Melbourne Terrace Rehabilitation recently went through a transformation and unveiled new equipment and programs at the center
by Laureen Albrecht
Many new programs were added because of community need. Existing care programs including cardiac, pulmonary, lymphedema, balance and wound care have already given quality of life back to chronic disease sufferers,” says Jason Canlas, administrator for Melbourne Terrace Rehabilitation Center.
The center recently added a new outpatient gym with a separate public entrance for their facility. They’ve now added equipment from HUR, a world leader of senior fitness machines to strengthen active and aging populations. He says they were one of the first in Florida to bring technology from NASA with an anti-gravity treadmill called the AlterG. This device makes therapeutic gains by decreasing body weight to effectively allow pain-free ambulation, which is vital after surgery and is important for gait retraining after a stroke. Therapists can actually calibrate the precise un-weighing of the body up to 80%, which is needed in order to follow postsurgical protocols. If a patient has hip or knee postsurgical weight bearing limits, then weight is taken out of the equation.
“One of the most exciting advents of technology is the ability to rehabilitate the body in the actual way a human moves,” Canlas said referring to their new equipment called Kinesis. This device was recently acquired to improve flexibility and strength in all movement via a patented series of pulleys that operate in 360 degrees and with various resistances. Patients are not just lifting a dumbbell anymore and repeating three sets of ten. Advanced rehabilitative equipment will activate the whole body to mimic human function. “People need to rehabilitate back to their lives whether that be playing golf, painting a room or washing a car. Now, there’s the newest technology and equipment that gets them there,” says Canlas.
“We’ve added gym equipment on a grand scale, which includes all the latest equipment for the active and aging populations. Our two therapy pools with underwater treadmills have been part of our vision to give back to community need in the rehabilitation area. The pool is important because it decreases the effects of gravity and makes walking and strengthening exercises easier to tolerate for many conditions and allows a rehabilitative experience that brings patient relief with a variety of warm temperatures and water friction settings,” says Canlas.
“It’s important that families and patients have a multitude of meeting places for connection and communication,” says Canlas. Throughout the facility there are indoor and outdoor gathering spots, such as the addition of a fresh café and bistro, a surround sound entertainment center with a central fireplace along with numerous additional meeting spots, which bring essential ways to improve connectivity. “Research shows that positive human interaction as well as the connection
with the outdoors and visual access to nature, speeds up the rehabilitation process, reduces stress and lowers blood pressure,” he says.
Call (321) 725-3990 to schedule a private tour. Melbourne Terrace Rehabilitation Center offers comprehensive outpatient and inpatient therapy services for short or long term care.
