The clinic is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information about the clinic call 801-957-6214 or email lindsey.hardcastle@slcc.edu.
The clinic is a learning environment where students work with licensed physical therapists and the general public in need of physical therapy assistance.
“We offer occupational and physical therapy to those who are referred to us,” says therapy clinic manager Lindsey Hardcastle. “We offer services that are free to people who do not have any medical insurance.”
Physical therapy is for strengthening muscles and toning. Occupational therapy deals with simple daily activities such as tying shoes, getting dressed or feeding oneself.
Suzanne Ivie brings her son Zebulon to the clinic for occupational therapy
Ivie found out about the free clinic after being referred by a friend and occupational therapist. Since coming in September she has noticed improvements in her son.
“I’ve noticed that he has been able to sit up and actually do more with sensory and clapping with toys,” says Ivie. “It has made a difference.”
The clinic not only helps patients get the therapy they need but it also helps students get practical work experience.
Instructor Don Vernon tells his students to always ask the patient what they would like to do and what they used to do before the injury happened. Those things then become the goals for patients to achieve in physical therapy.
“You can learn [from] the books but you don’t really learn the patient until you can sit down with a therapist and work them over,” says Vernon. “It is an opportunity for [students] to work with a therapist [and an] opportunity for them to gain clinical experience.”
While therapists sometimes have their ideas of what needs done, it is when the patient and the therapist are on the same page that the most is accomplished
“We work with people that come in for physical therapy assistance and we help them figure out the best therapy for them,” says physical therapist assistant student Kathryn Berry. “They can give us input on what they need.”
The people who go into physical or occupational therapy enjoy helping others get better and achieve their goals. Berry, who is a licensed massage therapist, felt that the physical and occupational therapy assistant program was the logical next step for her.
“I just want people to be able to function the best that they can,” says Berry. “The ideal job would be one where people are motivated to get better, and they work really hard to do that.”
For the past few years the clinic has helped people recover from stroke, cystic fibrosis and all kinds of therapy to get people back to normal daily living activities.
“It’s a learning environment, so [students] are able to work with actual physical therapists and learn what their trade is,” says Hardcastle. “We are helping people without charging them anything. I think that it’s such a great service.”
