JACKSON, Miss.—While it may not come to mind as readily as physical or occupational therapy, therapeutic recreation is an integral part of rehabilitation.
Degree programs are offered at Jackson State University, the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi.
JACKSON, Miss.—If you bite it, write it.
Rankin County resident Joyce Leverenz lives by that mantra, and her reward has been a 48-pound weight loss.
“Using a food diary keeps me honest,” she says. “You don’t really realize what you eat until you write it down.
Linda Peddicord, a licensed and registered dietitian at Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson, says food diaries do help people pinpoint problem areas in their daily diet and she recommends the pastime for anyone who is trying to shed a few pounds.
JACKSON, Miss.—If your spring break itinerary includes a trip abroad, make sure safety and injury prevention are part of your plans.
Dr. Rahul Vohra, medical director of Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson, says precautions are especially important when traveling outside the United States.
“People need to be extra cautious about improperly cooked food and contaminated drinking water,” Dr. Vohra said. “They should keep plenty of bottled water and high-protein snacks on hand.”
JACKSON, Miss.—Scott Davis can remember lying on the bank of the creek that July day, thinking he was just stunned and he would soon begin to feel his legs again. He had made the first dive with no problem. But the second plunge left the 16-year-old lying on the muddy creek bottom unable to move, other than to raise his arm just above the surface of the water. His friends pulled him out and were now standing over him, trying to hold off panic as they focused on his motionless limbs.
JACKSON, Miss.—Months of practice and some challenging tournament play are paying off for the Jackson Jags, a quad rugby team sponsored by Methodist Rehabilitation Center and the Mississippi Paralysis Association.
The Jags have qualified for sectional competition March 19-21 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and are readying for the contest with a new level of confidence, said team veteran Wiley Clark of Moss Point.
FLOWOOD, Miss.—Ever since a car accident took half his left leg at age 17, Brad Kennedy has refused to be defined by his loss.
The Mendenhall resident delights in proving his mettle—whether it’s whipping able-bodied opponents on the racquetball court or leg-pressing 540 pounds in the weight room.
So when Kennedy was asked if he wanted to try biking across Europe, his response was: Bring it on.
“I hate to pass up a good challenge,” he says.
FLOWOOD, Miss.—Mississippi’s most severely disabled residents no longer have to go out of state to receive long-term, specialized care.
The new Methodist Specialty Care Center in Flowood is the state’s first facility to meet the needs of people whose care is too medically complex for traditional nursing homes.
A division of Methodist Rehabilitation Center, the $9 million, 60-bed facility opens Feb. 23 and will be home to patients who have no voluntary function and/or need around-the-clock care—such as victims of severe brain and spinal cord injuries.
JACKSON, Miss.—At a time when nutritionists are urging people to eat more veggies, Southerners would seem to have an edge.
Local blue plate specials feature plenty of greens and butterbeans, and what Southerner doesn’t start the New Year with a bowl of black-eyed peas for good luck?
Of course, those peas are usually paired with fatback, and therein lies the problem.
Traditional Southern cooking contributes to many of the health woes plaguing Mississippians, said Linda Peddicord, a licensed and registered dietitian for Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson.
JACKSON, Miss.—Physicians and staff at Methodist Rehabilitation Center are urging parents and caregivers to protect their children from unintentional injuries, the number one killer of children under age 14.
“Don’t wait until you are on the way to the emergency room to say, ‘If we’d only...’,” said Lauren Fairburn, coordinator of Think First, Methodist Rehabilitation Center’s statewide injury prevention program. “We want parents and caregivers to be proactive and plan ahead for their children’s safety.”
JACKSON, Miss.—Learn how to lighten up your favorite foods at a heart-healthy cooking class from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26 at Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson.
Chef John Pelton, director of Nutrition Services at Methodist, and Executive Chef Fernando Coleman will demonstrate techniques that lower the fat and salt content of Southern classics.