This month’s Clinician Who Inspires is Stephanie Garza, Champion Level II Therapist, PTA, and Director of Rehabilitation at Lone Star Ranch Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. Stephanie discussed the importance of therapy for our residents and therapists’ responsibility to provide tools that will allow them to be as functional as possible.
In conversation, Stephanie spoke about the residents’ love for group therapy, sharing that the excitement is palpable on their journey to the gym to participate in a fun group sessions. Stephanie and her team are constantly thinking of creative ways to perform therapy, citing a deer hunt interdisciplinary group as one of her favorites. During this activity, they brought blow up deer and Nerf guns to the facility and gathered the residents outside for a “deer hunt”. PT worked with the residents on standing balance, OT focused on fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, while ST worked on following Nerf gun instructions. These interactive experiences during group therapy allowed residents to enjoy themselves while working on functional progress.
Professional growth is of utmost importance to Stephanie; not just for herself, but the growth of her team as well. Stephanie explained that most of the therapy staff at Lone Star are also clinical instructors. With the new addition of the Clinical Instructor path on Reliant’s Clinical Advancement Ladder, Stephanie has encouraged her team to continue to climb the ladder. She added that it’s important to share education with the team because “the more knowledge you have, the more effective you are.”
Stephanie, you are an inspiration to all of us. Thank you for being a Clinician Who Inspires!
