A Sudbury physiotherapist hopes to fill a gap in care she sees for patients with neurological issues.
Karine Beaumier currently works at Health Sciences North, where she is an in-patient physiotherapist with a focus on neuro-developmental treatments for patients who have recently had a stroke, spinal cord injury, or are affected by conditions like multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
But on June 1 she will open her own clinic (http://www.neurophysiosudbury.com/) at the Universal Medical Centre on Armstrong Street, in Sudbury's South End, to help those same patients after they are discharged from the hospital and no longer need acute care.
“It's always been my dream to have my own practice,” she said.
And while Beaumier has counted 13 physiotherapy clinics in Greater Sudbury, she said they all focus on orthopedic therapy, with little or no emphasis on the neurological stream of physiotherapy.
With neuro-developmental treatment Beaumier said she helps patients regain their mobility after a brain injury or medical condition with a neurological component.
“This different approach to treatment focuses more on teaching the body to move the way it used to,” she said.
Through special exercises she can help a stroke survivor, for example, re-learn motor skills they may have lost after their stroke.
The Ontario Health Insurance Plan does not cover neuro-developmental treatment, but Beaumier said many independent insurance plans do cover some of the costs.
She plans to charge $80 for an initial assessment, and $60 for every half-hour session after that.
For more information, Beaumier can be reached by calling 705-586-2366 or by email at [email protected].
