Rehabilitation Week: Dedicated therapy team transforms lives

This paid piece is sponsored by LifeScape.

Each September holds National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, and LifeScape uses that week to highlight its one-of-a-kind inpatient rehabilitation program.

As South Dakota’s only pediatric rehab program, the goal is to support young patients and their families through every step of the recovery journey with compassion and expertise.

Their rehabilitation process is a collaborative effort involving an interdisciplinary team of specialists.

Heather Hewitt, a speech-language pathologist and therapy manager, has been with the organization for 12 years, including seven years on the rehab team.

“Our rehab team is really fun because we have a collaborative group that works very well together,” she explained.

“We get to see some really great change, fast progress and just really make an impact with the families that we serve.”

Becky Schmitz, a physical therapist with 18 years at LifeScape, appreciates the consistency in patient care.

“Because we’re a small team, you work with the same PT, OT and speech therapists every session,” she said. “This allows you to build a trusting relationship with the patient, ensuring they know that you are as invested in their goals as they are.”

One of the most compelling stories of recovery comes from Alyssa, a former patient who experienced a severe car accident. After being discharged in 2021, she came back to see Hewitt and Schmitz and share her experiences at LifeScape.

“If it wasn’t for Becky and Heather and Jill, I wouldn’t have walked into this room,” she said.

“LifeScape, it’s wonderful. They saved my life.”

Hewitt’s experience with Alyssa shows the team’s commitment to making a difference.

“There’s an immediate reward in seeing that day-to-day change and knowing that we made an impact in her life,” she said.

“She went through something so challenging and stressful, and it was gratifying to see her progress and get closer to her daily normal life.”

When Alyssa arrived at rehab, “she needed two people to help with basic movements, like rolling in bed or holding her head up,” Hewitt continued. “By the end of her stay, she could walk with a cane, roll in bed independently, transition from lying down to sitting, sit for 20 to 30 minutes and navigate stairs on her own.”

Heather Hewitt, Alyssa and Becky Schmitz

One of Schmitz’s favorite things about her job and her “why” is the rate of progress she gets to see in her patients and helping others learn to walk.

“I love the rate of progress that the patients make,” she said. “In a single day, you can see someone go from being unable to move in bed to starting to walk. It’s really fun to see that change happen so quickly and to know that you’re a big part of that.”

Alyssa’s story is a powerful reminder of the impact dedicated rehabilitation professionals can have on their patients’ lives.

“So many people have helped me get here,” she said. “I’m not going to just give up now because all these people put in so much personalized effort to get me where I am. It’s life-changing.”

At LifeScape, the dedication of the interdisciplinary team and the transformative stories of patients like Alyssa highlight the program’s success in helping children and adolescents live their best life.