients.

“We wanted to take the institutionalization out,” Christine Bierdman said, referring to Advance 360, a new facility that fully opened Thursday at Greenbriar Healthcare Center, 8064 South Ave.

Bierdman, Greenbriar’s admissions director, also was part of Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Youngstown/ Warren Regional Chamber to usher in the therapy center, which is the result of a year’s worth of planning and renovations.

Greenbriar, which has 40 long- and 67 short-term residents, is a chamber member.

Advance 360 is based on the idea that many people who need short-term care go from their homes to a hospital, then to centers such as Greenbriar to receive needed services before returning home, Bierdman explained.

Most people who require such short-term care suffered trauma or have chronic diseases, so Advance 360 offers a calm, soothing environment with soft colors, private rooms and dedicated staff to make their recoveries easier, noted Steve Rosedale, chief executive officer of CommuniCare Health Services, which operates Greenbriar and 42 other such facilities in four states.

“The environment itself is a healing therapy,” Rosedale added.

Offerings include a physical-therapy room with a state-of-the-art anti- gravity treadmill machine, which features a plastic chamber that fills with air and rises, allowing patients to control the level by which they’re able to bear weight, Bierdman noted. The machine has a camera and monitor to allow users to make necessary modifications, she continued.

The room also has a balance machine with a small monitor as well as a variety of resistance- training machines, all designed to let residents make needed corrections.

A nearby occupational-therapy section features a full kitchen and adjoining bedroom that simulate a home environment. The setup lets residents engage in various activities of daily living while revealing what they need to work on before going home, Bierdman said.

Advance 360’s other amenities include four private spa and bathing rooms, a restaurant setting in which residents can order their own meals, WiFi services, a beauty parlor and a refreshments area.

In addition, the care facility offers outpatient services, Bierdman said.