It may have been a quiet hurricane season so far, but don’t let the last few months fool you. We still have several weeks of the 2010 season left, so make sure you’re ready for a storm that forms quickly.

Take time to make a hurricane plan. Here are some tips to get you started.

Talk to Your Doctor

If you have any medical conditions, speak to your doctor about needs you may have during storm conditions. For instance:

• Dialysis patients—be sure to have an appointment just before the expected storm and then just after.
• Pregnant women—if you are at high risk or at least 36 weeks along, find out if you should take shelter in a hospital during a hurricane.
• Insulin- or oxygen-dependent patients—make sure you have backup power during an electrical outage.
• Bedridden patients—make arrangements for someone to stay with you during a storm.
• People with medication needs—be sure to have a two-week supply of necessary medications in case pharmacies have to close.

Prepare Your Home

If you are not in an evacuation zone and plan to stay in your home during a hurricane, make sure you have everything you need.

• Food—have nonperishable items for a week; if you have pets, make sure to stock up on their food as well.
• Water—buy bottled water to last you for a week.
• Secure structure—install hurricane shutters or otherwise make sure your windows and doors will stand up to the wind; decide on a safe, preferably window-less, room to take shelter.
• Flood insurance—many homeowners’ policies do not include it, but flooding is a major cause of damage in a big storm.
• Batteries—stock up on batteries for flashlights, radios, and other equipment.
• Cell phone—be sure to charge it up before the storm hits.
• First aid kit—keep basic supplies in one spot
• Important documents—secure insurance policies, medical information, and other documents in a waterproof container

Find a Place to Stay

If you’re in an evacuation zone, you’ll need to have a place to go. Options include these:

• Out of town—if you have the means, getting away from the path of the storm is a great plan. This includes staying at a hotel or with family and friends.
• Local shelter—schools and other buildings may be used as shelters during a hurricane. Find out what is available in your area.
• Hospitals—if you have a serious medical condition, staying at a hospital may be necessary. But they are not to be used for the general public.

Go Prepared

In the event that you do leave your home during a hurricane, make sure you take necessary items with you. These can include:

• Medication—have a two-week supply, so be sure to fill prescriptions before the storm. Also have a list of all your medical conditions.
• Walking aids—if you need a cane, walker, or wheelchair, make sure you bring it with you.
• Personal items—bring your toothpaste, toothbrush, towel, soap, extra clothing, flashlight, cell phone and charger, and other essentials.
• Child care items—if you have children, be sure to bring formula, bottles, diapers, baby food, blankets, and other necessities.

To learn more about preparing for a hurricane, contact Palms West Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-256-7723. We can help you address any medical concerns before a storm hits.

SOURCES
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Palm Beach County Medical Society

Could occupational therapy help you or someone you care for? Perhaps your spouse has had surgery. Maybe your child is having trouble learning to write. Or maybe your aunt’s arthritis is keeping her from getting around very well.

How Can It Help?

The goal of occupational therapy is to help people master their occupations. Depending on different people’s priorities, “occupations” could mean any activities, including work, school, and hobbies. An occupational therapist looks at the big picture, assessing the environment patients live in, what tasks they need to perform, and what their obstacles are.

Who Needs Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy is not just for working adults. People of all ages and in many different situations can benefit from it. An occupational therapist considers the limitations people have due to illness and injury, and then helps them find ways to accomplish daily activities. These are some potential patients:

• Someone recovering from a stroke. Occupational therapy can help a patient relearn how to dress and feed himself. A therapist looks at the patient’s home situation and finds ways for him to accomplish everyday tasks.
• Someone who had recent surgery. Suppose a patient recently had knee surgery. Through occupational therapy, he can learn ways to adapt his knee to his everyday needs.
• A person in a wheelchair. A physical therapist can help the patient learn new ways to get around. He can also recommend home modifications to accommodate the patient’s needs.
• A worker who has been hurt. Therapy can help the worker recover from the injury. Then an occupational therapist can evaluate the work environment to help prevent future injuries and help the worker become productive again.
• A child with development delays. By working with an occupational therapist, a child can focus on fine motor skills. She can learn to write, draw, speak, and play. The child’s family can also be taught ways to help her progress at home.
• Someone suffering from depression. Working with other medical professionals, an occupational therapist can help a patient find a balance of work and leisure time. The therapist can help someone who is depressed discover activities that are interesting and important, something to look forward to.

Is It the Same as Physical Therapy?

Not exactly. While both occupational and physical therapy can help patients regain mobility and reclaim their lives, there are differences. Occupational therapists are seen more as problem solvers. They look at patients as a whole, considering their work, their environments, and their individual activities. Many patients use both physical and occupational therapists as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

At Palms West Hospital, we can meet all your occupational and physical therapy needs. We have a 5,500-square-foot rehabilitation center that includes a 15-foot by 30-foot heated rehabilitation pool. Our highly trained staff can work with both adults and children. Using state-of-the-art equipment, our therapists will design a program to fit your individual requirements.

To learn more about how occupational therapy can help someone you love, contact Palms West Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-256-7723.

SOURCES
Promote Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy

Do you know someone with cerebral palsy (CP)? If you do, you probably know how simple movements can be painful and how daily tasks can seem impossible. However, with the right treatment, CP patients can experience an improved quality of life. Aquatic therapy may play an important role in that treatment plan.

There are some 500,000 children and adults in the United States diagnosed with CP. If you are caring for one of them, consider the benefits of aquatic therapy. The buoyancy of aquatic therapy offers increased support for the spine and makes it possible for people with CP to exercise more comfortably than they could on land. It is also safer, since there is no risk of falling down.

Exercises can be done in either an outdoor or an indoor pool, and they include cardio and resistance activities. Patients can walk, jog, kick, and jump, in both deep and shallow water, depending on age and condition. They can also do a version of underwater yoga. A variety of flotation devices can help, such as noodles, vests, bars, and head floats. Don’t try to create your own exercise plan, however. Always make sure that aquatic therapy is supervised by a trained physical therapist.

Here are some benefits of water exercises:

• Increased muscle strength
• Improved balance, flexibility, and range of motion
• Better coordination
• Increased cardiovascular function
• Improved endurance
• Decreased stiffness and pain
• Reduced blood pressure
• Improved motor function
• Higher self-esteem
• Better overall well-being

Aside from those plusses, people with CP may enjoy the interaction with a physical therapist. If the therapy takes place in a group, the patients may look forward to contact with one another as well.

At Palms West Hospital, we offer aquatic therapy for a variety of medical conditions. We have a 5,500-square-foot rehabilitation center that includes a 15-foot by 30-foot heated rehabilitation pool. Our highly trained staff can help both adults and children benefit from aquatic therapy. Using state-of-the-art equipment, our therapists will design a program to fit your individual requirements.

If you want to know more about how aquatic therapy can treat CP, contact Palms West Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-256-7723. The more you know, the more you can help someone you love.

If you’ve been hurt or just had surgery, you may be asking yourself that very question. Your muscles may not be moving the way they used to or you might be in a lot of pain. So physical therapy could be the answer.

Physical therapists are health professionals who specialize in helping people regain movement. They teach their patients exercises and stretches that help them strengthen muscles, recover from injury, or deal with certain medical conditions. If you opt for physical therapy, you may need just one or two sessions or you may need many sessions over the course of weeks and months.

Here are some reasons you could benefit from physical therapy:

• You’ve had surgery. Depending on what procedure you’ve had done, you may be experiencing some physical discomfort. This pain may not go away by itself, so physical therapy can help alleviate it.

• You’ve been hurt. Whether you have a sports injury or you’ve been in some kind of accident, physical therapy can help you manage pain and regain mobility. It can treat all sorts of injuries, including broken bones after they’ve healed. It can also help athletes get ready to take the field again.

• You’ve had a stroke. After a stroke, muscles don’t move as they once did. Physical therapy can help with your range of motion and offer solutions to accomplishing everyday tasks.

• You have back pain or a spine condition. If your spine has been damaged or if you suffer from back pain, physical therapy can help. The stretches and adjustments can take the pressure of damaged nerves.

• You have carpal tunnel syndrome. Physical therapy can help strengthen muscles that are injured by many repetitive motion conditions.

• You have whiplash. If you’ve been in a car accident, you may be suffering from whiplash. To ease the neck damage, physical therapy can offer stretches and other exercises.

• You have arthritis. Stiff joints can benefit from physical therapy, but many people fear the movement required by the treatment. However, well-trained therapists can help you learn to move those joints safely and strengthen the muscles around them.

At Palms West Hospital, we can address your physical therapy needs. We have a 5,500-square-foot rehabilitation center that includes a 15-foot by 30-foot heated rehabilitation pool. Our highly trained staff can help both adults and children benefit from physical therapy. Using state-of-the-art equipment, our therapists will design a program to fit your individual requirements.

If you have questions about how physical therapy can help you, contact Palms West Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-256-7723. Taking this step may put you on the road to recovery.

Intensive Care Units are specifically designed hospital departments. They are intended for the most critically ill patients who need increased levels of care. Patients are attended to by a team of health care professionals often referred to as Intensivists. Intensivists are doctors who specialize in treating critical patients. In addition to Intensivists, the patients are cared for by experienced specialists and a full nursing staff. Patients are generally monitored by equipment that tracks all vital signs as well as any other parameters that are pertinent to the specific patient.

In the words of Marie Previlus, one of our experienced Intensive Care Nurses, “In ICU I provide one-on-one care for each patient and am aware of everything that is going on with that patient. I am the center of care and work hand-in-hand with the entire care team of physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacy, dietary and physical therapists, to coordinate the care needed for my patients. An ICU nurse must have excellent critical thinking skills and a caring heart. Personally, I receive great satisfaction in seeing patients come in to the unit in a near death condition and after a few days have vastly improved, I feel that I was there for that patient at the right moment, when they really needed me.” As you can see, our staff is dedicated to the well being of our patients. Successfully treating critically ill patients is not only our job, it is our passion.

At Palms West Hospital, we feature a state-of-the art Intensive Care Unit for our patients. Intensive Care Unit hosts 14 private rooms. Each room is equipped with one of the most advanced patient monitors available today. Our monitors accurately find and record all vital signs and can be programmed to accommodate individual patients with individual concerns. This feature is vital in an intensive care situation; it allows our knowledgeable staff to be aware of every development within our patients’ bodies. In critical situations, having information as quickly as possible can make the difference in the outcome for our patients. Our Intensive Care Units are also equipped with beds that serve medical processes as well as the comfort of our patients. They include such features as scales so that bedridden patients do not have to be moved and the ability to set different areas of the bed up physically so that they provide support where the patients need it. Palms West Hospital has made an investment in equipment that provides our Intensive Care Unit with technology that helps us save lives.

Our Intensive Care Unit asks that families choose one member to communicate with our staff. This will allow us to best communicate the state of your loved one’s well being. We also limit visitors to two guests at a time who are twelve years old or older during certain hours.

We sincerely hope that you or a loved one never needs the services of our Intensive Care Unit. We do want you to know that we are here and ready in the event that you do. Our facilities are designed and staffed specifically to meet the needs of patients who require extra attention. If you have any questions about our facility please visit us online, if you have a medical question, do not hesitate to call our Consult-A-Nurse® program at 1-888-256-7723.

Most of us learn to speak in early childhood and use this skill throughout our lives to communicate. But for children and adults who are physically or mentally disabled due to disease, injury, or accident – or for no known reason – the ability to understand language and to speak is often difficult.

Information sharing isn’t just a practical exercise. It’s how we humans socialize. While most people don’t think twice about talking, kids and adults with speech impediments or disorders can find the world to be a frustrating place. Many benefit from speech therapy, which can help them communicate more effectively with others.

Types of speech disorders

A child or adult who cannot produce the sounds of speech in a correct or fluent way is said to have a speech disorder. He or she may not be able to articulate or pronounce sounds correctly. On the other hand, a language disorder is characterized by a person’s inability to understand others, or to communicate their feelings and thoughts to others. Medical conditions can cause these issues.

A speech pathologist, also called a speech therapist, can help people of all ages with spoken communications and communication-related disorders, including the following:

Speech disorders

• Dysarthria: This is a motor speech disorder. Signs include slurred speech, slow rate of speech, breathiness when speaking, and saliva or drooling.
• Stuttering: Characterized by repetition of sounds or words; the mouth may form a word but the sound does not come out for several seconds.
• Apraxia: This is also a motor speech disorder. People with apraxia have trouble imitating the sounds of speech and make inconsistent errors in speech.

Language disorders

• Aphasia: A disorder with the language center of the brain. It can cause problems with reading, writing, listening and speech. Reading and writing are often the most impaired.
• Dyslexia: This affects mostly reading and the written word. People may have trouble recalling numbers in sequence, or mixing up the order of numbers and written words.

Medical conditions

• Stroke: Caused by a loss of blood to the brain, a stroke can cause confusion and paralysis and render the patient unable to mentally or physically form words.
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS causes degeneration of the nerve cells in the brain responsible for voluntary functions.
• Autism: Children with autism may have problems articulating basic needs, repeat themselves, speak infrequently, and have sensory disorders.

Can we talk?

A speech therapist will evaluate the adult or child before creating a treatment plan.

For example, if the patient has little or no ability to speak, the therapist may teach sign language or the use of assistive devices. However, if the patient is capable of speech, the therapist can help them learn to make sounds, strengthen oral language skills, and improve the tone and volume of his or her voice.

Other types of therapy may be recommended for the patient at the same time. For example, an autistic child who has trouble socializing and expressing emotions in an appropriate fashion may undergo behavioral therapy in addition to speech therapy.

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, children whose parents are active participants in the child’s therapy have better outcomes. The association also notes that the younger a child is when they begin therapy, the faster they tend to progress.

Both Pediatric and adult speech therapy are offered in the Palms West Hospital Rehabilitation Center.

For more information on these services, contact Consult-A-Nurse^® at 1-888-256-7723, or visit us online.

Living with a physical or mental disability can be challenging for an adult or a child. The everyday activities that most of us take for granted – climbing stairs, cooking and housecleaning, playing, driving, going to school, and working – can be extremely difficult for them.

Helping people of all ages who have been affected by disability, injury or illness to achieve a good quality of life is the mission of the occupational therapy profession. They provide assistance to their patients at home, in hospitals and schools, and in rehabilitation centers.

Physical therapy vs. occupational therapy

While they are different disciplines, physical therapy and physical therapy complement each other. The goal of physical therapy is to restore movement, function and flexibility in patients, while the purpose of occupational therapy is to empower patients to carry out normal tasks.

(Watch a video about occupational therapy.)

The Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at Palms West Hospital is staffed with highly-trained and caring physicians, nurses and technicians who work with men, women and children so they can lead more rewarding lives. In addition to physical and occupational therapy, we offer speech therapy and aquatic therapy for adults and kids who would benefit from water-based treatment.

Who can benefit

Occupational therapy can help patients with many conditions, including:

• Arthritis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Amputations
• Burns
• Developmental disorders
• Back injuries
• Broken bones
• Repetitive stress injuries

Putting lives in motion

The first thing an occupational therapist does is evaluate his or her patient. Then they do an assessment of the living or work space.

Next, the therapist creates a treatment plan designed to help the patient manage their daily tasks. Sometimes an adaptive device will be recommended, such as a walker, and the patient will be shown how to use it.

In addition, occupational therapists provide guidance to caregivers and family members – who often are one and the same.

Getting it together

Whether it’s an adult or a child who needs help performing the functions of daily life, the professionals at the Palms West Outpatient Rehabilitation Center have the expertise to assist them. To speak to someone in the center, call (561) 792-8067.

For more information or a physician referral, contact Consult-A-Nurse^® at 1-866-4-HCA-DOCS, or you may visit us online.

Whether your child was born with cerebral palsy or has developed it later in life, its effects differ from child to child. Cerebral palsy is a set of neurological conditions, not a disease, like cancer or multiple sclerosis. There are a number of causes of cerebral palsy in infants, including an infection prior to birth or a lack of oxygen during birth. Children can also suffer brain damage shortly after birth and develop cerebral palsy.

About cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is actually a group of conditions which involve damage to an area the brain that controls the muscles. This causes a child to have problems with walking, balancing, posture and coordination. Some children may become self-sufficient, while others with more debilitating forms of cerebral palsy must rely on others for physical, mental and emotional support.

There are three types of cerebral palsy:

• Spastic — causes stiffness and movement difficulties
• Athetoid — characterized by involuntary and uncontrolled movements
• Ataxic — creates a disturbed sense of balance and depth perception

The brain damage that causes cerebral palsy can cause other motor skills deficiencies, such as a lack of bladder and bowel control, and difficulty breathing, swallowing and eating. There are psychological issues that can arise due to the lack of muscle control, as well as challenges with socialization.

Is it preventable?

While cerebral palsy that occurs in a fetus or at the time of the baby’s birth cannot be prevented, the Centers for Disease Control have identified measures that can minimize the risk of developing it in older children, such as:

• Wearing helmets on bicycles, skateboards and motorcycles, to protect the head and brain
• Using car seats for children
• Never shaking an infant
• Treatment of jaundice in infants

Cerebral palsy and water therapy

Children with cerebral palsy can gain tremendous benefits from aquatic therapy, notes United Cerebral Palsy. The many positives include:

• Improvement in muscle tone and muscle strength
• Improved endurance
• Greater cardiovascular function
• Better self esteem
• Therapeutic benefits due to reduced gravity
• Enhanced quality of life
• Improvements in circulation, endurance, flexibility, range of motion, balance, and coordination

Kids are kids

Depending on the type of cerebral palsy a child has, he or she may require braces to walk, or need to use a wheelchair. But no matter what devices your child needs, they are still a kid inside. Children with cerebral palsy do many of the things other kids do, and like many of the things other kids like.

Meeting with your son or daughter’s teachers can help ease them into school life, and the teacher can explain to the other students why their classmate looks different, but isn’t really all that different.

Palms West can help

The Aquatic Rehabilitation Center at Palms West Hospital is an ideal place for water-based therapy for kids with cerebral palsy. We offer a heated 15’ by 30’ rehabilitation pool with an automated lift, making it accessible to most patients. Our staff employs a combination of manual therapy techniques and aquatic exercises to reduce pain and improve function in youngsters.

If you would like to learn more about the Aquatic Rehabilitation Center, give us a call at (561) 792-8067. If you would like a physician referral, contact Consult-A-Nurse^® at 1-866-4-HCA-DOCS, or visit Palms West Hospital online.

If you have an illness or an injury that is limiting your ability to move, or causing you pain when you move, there’s a very good chance you could benefit from physical therapy (PT).

Physical therapists help improve motion and mobility in people young and old. This allows them to carry out everyday functions like walking, dressing themselves and performing household tasks, and therefore, enjoy a better quality of life than they otherwise would.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 60% of physical therapists work in hospitals such as Palms West, which has an outpatient Rehabilitation and Aquatic Center.

About physical therapy

Physical therapy is used to help people with a wide range of conditions, including:

• Stroke
• Cerebral Palsy
• Sports injuries
• Arthritis
• Amputation
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Burns
• Osteoporosis

Here at Palms West, we offer physical therapy in traditional and aquatic settings. We also have programs for adults and for children.

Adult rehabilitation

State-of-the-art equipment in the Palms West rehab center is operated by caring and knowledgeable staff. Who can they help?

• Men and women who have suffered trauma
• People with balance deficiencies
• Patients recovering from surgery
• Individuals with neurological or musculoskeletal disorders

Pediatric rehabilitation

Kids have unique physical therapy needs. We treat infants and children, and have one of the few aquatic rehab programs for youngsters in our area. Our specially-trained pediatric staff tailors treatment plans to each young patient; and they work together as a team, employing physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy techniques to achieve success.

Aquatic therapy

Children and adults alike can benefit from water-based therapy. The Palms West Aquatic Rehabilitation Center has a 15’ x 30’ heated rehabilitation pool with lift access. Patients with the following conditions can especially benefit from the buoyancy and muscle relaxation offered by aquatic therapy:

• Spine injuries/trauma
• Chronic back pain
• Cerebral Palsy
• Fibromyalgia

Preventing Injury

While some people need physical therapy for reasons beyond their control, others can reduce or eliminate their need for physical therapy by following these guidelines.

• Warm up properly before you exercise. This can prevent a wide range of sports injuries.
• Remove hazards in your home. Put away or get rid of things you can trip over, knock into, etc.
• Have your computer monitor, keyboard and chair properly aligned. This will improve your posture and help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and back pain.

To talk to the Palms West Rehabilitation and Aquatic Center staff, please call (561) 792-8067. If you would like a physician referral, contact Consult-A-Nurse^® at 1-888-256-7723, or visit Palms West Hospital online.

You may know that while Palms West has treated children for years, we formally designated our pediatric services as The Children’s Hospital at Palms West in 2009.

Now, we are excited to announce the next generation of our services for patients from birth up to 18 years of age, with the creation of the Children’s Therapy Center. This facility is designed to provide kids and teens in our growing community with many forms of specialized care – all under one roof!

Just for kids

Here are some of the services that the Children’s Therapy Center doctors, nurses and staff provide:

• Physical therapy, which is generally helpful to children with cerebral palsy, developmental delays, spina bifida, head trauma, orthopedic issues, heart and lung conditions and muscle diseases
• Occupational therapy, which helps children carry out daily tasks and become more self-sufficient
• Speech therapy, for kids who stutter, have trouble articulating sounds or have a limited vocabulary
• Aquatic therapy, which has a lower impact than traditional non-water based occupational therapy; and provides gentle resistance. The center’s heated pool can relax tense or spastic muscles. (Plus, many kids love to be in the water, which they associate with fun.)
• Bilingual therapists and front office coordinators

Youthful perspective

Palms West understands that children have unique physical and emotional needs. That’s why the center has doctors and nurses who specialize in pediatric care. In fact, we are the only hospital in western Palm Beach County with a dedicated Pediatrics Department. Plus, we serve a six-county area!

Streamlined process

The Children’s Therapy Center takes most insurance plans, if the insurers are contracted with Palms West, and the center staff is happy to assist parents with insurance verification and appointment scheduling.

Let us help improve your child or teen’s quality of life. For more information about the Children’s Therapy Center, please call Bob Rohack, PT, MBA, at (561) 792-8067; or email him at robert.rohack@hcahealthcare.com.

If you do not have a pediatric physician, we can help you find one. Contact Consult-A-Nurse^® at 1-888-256-7723 for referrals and to schedule an appointment; or visit Palms West Hospital online.

Sources:

http://www.palmswesthospital.com/healthcontent.asp?page=/healthy/parenting/index

http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/phys_therapy.html

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