Baker Rehab Group

Welcome Baker Rehab Groups' new Occupational Therapist Pam Walasik!

Pam will be treating patients of all ages (including pediatrics) in the home and at the Brain and Balance Center located in Frederick, MD.

Lets get to know Pam!

Pam is a licensed therapist with over 18 years of experience, she takes immense joy in witnessing the progress and growth of her clients and their families. Her dedication lies in empowering individuals to lead lives filled with independence and happiness.
Certified in self-regulation and holding several certifications in fine motor, gross motor, visual motor integration, and sensory therapies, Pam is well-equipped to address a wide range of needs. She has worked in a variety of settings that include hospitals, home health, private clinic, neurology clinic, outpatient clinics, assisted living facilities and in schools, treating both children and adults.
Outside of her professional life, she finds pleasure in activities such as kayaking, hiking, going to the beach, spending time with family and gardening. Her enthusiasm is palpable as she looks forward to making a significant difference in the lives of the clients she serves

Give us a call today at 301-662-1997 if you or someone you know could benefit from Occupational Therapy!

Aphasia is a very misunderstood and little known but prevalent language disorder affecting a huge amount of people every year. It is very isolating, confusing, and limiting to have such a difficult time communicating. It can affect auditory comprehension, verbal expression, written expression, reading comprehension.

We meet every Wednesday— if you, or someone you know could use this support and community in their life, please share!

Join us today for the Sit to Stand Challenge on World Parkinsons Day in order to bring awareness to Parkinsons Disease!

Baker Rehab Group wishes everyone a Happy Easter!

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Holy Week Thoughts from our CEO, Dr. John Baker, PT, NCS, GCS, NDT, DScPT :

"I hope we are able to take some time to reflect on the sacrifice of love Jesus has given to each of us by providing a bridge back to God and removing the barrier of sin that separates us from God...Yes, I know we are all on different pages with regard to spirituality. Here, at Baker Rehab Group, we respect all faiths, or to have no faith at all. Everyone is loved and cared for, regardless. But, I'd encourage you to consider the story of Jesus, said so concisely from the book of John in Chapter 3, verse 16 and 17:

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His over begotten Son. That whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have Eternal Life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him."

Powerful words worth reflecting on."

Such a great improvement in his posture and alignment!

We were excited to host folks from the ESPC yesterday. What a great organization of healthcare professionals supporting each other in order to provide the best care possible for Frederick county seniors!

Received a card in the mail from one of our clients. We are so grateful to be able to impact lives and instill this type of confidence!

Check this out! These seminars are a great resource for our local seniors! And Baker Rehab Group will be presenting :)

Professional development workshop today on pelvic girdle dysfunctions. Keeping up our skills!

Pelvic and sacral malalignments can cause pain throughout the lower extremities or spine and can lead to impaired posture and gait.

If you have any of these complaints, come see our therapists for a thorough assessment and interventions for correction!

Keep going, keep pushing forward, keep focused. You're doing great and we're here to help you along the way!

A concussion will typically not show on a MRI or CT scan, as a concussion does not alter the physical structure of the brain, but rather how it functions.

Instead, a diagnosis of concussion is made by a medical doctor based on:

🧠a review of the mechanism of injury, often from direct impact or rapid acceleration/deceleration

🧠symptoms, which may include dizziness, nausea, headache, imbalance, changes in mood, sleep disturbances, confusion, memory loss, or light/sound sensitivity

🧠neurological examination to assess hearing, vision eye, balance/coordination, reflexes, memory, attention

If you've been diagnosed with a concussion, early treatment is important to encourage faster recovery. At The Brain and Balance Center, we work in a multidisciplinary team to address each person's unique symptoms in order to get you back to do what you love!

Happy Valentines Day! We are so grateful for the relationships that have been built with our clients, families, and community network. Wishing everyone a day filled with love and happiness.

Just keep trying! Share to those that need to hear this.

Appreciative of the recent review from one of our clients. Your referral is the greatest compliment we can receive!

The Brain Injury Association of Maryland - BIAMD is a great resource and offers some awesome educational opportunities! Check them out!

Whether your recovering from a surgery, fall, neurological event, or exacerbation of an illness, our therapists are dedicated to helping you get back on your feet and enjoying the things you love!

Preventative healthcare can make a huge difference long term. You schedule regular check-ups with your optometrist, dentist, and physician to ensure good eye, teeth, and medical health.
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But what about your neuromusculoskeletal health?
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Have you lost range of motion, strength, balance, coordination?
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An annual PT Exam can catch problems early, then correct them before they lead to falls and/or injuries. Come see our certified Functional Standards for Optimal Aging Expert at The Brain and Balance Center to complete The Adult Functional Independence Test (AFIT). The AFIT is a performance-based, functional assessment tool for adults age 50+ that identifies your strengths and weaknesses in Posture, Flexibility, Balance, Endurance, and Strength.
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Schedule your Annual Exam by calling 301-662-1997

Blessings for a happy and healthy New Year!

This is the year to prioritize your health! Let us help you achieve your goals for 2023 of improved mobility, reduced pain, and/or better balance. Give us a call to start your year off on in a more healthy direction!

Baker Rehab Group wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

From the words of Dr. John Baker, PT, CEO of Baker Rehab Group: "Jesus is the ultimate example of being a bridge builder between people, us, and God. He left us his example as a templet to restore relations in our community, families, and God...I hope this Christmas week has given you hope that God can mend your brokenness and restore Bridges in your life."

The staff at The Brain and Balance Center enjoying a holiday luncheon and gift exchange. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Baker Rehab Group offers Occupational Therapy services in the home and at our outpatient clinic- The Brain and Balance Center. Give us a call to learn more about how our OTs can help you!

We are honored to participate again this year in collecting donations for Citizens Care and Rehabilitation Center’s ‘Stocking Project,’ which will be gifted to their residents for the holidays.

Anyone is welcome to donate - just drop off your item(s) in the large box at the front desk of The Brain and Balance Center at 197 Thomas Johnson Drive.

Below is a list of some items they have requested. Let’s spread some holiday cheer!!

Congratulations to Donna Cantwell, Front Desk Receptionist at The Brain and Balance Center, for winning Baker Rehab Group's 2022 Lisa Baker Memorial Sunshine Award: Service, Attitude, Teamwork.

This award is for an individual who goes above and beyond demonstrating personal care in working with clients, families, and/or fellow staff members. Donna is one of the first faces you encounter in our organization, and therefore, is the first impression to the public and other providers, setting the tone for the whole client's experience. As one patient wrote "From the moment you walk in and Donna greets you, you know you have come to the right place." Unfortunately, this also means that Donna can be standing in the direct line of fire, resolving potential conflicts from clients, families, or staff. And in the healthcare setting, those clients are often in pain, or stressed and anxious as they cope with major neurological and orthopedic injuries. She is able to listen with an open ear, be a calming presence, and control the situation. Somehow, she is able to manage the scheduling at The Brain and Balance Center, which requires amazing creativity and multitasking. We receive tons of compliments from patients and families about her understanding and welcoming nature. Donna often even comforts and supports the staff at The Brain and Balance Center and field clinicians, acting a bit as all of our "work mom." :) Not sure what we would do without her!

We are honored to present this award to one of the most valued members of our team! Congratulations Donna!

Congratulations to Brandon Baker, Business Manager, for winning Baker Rehab Group's 2022 Rockstar Award!!

This award is for a person who shines brightly in their area and exceeds expectations. Here at Baker Rehab Group, we are blessed with so many "rockstars"; it was very hard to choose just one person. But, Brandon's creativity, innovative perspectives to our business model, dedication to implementing the core values of our organization, and strong oversight in maintaining financial integrity and solvency are rockstar qualities. Brandon is able to take the vision of others and the decisions from the leadership team and implement them, which is hugely valuable and important. There are many projects that he has initiated and completed, many without the request from the leadership team, in order to improve the bottom line and make life easier for team members. As an example, Brandon has been using his skills to automate our onboarding, credentialing, and billing in ways that is trail blazing in the healthcare space.

We are grateful for his knowledge, initiative, and hard work! Congratulations Brandon!

Congratulations to Sandi Lancaster, Speech Language Pathologist, for winning Baker Rehab Group's 2022 Ethics and Outcomes in Action Award (The Shawn Grandia, MD Award)!!

Sandi has been a great addition to our team. Her knowledge of cognition, speech, and language is exceptional and her expertise is quickly noticed by clients and families immediately upon meeting her. She has worked hard over the past year to initiate and run a weekly community aphasia group to support these clients in another context outside of 'traditional' speech therapy. She is consistently eager to assist in the development of other programs to build and grow the speech therapy department and services that we provide. She performs at a high ethical standard, following procedures and best practices to a tee, even it means sacrificing some of her own time or patience. Recently, we had a required Rehab Agency Meeting which included our Medical Director, who's a local neurologist. As Sandi and the neurologist had a discussion about clinical care, Sandi's advanced skilled set was clearly evident to the neurologist, who often is not easily impressed :)

Sandi deeply cares about the patients and goes above and beyond to find them the help they need, even outside of direct SLP services. Sandi seems to be the knower-of-all things related to various community resources to help support clients. We can't even begin to count the number of phone calls and emails she has made to other healthcare professionals to collaborate on a client that has advanced needs. If a client has a new medical event that precludes them from returning to therapy for a bit, she will reach out to them personally and offer well wishes. As one of her patients has said: "I think she's a great person. She tries to help everybody".

This spirit of excellence is what we all want to emulate here at Baker Rehab Group! Congratulations Sandi!

What a great Holiday Party last night!! A big thanks to Maggie McKelvey for hosting! We enjoyed delicious food, amazing company, well-deserved awards, and generous gifts. Grateful for an amazing team and excited to see what the next year brings to us!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Baker Rehab Group! We are so thankful for all your support this year. May your table be filled with love, laughter, and happiness.