Physical Therapy Department Active

              VA Therapy
m
Shreveport's Veterans Administration Hospital is proud of its physical therapy
service which serves 50-55 patients each day. The Hubbard Tank designed for burn
victims is in operation seven days a week. Veteran Charlie Davis is pictured receiv-ing
this therapy. (Journal Photo by Marc Menasco)
Physical Therapy Department Active
By ANN DEMENT
Journal Medical Writer
One of the most active departments
in the VA hospital is Physical Therapy
with 50-55 patients a day receiving it's
services.
Three therapists and two assistants
give patients all types of physical ex-ercise
and educate them on procedures
which can be done at home.
Physical therapy provides special
programs for the emphysema patient,
VA and Med School
VA hospital administrator L. M. Frazier Jr. (left) and Dr. Ike Muslow,
dean of Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport,
believe a federal facility and a state facility greatly enhances each other.
In 1967 the medical school became affiliated with the VA. (Journal Photo
by Marc Menasco)
patient with chest surgery, heart at-tack
victim as well as procedures for
those with arthritis, orthopedic dis-orders,
and burn victims. The length of
each patient's therapy may be from 20
minutes to two hours. Special electric
tilt tables are utilized for raising pa-tients
who are weak from extended bed
rest.
The VA's Physical Therapy Depart-ment
also conducts special diagnostic
tests. It utilizes the electromyograph to
aid in determining the extent of nerve
and muscle damage. The VA also
performs this particular test for pa-tients
from the VA Hospital in Alexan-dria
and Barksdale Air Force Base.
OTHER EQUIPMENT in the
Physical Therapy Department includes
Ultra Sound, Popsicle Ice Massage,
Hubbard Tank (for burn victims) and
moist air stream cabinets (for arthritis
patients).
The PT Department serves as the
clinical center for students in the
School of Physical Therapy, LSU
Medical Center in New Orleans.
The Occupational Therapy Depart-ment
has two separate programs -
Psychiatric and Physical Disability.
Approximately 70 patients are served
each day by these programs.
In the Physical Disability Program,
the majority of the patients are stroke
victims or arthrits patients. Emphasis
is put on teaching them activities of
daily living (ADD. Patients are con-tinually
tested for progress and issued
the appropriate adaptive equipment to
assist them.
THE PSYCHIATRIC Program is
conducted by a team of specialists -
psychiatrist, psychologist, sociologist,
nurse and therapist. The team routinely
evaluates the patient to determine when
occupational therapy and corrective
therapy will be given.
Also there is a bedside Occupational
Therapy Program for patients confined
to bed. This program is designed for
the patient in traction and includes
evaluation for aids in ADL.