Local resident Leon (Lee) Kirby doesn’t know that Melbourne Terrace Rehabilitation Center is a five-star ranked facility and a Gold Seal Award organization recognized and merited by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. He just knows they’re superior with the active and aging population.
As a successful retired business owner, he launched one of the most prolific cash register and credit card scanning machine companies in the world. He sold his international company, now known as STCR, Inc., in 2005.
Always hard working and successful, he applies those same skills now to overcome a stroke, and is willing to do whatever it takes to improve his function and obtain better balance while driving his golf swing.
Lee admits to being able to pick winning outcomes. He’s back in therapy at Melbourne Terrace Rehab and works with two therapists with the only advanced certification that can be given for completion of stroke rehabilitation training.
Brad Capps – OTR, and Lindsay Plath – DPT, practice therapy at Melbourne Terrace Rehabilitation Center and recently earned the Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist (CSRS) title to improve the lives of stroke survivors.
“Every stroke is different,” said Lindsay Plath. “Each patient will have a different brain injury and disability and each person comes to therapy with different interests, lifestyles and priorities.”
Already she’s seen that additional training and certification brings best case-book strategies to help better function.
“Extra training allows us to customize therapy and enable our patients to re-learn basic skills such as eating and dressing, or golf if they choose,” said Brad Capps. “I can’t think of a better way to help my patients improve their abilities than advanced therapy for stroke survivors.”
Lee agrees that therapy can offset disability because Brad made a point to uncover his most purposeful and motivating goal, which is golf. Turns out, Brad is also a certified golf fitness instructor from the Titleist Performance Institute. Therapy was a real game-changer for Lee.
“Therapy works to get beyond disability or limitations, creating ways for individuals to live life to its fullest no matter what,” said Brad.
“It’s not just giving out adaptive equipment to improve ease of an activity. Therapy at its best, engages a patient to their passions,” he said. “If you can do that, people will fight through the worst injuries.”
“Therapy is about challenging the weaknesses brought by the stroke,” said Brad. Since one side of Lee’s body has lost varying degrees of strength, balance, and range of motion, therapy devises ways to overcome.
Because balance is critical for a basic golf swing, Lee practices unilateral stances and weight shifts. He will even push through shoulder pain to perfect his swing. Brad knows this and ends treatment with therapeutic knowledge to decrease pain brought by the stroke.
“Easing patients’ pain and finding something that motivates them enhances treatment and brings best outcomes,” said Brad. The upshot for Lee comes with swinging towards 18 holes.
And his ultimate goal was to get back to his sport. “My putting game is better now, and I won’t give up on driving the ball longer,” he said. “Therapy has really helped me.”
Melbourne Terrace Rehabilitation Center offers comprehensive rehabilitative outpatient and inpatient services for short or long term at 251 Florida Ave., Melbourne. Call (321) 725-3990 for more information.
