MIDLAND, Texas — Oh, the joys and struggles of physical therapy.
"They're not here necessarily thrilled that they've gotten here, they're not feeling well, they're not themselves and so this pushes us to another level of normalcy," said Melodi Ream, Manor Park Therapy Program Manager.
When the new outdoor rehab facility opened about a month ago, things have been a whole lot brighter for patients.
"Getting outside is just so nice, especially right now, with it being spring and with us having to have been inside so much for the pandemic. All of our patients had so much time in their rooms that this is really nice for both rehab patients and even the residents that live here," Ream said.
"Oh well, I love it! The first thing I said was let's go outside," Emma Carnett, rehab patient said.
The therapy program manager, Melodi Ream says patients can now work on new machines for strength, walk along certain surfaces for balance practice, and even put on the putting green for physical therapy.
"The different surfaces with it having the bricks, the solid surface, there's some gravel back in that back and then even the grassy areas give everybody a different surface," Ream said.
All in the West Texas sunshine.
Emma's been living at Manor Park for the past five years. This is her second time in physical therapy.
"It's been probably two weeks ago I fell and they're working on my balance," Carnett said.
And just in time to do so in this new outdoor facility.
Melodi meets with Emma a few times a week.
And she only has one week or so more until she can enjoy the facility, not for therapy.
Melodi says there are currently about 40 patients receiving some kind of physical therapy at Manor Park.