Taylor Griffith helps a patient on the parallel bars at First Settlement Physical Therapy. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — Physical therapy can improve a patient’s mental health, too.

Many people are not only physically injured, but also need emotional help because of the injury.

“As our therapists are working with them to gain their strength back, they are also listening to their concerns and fears,” Simon Hargus, the owner of First Settlement Physical Therapy. “As the patient progresses in their therapy and accomplishes their individual goals, they start to see they can do things they were afraid they would never do again.”

A therapist can end up spending two to three hours a week with a patient, rare in healthcare, but results in a bond where patients feel that someone they know and trust is working on their specific, personal goals, he said.

“One story that sticks out is we had a patient who had a severe stroke and, when she finished her therapy with us, she was able to hug her husband again which was one of her main goals,” Hargus said. “Hearing stories like that is why we do what we do and help patients achieve their independence again.”

A patients undergoes hand therapy by Hema Hargus, an owner of First Settlement Physical Therapy. (Photo Provided)

First Settlement treats a variety of conditions including post-op patients, sprains and strains, neurological conditions and high-level athletes who want to return to sports. The company was started by a certified hand therapist and therefore sees complex hand patients and builds custom splints, Hargus said.

First Settlement employs more than 200 people in 36 clinics around the region. The family-owned company started in Marietta and has been in business for more than 23 years.

Having physical therapy within a 5-minute drive lessens the strain on the patient or family of having to get to and from therapy.

“We have seen that when a patient has to travel more than 20 minutes for PT, they do not finish out the care that they may desperately need,” Hargus said. “It also gives them a hometown clinic with people they know and trust.”

Several physical therapy companies operate in the region, including Mountain River Physical Therapy and Riverside Physical Therapy.

Jeff Cowen of First Settlement Physical Therapy performs a neck massage. (Photo Provided)

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Parkersburg, part of Encompass Health, the nation’s largest system of rehabilitation hospitals, provides inpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy for patients recovering from debilitating illnesses and injuries including strokes, amputations, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and other complex neurological and orthopedic conditions, Nathan Ford, CEO of Encompass Health in Parkersburg, said.

“The services delivered at inpatient rehabilitation hospitals serve as a next step for many patients who are ready to leave the acute care hospital, but need extra rehabilitation and recovery before returning home,” Ford said.

The multidisciplinary rehabilitation team includes physicians, registered nurses, case managers and dieticians who combine the latest technologies and individualized treatment plans to help patients progress toward independence, Ford said. Patients receive at least three hours of therapy five days per week, he said.

“The hospital’s approach to therapy goes beyond the basics and includes activities of daily living such as grooming, dressing, cooking, leisure activities and more to help patients get back to what matters most,” Ford said. “The interdisciplinary care team develops patient-oriented goals that will help them perform basic life skills during their stay and after leaving the hospital.”

Local sources of care are important for patients and families, however, patients at times are sent to Morgantown or Columbus for specialized treatment, Ford said.

Encompass Health of Parkersburg provides inpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. (Photo Provided)

“Although patients may have access to rehabilitation services in those cities, it is nice to provide these services closer to home,” Ford said. “Receiving care close to home cuts down on time and financial burdens associated with traveling long distances for rehabilitation, and allows for more frequent visits from friends, family and neighbors who may live nearby.”

A full renovation is underway at the hospital, located at 3 Western Hills Drive, and is being done in three phases allowing the hospital to remain fully functional until its completion by the end of this year. Upon completion, the hospital will be equipped with 50 private rooms, two new bariatric rooms and an in-house dialysis suite.

Encompass employs more than 130 full-time staff and works with a number of providers, consultants and clinicians employed by other healthcare systems in the area to provide services at our hospital.

On average, the hospital provides rehabilitative care to 1,100 patients each year, Ford said.

Encompass Health of Parkersburg provides inpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. (Photo Provided)

Facility-wide renovations will be completed by the end of the year at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital at 3 Western Hills Drive. (Photo Provided)