8 May 8, 1997 I . ! ; ,:';! ::; f . . f .'"Jr5fjli j Therapist Cathey Kahlie massages a patients knee as part of her treatment. . fm 0 M Y Vff v 1 ' , A " v V Marti Rai works with Anita Davis to stretch her muscles while using . ,,f VV ' i 1 ?' ,1 the big balls. ' f " " '' " A I J 1 Recreation Department staff Beginning a year ago Marti Rai Wells, Shauna Queahpama and Scott Moses have been receiving on-the-job training to become Physical Therapy Aides for the Warm Springs Physical Therapy Program. The three Recreation Department employees were told that Physical Therapy was to begin at Warm Springs and that they were going to be a part of it. They began their training with a tour of the Physical Therapy facility in Bend, Oregon and then participated in in-service training. They completed a terminology class before they began on-the-job training. It has been a great learning experience for the three employees. A large part of their training is on-the-job by Physical Therapy Assistant Susan Sagnemini who comes to Warm Springs every Tuesday. In their duties, the three aides learned to prepare patches for inflammatory electrical stimulation, they do ultra sounds, massages, hot and cold packs, use of gym equipment, theraband and theraputty. They learned manual traction and to use a traction machine as well. They learned to use care with each patient Physical Therapy Program in Warm Springs for one year Before construction began on the Health & Wellness Center, the idea of physical therapy was brought to the attention of the Tribal Health & Wellness Committee by Fran Moses Ahern. People from the reservation were traveling to Madras, Redmond and Bend for physical therapy two to three times a week. It was felt that they were not being treated favorably and needed more thorough treatment. At the time that it was brought to the committee's attention Marie Moses was Director of Managed Care. Fran, Marie and Joey Ortiz would sit and talk about what a "wonderful" Physical Therapy Program Warm Springs could have. Moses-Ahern's goal for Physical Therapy Program was to have patients come in and learn to make themselves stronger in a rehab and exercise program, and for people to want to become stronger through exercise and use of equipment available to them. Marie Moses was very instrumental in getting their ideas to the committee to make this a reality. She began making contact with Physical Therapists and decided to work with Physical Therapy Associates in Bend. The spring of 1996 Physical Therapy opened its doors for their first patients. They have been in and learn and understand their injuries and become sensitive to how they feel. They were taught the importance of the whirlpool and its cleanliness and sterilization. They learned to use a biofeedback machine to see if muscles are being used, "The machine is a tattletale," says the trio. They learned to do hot wax bath and paraphen bath. In addition to all of this Wells has learned to transcribeeverythingforpatientfiles. Marti Rai Wells shared her thoughts of physical therapy in Warm Springs: "It's the best thing that ever hit Warm Springs. I did not have a clue as to what it was about or why it was here. I have never had to go to physical therapy myself so what's the point in knowing, that's how I looked at it. But after it was here, we got over there and start moving around and it got interesting. It wouldn' t have even crossed my mind to have anything to do with it, unless I needed it for myself. It's a real positive thing to have here. "For the people, it is convenient for them and they let us know that it's easier not to have to travel. They operation for one year. Moses-Ahern adds, "I always pictured it successful but I didn't realize the time it would take to get started." Moses-Ahern had hoped to average 12 patients per day and they now average 15 patients per day. The summer of 1995 Physical Therapy started buying equipment and contractors began remodeling the Community Center for Physical Therapy. $32,000 was set aside from Joint Venture funds to remodel the Community Center for Physical Therapy. What used to be Head Start offices and Culture & Heritage Office became Physical Therapy rooms for exercise equipment and a therapy room. What used to be the laundry facility became the whirlpool room. Joint Venture money was used to fund their first year of operation. Managed Care and the Tribes agreed to a contract to pay wages for two Physical Therapists from Physical Therapy Associates located in Bend. The Tribal Council approved funding for physical therapy to hire two staff aides, one transcriptionist, and operation for another year. Joint Venture agreed to buy the Nautilus equipment if Recreation could provide the staff and space for the equipment to begin physical therapy. Recreation had provided Warm Springs, Oregon Assistant Therapist Susan makes sure everything is okay for Nathan "8-Ball" Jim as he soaks his foot, in the whirlpool. became directly involved in Physical Therapy Program appreciate that Shauna, Scott and I are doing the job as physical therapy aides and that we are tribal members. I don't think people know about physical therapy so they don't acknowledge us and say 'hey, you guys are doing a really good job.' The way our patients show us is that they bring us food-pizzas, lunches. Because they know we have to stay during lunch and can't leave. That's a rule, we have to stay. "To see a patient come in regularly and work their way back to using their body parts is amazing. You take for granted that you can use your body parts and when you watch others who can't, you learn to appreciate the use of your own arms and legs. I have learned more about people and heard stories from elders in the program who come in and share their stories of the old days. I hope that we can expand to at least one more day, because they limit our patient load to 12 per day. "Many people don't know what physical therapy is about and don't know which direction you could go with it, like me, I'm going to school in the Fall at Mt. Hood Community some of the equipment already. The equipment ordered is top of the line equipment and is available to anyone in the community to use. The patients seen at Physical Therapy are referrals from the IHS and Managed Care. With the amount of patients being treated they hope to expand to three days a week and provide more staff. Moses-Ahern is really proud of the Physical Therapy Program's success and is worried about the Program since she left Recreation Department to become Recreation Director at Kah-Nee-Ta Resort. MCH nurse Tammy Wells will oversee the Physical Therapy Program while she is gone. Moses-Ahern has been working at the Community Center since she graduated from Washington State University in the spring of 1982. She had a job interview in Arizona, came home for two weeks and stayed in Warm Springs to work at the Community Center. In 1991 She became the Recreation Department Director. She had gone to college to be a PE Teacher and had taken some classes in Physical Therapy while she was school. She has always had an interest in Physical Therapy. Moses-Ahern is extremely proud of the changes made in the Recreation Department College to become a therapy assistant. I'm really excited about that and looking forward to that. Shauna adds that the patients like the chemistry of the three of them working together. "They also like their individual one-on-one relationship with each patient. They say, Oh, you guys are fun to be around. The three of us ask, what s going on with your day, how are you feeling? Are you hurting today ? They like that. When they went to Madras they do this, this, and this and they're out of there. It's so mechanical. "Patients can relate to us because we are tribal members. They share more with us. We have more than a doctor patient relationship." The aides have met more people and talked with more of a variety of people than they ever thought they would. They are not the same patients all the time. Some patients, like the younger boys, are more comfortable working with Scott. "It's a guy thing," Wells adds. Some female patients are more comfortable working with Shauna or Marti Rai. "They are hiring two aides and one transcriptionist and moving us Patients share comments of Physical Therapy program I really think it's the best thing that's happened here. Because when I would go to the therapist in Madras, I would go in and he would spend about a minute with me. After finding out that they had therapy here, they send me here and they do more for me. They are doing different exercises to help overcome my back injury due to an automobile accident. It's hard healing. I really coming here because they're such a happy group too, they lift your spirits up at the same time. They're really good people here. I would like to see this program get funding because we really need it here for our Indian people. I'm enjoying it, it's helping me with my back. -Shirley Chamema I really think this a good program for Warm Springs. I went to another therapist in Madras for my back and they didn't do as much for me as this program has. In this program they spend more time with me. I really think it's a good thing. -Pat Suppah Shauna Queahpmama gives an ankles. out. I would not like for us to be moved out completely. I would like to stay involved. I would like to see others have the opportunity but I would like to stay involved somehow," says Wells. Physical Therapy Open House May 15, 1-3 PM Refreshments served See statistics of successful program. Physical Therapists hired from Bend Physical Therapy Associates Since Physical Therapy came to Warm Springs in the Spring of 1996, Physical Therapist Cathey Kahlie and Assistant Physical Therapist Susan Sagnemini have been coming once a week each to work with Warm Springs community members in need of physical therapy. They are employed by the Physical Therapy Association located in Bend, Oregon. They have been training Recreation staff members Scott Moses, Marti Rai Wells and Shauna Queahpama to assist them. Cathey Kahlie, of Portland, Oregon, received herM.S.P.T. from Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon. Kahlie then attended Portland State University where she received her Bachelor of Sciences degree. Kahlie first practiced at a hospital in San Diego. She then practiced at St Charles Hospital in Bend, Oregon. From Bend she moved to Whidsey Island in Washington and practiced there until her present location in Bend. Through the Physical Therapy Association in Bend, she works in three locations-Bend, Sisters and Warm Springs. Kahlie is currently going to school to further her education in physical SpilyayTymoo ultra sound to a patient with sore The three aides have formed a bond, "Because we work together, us three, we've been closer. We're familiar with each other personally," concludes Queahpama. therapy specializing in ankles. She enjoys working with the Recreation staff who have been trained to assist Kahlie and Sagnemini. She feels that here in Warm Springs the patients are seen and treated more thoroughly with exercises and ultra sounds due to the assistance of Recreation staff members. Susan Sagnemini was born and raised in Bend, Oregon and graduated from Bend High School. She then went to Mt. Hood Community College where she received her Associate in Sciences degree. She worked in Physical Therapy in Portland until 1980 before becoming an employee of 1 1 years of the Physical Therapy Association in Bend, Oregon. Sagnemini is the Assistant Physical Therapist who comes every Tuesday to work with patients. And throughout the year she has been training Recreation staff members within what Oregon law allows them to be trained. Sagnemini states, "with the three aides that are here the patients receive more thorough treatment because the physical therapy aides help prepare patients for therapists to see them." i