Posted on September 28, 2023
Celebrating National Rehabilitation Awareness Week
September 18 – 24 was National Rehabilitation Awareness Week 2023. Every year, the third week in September gives us a special opportunity raise awareness about the benefits of rehabilitation to the overall health of our community. The week also serves as a platform to honor and recognize the outstanding efforts and hard work by our teams across the Mary Free Bed Network.
This year, we took to social media throughout the week to put a spotlight on rehabilitation and our exemplary, mission-driven teams. This “Meet the Team” series of interviews featured conversations with clinicians from across the Mary Free Bed network.
Team members shared how they got into rehabilitation, why they enjoy their work and what makes Mary Free Bed a different place to work and grow.
Interviews were broadcasted on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. Listen in to our conversations for an inside look into rehabilitative care and what a day looks like for our rehabilitation nurses, therapists and physicians.
Tracy Brettrager, RN, rehabilitation nurse at Mary Free Bed at Covenant HealthCare
Tracy shared about working as a nurse in rehab and how it was different from her past experience in long-term care. She talked about how nursing fits well within the rehab team and why she enjoys her work so much.
Jacqueline Kareus PT, DPT, CIMT, a physical therapist at Mary Fee Bed at Covenant HealthCare
Jacqueline works in outpatient therapy as a physical therapist. She is the team lead at the Mary Free Bed at Covenant Healthcare Saginaw township location. Jacqueline shares about her 12 years of experience helping patients with their aches and pains as an orthopedic PT.
Andrew Young, PT, DPT, physical therapist at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
Andrew works as an inpatient physical therapist and has seven years’ experience in outpatient therapy. In this interview he talks about his work as part of Mary Free Bed’s medically complex team and how he got into rehabilitation.
Rebecca Brower, RRT, respiratory therapist at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
In this interview we shine the spotlight on respiratory therapy and how it’s included in rehabilitation. We talk with Rebecca who works in the Intensive Medical Rehabilitation Unit at Mary Free Bed, and how she’s seen her team grow at the hospital.
Jenny Ponstein, RN, rehabilitation nurse at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
We talk with another rehab nurse on the team to learn more about their strong connection with patients. Jenny is a long-time nurse on the team, she works most with our spinal cord injury patients, and she shares why she enjoys rehab nursing.
Madeleine O’Callaghan, PT, DPT, physical therapist at Mary Free Bed at Munson Healthcare
Looking to northern Michigan across the Mary Free Bed Network, we connect with Maddie O., an outpatient physical therapist at Mary Free Bed at Munson Healthcare, at our Cadillac location. Her conversation covers her work with patients in the outpatient setting and why they can be hesitant to begin physical therapy.
Christin Marvin, CCC-SLP, speech-language pathologist at Mary Free Bed at Munson Healthcare
Also at Mary Free Bed at Munson Healthcare, we highlight speech-language pathology by talking with Christin Marvin, CCC-SLP, from Cadillac’s outpatient location. In this interview, Christin shares why speech-language pathology is so much more than just speech.
Ben Hogan, CPO, certified prosthetist orthotist with Mary Free Bed at Covenant HealthCare Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics
At Mary Free Bed at Covenant HealthCare, we catch up with Ben Hogan, CPO, with our Orthotics & Prosthetic team. Talking with Ben, he tells us how he was a bicycle mechanic with a zoology degree before he started working in orthotics and prosthetics.
Tracy Howell, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
Nutrition is an important part of the rehabilitation team at Mary Free Bed. Tracy Howell, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist on the inpatient team, working with patients in our pediatric and Intensive Medical Rehabilitation Unit. She’s passionate about her work and she shares it in our conversation.
Benjamin Bruinsma, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Mary Free Bed
Mary Free Bed’s new chief medical officer, Benjamin Bruinsma, MD, has been with Mary Free Bed since 1989 working with stroke patients and amputees. During the summer of 2023, Bruinsma took over the CMO position after previously holding the chief of staff role.
Kate Armstrong, CCC-SLP, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
Time to talk kids at Mary Free Bed, with one of our speech-language pathologists. Kate Armstrong, CCC-SLP, works in our inpatient pediatric rehabilitation program. She shared about the joy she feels of seeing kids progress in their recovery, thanks to her and the team’s work.
Adam Lamm, MD, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
Teaching the future of rehabilitation is vital to Adam Lamm, MD, at Mary Free Bed. When Dr. Lamm isn’t seeing patients on the outpatient side, he’s leading the hospital’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency program. Learn more about his work as a physiatrist and why it’s important to the hospital to host its residency program.
Matt Parrish, CTRS, Recreational Therapist at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
Finally, we talked rec therapy with Matt Parrish, CTRS, with the inpatient recreational therapy department at Mary Free Bed. Matt talks about sharing his love of outdoor activities with his patients, and he shows us some of the toys the team has in their offices.
Learn more about careers in physical and medical rehabilitation at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation
National Rehabilitation Week is always a celebration at Mary Free Bed! Go behind the scenes at this year’s spirit week and celebrations in the gallery below.
Come see why it’s different at Mary Free Bed. With a network of over 40 hospitals, we’re the largest non-profit rehabilitation system in the country. We empower our employees to think and perform in innovative ways, and we rely on their ideas and insights to maintain our role as an industry leader. Whether you’re just starting out in health care, making the change to rehabilitation, or anywhere in between, learn more about different opportunities on our careers page.
