Celebrating Physical Therapy Month
Infinity Rehab, a therapy services company, asked team members during Physical Therapy Month in October to nominate a PT Hero and recognize the work they do to uphold their mission. Here’s a recap of the nominees and the kind words their nominators had to say about them.
Recap of the nominees
Arle Troy Jumalon, PT, Las Ventanas at Summerlin
Troy is my supervising PT at our Las Ventanas Summerlin community in Las Vegas, NV. He is been very helpful to everybody. He is always asking if I need help or my other teammates. He would go out his way to help us. The patients love him and would request for him for treatments.
Troy is always willing to lend a helping hand even when his schedule is busy. He always is a calming voice in any given situation. A valuable member of our team!
Abi Lueck, PT, Riverside Health and Rehab
Abi is a phenomenal physical therapist who quickly adapts approaches to best meet her patients’ needs. She provides careful instruction and feedback both to her patients and to the PTAs that she works with. She challenges all patients and encourages them throughout each session. She brings a positive attitude to each day that is felt by the entire rehab team and appreciated by her patients.
Jennifer Watson, PT, Avamere Transitional Care of Brighton
Jennifer Watson is the definition of a PT hero. She goes above and beyond for not only her patients, but the families of patients, her direct rehab team members, and all staff members that she works with. Not only does Jen positively affect and help all of those she works with on a daily basis, she will also always offer to help newcomers and those in OTHER buildings as well, just out of the goodness of her heart. Jen will never hesitate to offer a helping hand, and goes out of her way to offer assistance or guidance to other team members to promote growth and learning as well as above average care for patients. Jen will do anything needed in order to ensure that not only will the job get done, it will get done to the absolute best of her ability, with efforts to ensure others also feel competent and accomplished. When I began working with Jennifer, she welcomed me with open arms, and working with her has only improved over the days and the years as she continues to help me grow as a therapist, grow as a person, learn as much as I can about healthcare and rehabilitation, and provide the best possible care I can to our patients. If there is any staff member that you feel deserves recognition on the Infinity team, it is Jennifer Watson.
Byrony Treser, PT, Bayview
Byrony might be hands down the best therapist and supervisor I have ever worked with. Her clinical decision making is on point and she particularly has a gift for motivating her patients. Byrony is attentive professionally but also shows she cares about her staff outside of work. She encourages growth in the field of physical therapy but also within whatever interests her staff share. Here’s to you Byrony for being an inspiration to us all. Happy PT month!
Blair Dolan, PT, St. Anthony Health and Rehabilitation
Blairs assessment skills of her residents always have them first and foremost above all, regardless of how difficult it may be for staff or family. Nothing but full confidence in her as the lead PT.
Suzanne Benorden, PT, Avamere Riverpark of Eugene
For being the only PT in the building, Suzanne always puts her best foot forward. Even though she has a lot on her plate with duties of a PT and senior therapist, she is still always willing to lend a helping hand.
Michelle Slaughter, PT (PRN), Seattle, Washington
Michelle is the epitome of warm, inviting. She is a great PT, who is very knowledgeable, but also takes the time to share that knowledge and communicates in a very conscientious way, very inclusive.
Kim Juranek, PTA, The Springs at Lake Oswego
Kim is a true team player! She works part time but is so flexible with her schedule, volunteering to pick up extra days whenever needed. Kim is passionate about what she does and really strives to embrace meeting patients where they are at. She brightens up every room she enters with her smile and enthusiasm! We are so grateful to have her on our team!
Sarah New, PT, Forest Grove Rehab
Sarah is my right hand and back up DOR. Her knowledge and skills are invaluable. She has a good reputation and rapport with our long-term residents as well as our more difficult skilled patients. I still learn so much from Sarah, I don’t know what I’d do without her.
Rebekkah Jolliff, PTA, Forest Grove Rehab
Rebekkah is a new grad, but you wouldn’t know it as she hit the ground running. She is confident, competent, and so much fun to be around. She quickly established herself at Forest Grove Rehab already having good relationships with her patients, co-workers, and facility staff. Rebekkah’s future is bright, and I look forward to watching her grow in her field.
Andrew Steele, PT, Salem Transitional Care
Andrew Steele is an amazing PT who has been part of the Infinity family for 12 years. He is well-known for humbly delivering high-quality, patient-specific, evidence-based, jam-packed therapy sessions. Andrew is a leader who lives out the art of caring in each treatment session. He is gifted at connecting with patients, finding out what is important to them, and using his understanding to design treatments that are meaningful and motivating. His personalized interactions keep patients engaged, invested, and aware of the connection between therapy activities and the results they are looking for. Andrew’s patients request him by name, commend him in care conferences and on discharge surveys, and are known to, on occasion, take the time to return to our facility to “show Andrew how he helped me.”
Andrew is a leader known for his support for therapy students, clinical collaboration with his teammates, clinical excellence, daily trivia questions, laughter, and sincere care and concern for others. He is highly regarded by facility staff including CNAs, housekeeping team and our facility administrator. This clinician demonstrates a high regard for the individuality of others by getting to know his co-workers and paying attention to what is important to them. His leadership fosters an environment where others can come to work as their authentic self. We are so thankful for Andrew!
Sarah Russell, PT, Sullivan Park
Sarah demonstrates all the characteristics of a PT hero…Clinical Champion 2 and working on 3; Clinical Academy graduate (first class). New grad mentor, quality therapist always striving to exceed the patient’s needs and progress. Guides the entire team (and the DOR who is a PT!) to strive for excellence with the clinical model.
Andrew Marques, PTA, Alamitos West Health and Rehabilitation
In March of 2022, the Infinity team expanded to a facility in southern California. I met Andrew Marques on the first day of team onboarding training, we are both PTAs at Alamitos West Health and Rehabilitation.
At this time, I was rather nervous about working in a skilled nursing facility. I’m recently licensed and have had a couple years of outpatient rehab experience but this was my first time treating in a SNF. Andrew seemed confident and eager to start patient treatments before our onboarding training was complete. I noticed Andrew’s demeanor, he was more experienced in a SNF, I asked him if I could shadow his first few treatments to get a better understanding of the patient > therapist interaction/treatment in this new environment. Andrew was more than happy to refresh my memory. He was extremely descriptive with his application of treatment and his reasoning behind his interventions. I noticed that he spent additional time to explain/educate his patients on how therapeutic exercises/activities would improve functional ability with activities of daily living. He taught me how to wire a catheter under a WC without obstruction limp movement, application of a catheter privacy bag, and checking ADs for imperfections. Andrew taught me ways to use proper patient education and optimistic persuasion to encourage a patient to participate in treatment (when a patient has decreased current motivation). While observing Andrew, it’s obvious to see his genuine care for each patient and his confidence/optimistic attitude encourages all around him.
Since March, our facility and team has grown. I continue to notice Andrew’s leadership and charismatic demeanor. He is the only practitioner I have met that can answer any question regarding a patients’ current status without looking at any documentation. This is because of the relationships be builds with each pt he treats. Between his daily treatments, Andrew spends his down time personally checking in on patients he treated prior that week (patients that aren’t currently on his schedule that day) and even double checks minor details like proper limb bracing alignment and will make adjustments to patient assistive devices to ensure safety.
I feel Andrew Marques would be a fantastic choice as therapist of the month. Andrew is a father of two young children ages 2 & 5, he balances his home life and profession extremely well. I personally look up to Andrew Marques as a role model. His professional conduct and advice has made me a better practitioner. His selfless disposition and patient compassion benefits not only the progression of patient health, but our entire rehab team.
Ian Idayan, PT, Karcher Estates
Ian has a quiet approach that motivates his patients. He is always available to give a hand, is backup for the DOR and although it is not his favorite activity -he does a GREAT job! Ian is willing to assist at our sister facility in the Boise area even though the drive is long. He is always willing to assist his team members and certainly is a PT HERO!
Matt Janzen, PTA, Karcher Estates
Matt has worked with our team for the last year and he was fit in perfectly. Matt loves to educate patients and family and this is a gift he has shared with our patients. He works well with all the other disciplines and ensures that everyone feels part of the team! Thanks for all you do!
A big thank you to all our PT Heroes during National Physical Therapy Month!
