RENTAL
TIMBER CREEK THERAPIES
Outside of the horses at Timber Creek Therapies, Cindy McCarty has a physical therapy room and another area with a warm water pool that features a moving current to help patients work on balance and mobility.
Another machine in the PT room helps spinal cord patients by making the patient’s muscles contract, even in a paralyzed limb, so it helps to keep the muscles viable, according to Cindy.
been developed that can duplicate the human walk.”
Hippotherapy is the common name associated with the use of horses in physical, occupational and speech/ language therapy programs; “Hippos” is the Greek word for horse. The therapy is believed to have originated in Germany and, according to McCarty, was brought to the United States in the early 1980s.
“Therapists brought their knowledge of hippotherapy back to the United States, started programs all around the country, started doing more research and found that it was a good tool.”
NEXT STEP: INDOOR ARENA In 2001, Cindy and Bill took the next step and had an indoor riding arena constructed, and a therapy building built in 2002. The 80-by-120-foot arena is where visitors participate in physical, occupational and speech/language therapies. Timber Creek Ranch also offers therapeutic riding as a recreational activity for people with disabilities. Many patients have insurance coverage for their therapies but, for those who don’t, Timber Creek Charities steps in to help. In 2012, Timber Creek Therapies helped 175 individuals with disabilities to receive therapeutic treatment at Timber Creek Ranch. A portion of this group comes from area nursing homes and adult residential facilities.
“We operate 52 weeks of the year and, as far as I know, we are the only facility in Iowa using horses in medically based
32 WORKSAVER FALL 2013
treatment year-round,” she says. “We have had a number of people come to us in wheelchairs who are now independent walkers, and many had been in traditional therapy. The horse is a tool for therapy like no other.
“We don’t make any money at Timber Creek Therapies, and that’s probably another reason why there aren’t other facilities like ours. I donate my time so that helps pay the staff and the bills, and the help from our charity makes it possible to see more patients and keep providing services. A lot of my friends are retiring. I don’t want to even think about retiring. I’m happy to get up and go to work every day.”
Today, Timber Creek Therapies has 24 horses, which are cared for by Timber Creek Ranch. Most of the horses are available for therapy with patients, and there are different breeds because, as Cindy points out, some diagnoses are better with certain breeds than others.“For example, people who have neurological diseases, like Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis, do better with gaited horses because of their lateral pelvic movement,” she says. “Our horses include Quarter horses, Appaloosas, Paints, Tennessee Walkers, Hafl ingers, a Norwegian Fjord, a Missouri Fox Trotter, an Arabian cross, a draft cross and a Belgian.”
Patients wear helmets and gait belts for safety purposes. Three people accompany each patient and horse:
a horse leader, a therapist and a side walker. Most commonly, Krakau walks with patients. Cindy says he is the therapy center’s “strong side walker.”
For patients who are not able to ride, Cindy even has a carriage that is pulled by the Belgian horse. “I knew some of the geriatric population wouldn’t be able to get on the horses, so I found someone who builds carriages and he made it for Timber Creek Charities,” she says. It also accommodates individuals in wheel chairs with a few minor modifi cations.
Visit
www.MyWorkSaver.com/SSL to fi nd more information about Bobcat skid-steer loaders, including approved attachments.
online exclusive
Want to see more Timber Creek Therapies photos?
Simply scan this bar code or visit the URL below.
www.MyWorkSaver.com/timbercreek
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40