Live Comfortably - October 30, 2023

Goodwin Rehabilitation Provides Outpatient Therapy at The View Alexandria

By Amanda Ranowsky

Goodwin Living has a long history of providing on-site therapy services to residents. For many years, we collaborated with another rehabilitation provider to outsource these services. Then, in late 2020, we brought physical, occupational and speech therapy services in-house at Goodwin House Alexandria (GHA) and Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads (GHBC) with the establishment of Goodwin Rehabilitation. By bringing rehabilitation under the Goodwin Living family of services, we offer a seamless experience for residents and Goodwin Living At Home members.

In 2022, when Goodwin Living acquired The View Alexandria (TVA), Goodwin Rehabilitation established a facility on the TVA campus. Now, for the first time since its founding, Goodwin Rehabilitation is extending its services to individuals beyond our community walls.

What are Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy?

Before we dig into this expansion of services, let’s define the kinds of care Goodwin Rehabilitation provides.

Physical therapy is a type of care that is meant to ease pain and improve your body’s functioning and mobility. It can consist of physical exercises, stretching, massage or treatments based on physical stimuli (i.e. hydrotherapy, heat or cold treatments, electrical currents, etc.).

Occupational therapy is very similar to physical therapy, though the goal of care is distinct. Occupational therapy is focused on improving the ability to perform activities of daily living – i.e. feeding, dressing, bathing and grooming oneself, using the toilet, being able to get up and down from a seated or prone position and walking.

Speech therapy, as the name suggests, helps you improve your ability to speak clearly. It can also improve problems with swallowing and help you to better express your thoughts and understand what is being spoken to you.

Goodwin Rehabilitation now provides outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy services at The View Alexandria. (Due to licensing and regulation, the Goodwin Rehabilitation centers located at GHA and GHBC are not able to offer outpatient therapy services to members of the wider community.) I spoke with Lia Poynor, Director of Goodwin Rehabilitation at TVA, to gain insight into these services and to understand how individuals outside of our communities can access this care.

What Services Do You Offer for Outpatients?

Lia: Many of our patients are recovering from elective surgeries for joint replacements, rotator cuff repair or broken bones. We’ve also seen many ankle, shoulder and knee injuries from sports or other leisure activities. Anything where you're not able to perform either your normal day to day activities or your sports and hobbies, we can usually provide some service – be it physical therapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy – to get you back to your baseline and where you want to be.

We’re qualified to treat many conditions. For example, we have gone through certification and training so that we can offer LSVT BIG and LSVT LOUD for Parkinson’s disease. We also have all the equipment that any other outpatient facility would have, including a treadmill, electrical stimulation and other equipment that can treat pain and provide neuro restrengthening. We even a virtual reality GaitBetter system to assist those with gait disorders.

What Makes Goodwin Rehabilitation Stand Out?

Lia: An important feature of our services is one-on-one care. We provide one-hour sessions during which one therapist works with one patient at a time.

Some outpatient therapy providers have a ratio of one therapist to two or three patients at a time. One-on-one care ensures the patient has individualized care and that there is time to have a full assessment and go through the exercises that your therapist prescribes.

Another distinctive point is that we are typically able to get patients in for their first appointment within the week that they call. We've had patients call because they have called every other provider on the list that their insurance provided to them, and they were looking at a wait time of three months before being able to start therapy.

Being able to start therapy quickly is really important for your recovery. If you have to wait for months, you might not get the same benefit as you would if you can start right away.

Is There an Age Minimum for Patients You Can Treat?

Lia: We are comfortable and knowledgeable to treat all ages from 18 and above. Many of our therapists are geriatric-certified specialists, but can we can treat adults of any age.

How Can Someone Sign Up for Services with Goodwin Rehabilitation?

Lia: The first step is to get a referral from your physician for therapy services. When you have this, you can reach out to GoodwinRehab@GoodwinLiving.org or call us at 703.797.3869. Be prepared to share your name, date of birth, your insurance information, your doctor’s referral and any other pertinent medical information. Referral orders may be faxed to 571.341.8065.

We have already started treating Goodwin Living team members and other members of the wider community. We look forward to the opportunity to care for you!

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As Marketing & Communications Specialist, Amanda Ranowsky partners with colleagues throughout Goodwin Living to tell our stories and raise brand awareness. From printed collateral to digital marketing, Amanda covers many bases. Before joining Goodwin Living, Amanda worked for a small, family-owned business where she gained experience in content marketing. Amanda’s creative expression extends beyond the office. She is an active member of community theater and chorus groups.