The Multi-Faceted Approach To Therapy Of Oxford Recovery Center
Things happen for a reason. Ten years ago, when Tami Peterson, Ph.D., founded Oxford Recovery Center (ORC), that reason was to provide patients with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). HBOT is a treatment gaining a lot of attention recently and used for a range of conditions showing dramatic recovery.
Dr. Peterson, founder and CEO of ORC and her family experienced the challenges of living life with a disabled child when her young daughter contracted a deadly form of viral encephalitis in 2006. It was a traumatic ordeal that brought the family to the brink of desperation and her young daughter to the brink of death. It was an emotional journey, where Dr. Peterson first struggled to convince doctors that non-traditional treatment could work.
That personal experience led her to establish Oxford Recovery Center so that the life-changing HBOT treatments could be made available to others in need.
As Dr. Peterson began to see how HBOT was helping many different conditions, she continued her research and found other therapies that, when combined, produce synergy that results in taking patients to a more complete recovery. She was determined to do all she could to help individuals get their lives back, and so she expanded the treatments and therapies offered at ORC.
Like a seed falling on good soil, ORC has grown and expanded both its geographic footprint and treatment options. It took root and has grown. The growth brought Dr. Peterson’s vision of recovery to a greater reality.
“We knew many families were facing the same challenges we faced in trying to improve the quality of a loved one’s life, find a treatment that worked, manage and provide 24/7 caregiving, and then pay for it all, we had no idea of the need… no idea at all,” she explained. As the realization of the need became clear to her, so did the path to follow.
“We added treatment therapies and additional locations as we were able. And going forward, that is what we will continue to do,” Dr. Peterson explained. “We will continue to expand our services with the best equipment, technology and people in order to provide care and support to those who need it most.”
Recently, Christian Bogner, M.D. joined ORC as medical director. Dr. Bogner brings more than 10 years of experience with autism. He is a father of four, including one child affected with severe autism. Dr. Bogner consults with parents and patients in the areas of autism, autoimmune and gastrointestinal problems, expanding ORC’s integrative approach to health.
“Concurrent with an expanded and comprehensive autism treatment program, our vision is to get to know each patient, assess the condition, and generate a detailed individualized therapeutic plan,” Dr. Bogner said, adding that a major focus of his efforts will be to assist in restructuring the Center’s autism treatment program into the leading program in Michigan.
THE OXFORD RECOVERY CENTER COMBINES THERAPIES TAILORED TO NEEDS
ORC’s integrated approach to recovery has proven to be the best model for improving the quality of life. Patient symptoms often overlap, so understanding the interconnectedness of patient issues, symptoms and wellness often provides the best patient outcomes.
This integrative approach includes medical consultation, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), Neuro-Physical Therapy/Suit Therapy, Neuromuscular Therapy, Neurofeedback, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy, and nutrition coaching and weight loss. By approaching the healing process with services and therapies that work in conjunction with each other, the end results are greater than separate therapies done independently.
OXFORD’S GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS ARE “DESIGNED TO SERVE”
Oxford provides therapies that meet most of a patient’s needs in one location. Working with individual and their families, doctors and case managers, the Oxford care team meets with patients, learns their unique backgrounds and histories, then develops an integrated individualized plan for recovery. The “one-stop shop” makes it easier for families struggling to balance the demands of 24/7 care and multiple therapies.
Their South Lyon and Brighton facilities have reached capacity in the services each provides. To better serve patients and create room for growth, ORC will consolidate its South Lyon and Brighton facilities into one all-new facility located in Brighton.
A recently purchased 32,000-square-foot facility is expected to open in late spring to accommodate the consolidation and expanded therapy offerings in all treatment areas. Recently, the facility in Troy, Michigan was expanded to accommodate additional therapies and it will continue growing, ultimately mirroring the same offerings as the new Brighton location.
ORC’S INTEGRATED TREATMENT APPROACH FOCUSES ON CORE THERAPIES
HBOT was the genesis for founding ORC. The recognition of the interconnectedness of illnesses, the effectiveness of integrated treatments and patient needs has driven its growth. Today, ORC’s treatment and therapy encompass cutting-edge approaches and technology.
HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY (HBOT)
HBOT is not a new therapy. It was invented in the 1800s, but the first well-known application began in 1937 with the treatment of decompression sickness. Today, as hyperbaric research continues, scientists are finding that neurological conditions previously considered to have a poor prognosis—such as stroke, autism and brain injuries—respond well to HBOT. Macular Degeneration has been reversed, and inflammatory diseases are greatly improved and alleviated. These are just a few of the conditions currently treated at ORC, and there are currently many studies being conducted around the world to expand the use of this therapy for many other conditions.
How does HBOT work? The first thing to understand is that the body cannot absorb 100 percent oxygen at the surface atmospheric level due to the limited carrying capacity of the blood. However, when the body is under pressure, the plasma increases its ability to carry oxygen. When 100 percent oxygen is combined with an environment where the body is under pressure, the body is able to carry a greater amount of oxygen to the damaged cells and tissues. The increased oxygen promotes capillary growth, which increases oxygen diffusion into the cells.
After 40 HBOT treatments, called “dives,” research shows that stem cell production of the body increases 800 percent, reducing swelling of inflamed tissues, and facilitating even more advanced healing responses.
NEURO PHYSICAL THERAPY/SUIT THERAPY
Neuro PT/Suit Therapy has amazing results for patients with cerebral palsy, stroke and traumatic brain injuries, even when traditional physical therapy has failed to show improvements or a person has reached a plateau. It restores patients’ lives by improving strength, endurance, balance, coordination and motor skills. Patients are able to regain proper patterns of movement and support, normalize muscle tone, and improve functionality to facilitate independence.
Suit Therapy is an intensive neuro-physical therapy that concentrates on retraining the body from a neurological standpoint. Traditional physical therapy uses a muscular approach. Suit Therapy is especially helpful for stroke, cerebral palsy or other neurological disorders. The intensive therapy sessions consist of three hours of one-on-one with a therapist, allowing them to focus on the individual’s specific needs.
For stroke or cerebral palsy patients, the underlying reason for the weakened body part(s) is the loss of connection and signaling from the brain to specific body part(s). It is as though the brain has forgotten certain muscles in the body exist. Suit Therapy retrains the body’s neural pathways to fire off muscle activation.
NEUROFEEDBACK
When damage occurs to the brain, or if someone is born with a disability, the neurological system can become unbalanced and lead to conditions such as anxiety, ADD/ADHD or memory issues. The causes can range from a traumatic brain injury to a stroke or just everyday life events.
Using an FDA-approved Brainmaster neurofeedback device, this therapy works by providing positive feedback to the brain, helping to retrain different segments, restore balance in the brain and functionality in the patient.
Neurofeedback is beneficial for people who suffer from developmental delays, sleeping problems, ADHD, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, anger issues, obsessive-compulsive disorders, addictions, autism, learning disorders, struggles in school, and other conditions.
What is it like to experience the therapy? It is a non-invasive process, and the patient experiences no discomfort. Most patients find it very relaxing. After the technician correctly places the NFB cap on the person’s head, the patient is directed to look at the screen on which a video plays, and to listen to the provided music. When the brain segment that is being trained is operating within the parameters established by the technician, the music and video will play. When the brain operates out of balance, the music or video will fade. Over time, this process retrains the brain, bringing its different regions back into a normal range of functioning.
APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS THERAPY (ABA)
Oxford’s newest therapy adds an additional layer of care for children with autism. ABA therapy is the best-known, evidence-based treatment for autism. It focuses on rewarding appropriate behavior, reducing negative behaviors, and teaching life skills.
ABA aims to improve and generalize behaviors and teach social, communicative, and functional life skills. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) conducts an assessment with the child and develops an individualized treatment plan/program. Then, a Behavior Technician works one-on-one with the child to manage the treatment program throughout the sessions. Data is collected, and the BCBA conducts frequent assessments and family meetings to continuously monitor, assess progress, and update the child’s treatment plan per the child’s skill set, needs and interests.
The treatment plan focuses directly on the abilities and skills that need mastery. They can range from gross motor skills, eye contact, requesting, waiting, toilet training, speech, socialization, emotional regularity and more. Special emphasis is placed on the general behaviors and skill used daily at home, in school, with friends, and in public. Generalizing behaviors occur by incorporating planned scenarios, as well as naturally occurring scenarios, to which the child responds. At family meetings, parents, guardians and caretakers are also encouraged and taught to implement these programs throughout the day as well.
ABA therapy, along with proper diet, supplement protocols and other therapies, brings a holistic approach to treating children with autism.
NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY
builds core strength and neuromuscular glide so the body’s muscles move in synchrony. It is done using a machine called the ‘Reformer,’ which uses spring tension and cables for support, providing for the performance of specific exercises in a variety of positions.
This therapy unloads joints and builds muscle strength starting with the core and moving outward. Virtually everyone can benefit from this therapist-directed exercise therapy, and the Reformer allows multiple ways of working with the body for people who need rehabilitation.
The benefits include: strengthening muscles without over-straining or damaging joints, relieving back pain using spinal traction, strengthening pain-inhibiting muscles, preventing pain due to overcompensation, and improving posture and balance.
When people have been told that there is nothing that can be done in the face of certain challenges, ORC gives them the hope that they have been searching for. ORC has recovered TBI, Macular Degeneration, Cerebral Palsy, Stoke and many more conditions.
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