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By: Kate Bellucci, PT, DPT, MSCS, Physical Therapists, Barnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center
Have you or someone you love been recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease or another neurological condition resulting in smaller and slower movements? Are you the person asking your partner to sit up straight? To take bigger steps? To walk faster? Are everyday tasks such as getting dressed in the morning, getting up and down from the couch, or simply walking becoming significantly harder or slower?
LSVT BIG may be the program for you or your loved one and we at the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Center are here for you! We have multiple physical therapists (PT) and physical therapy assistants (PTA) certified in this highly successful program to help you and your family fight back in the eyes of a tough diagnosis.
So what is LSVT BIG? This program is an intensive evidence-based rehabilitation program developed to help patients with Parkinson’s and other neurological diagnoses move better and more normally. You will commit to 60 minute sessions, 4 consecutive days per week, for 4 weeks. You will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with an LSVT BIG certified PT or PTA each session to reach your goals of moving better, more efficiently, and more safely with specific tasks tailored to you and your family’s largest concerns. While this exercise program may be most effective for patients who have been recently diagnosed, it is never too late to enroll no matter your current physical function.
Sounds good. How do I get started? This program is offered as a physical therapy service. Give our office a call and express your interest in enrolling in the LSVT BIG program at 973-322-7500. Our outstanding access associates will schedule your initial evaluation with an LSVT BIG certified physical therapist.
Don’t think LSVT BIG is right for you but still have concerns about your current functional mobility? No problem. We are happy to schedule you for a standard physical therapy initial evaluation and help you on your journey to fight back.
Please feel free to refer to the LSVT Global Website for more information and research about this program. Feel free to give us a call to speak with an LSVT certified therapist to answer any and all questions you may have about the program before you schedule your appointment. And remember…THINK BIG!!
Kate Bellucci, PT, DPT, MSCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist
LSVT BIG certified
Phone: 973-322-7389
E-mail: Katharine.bellucci@rwjbh.org
Kate is a physical therapist at Barnabas Ambulatory Care Center. She treats primarily patients with neurological conditions and patients with gait, balance, and endurance impairments. Kate completed her bachelor’s degree in science at Michigan State University in 2014 then went on to complete her doctorate in physical therapy at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 2018. She was granted the Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Scholarship from the Consortium of MS Centers in 2019 and became a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist and an LSVT BIG certified therapist in 2020. She serves as a member of the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Professionals and the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers. She is from Somerville, NJ and still resides there with her husband Eric and puppy Lilly. When she is not working you will find her walking her dog downtown, spending time with family and friends, or reading on her porch.
The Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center Rehabilitation centers are open and ready to help you achieve your goals. With four locations in West Orange, Millburn and Livingston, the experienced and compassionate staff at Cooperman Barnabas Rehabilitation offers adults and children the specialized care they need to resume an active life after surgery, injury or illness. They are committed to providing patients with the most advanced services in a safe, caring and soothing environment. For high-risk patients who are unable to visit in person, telehealth is an option. Patients do not need a prescription for physical therapy services.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 973-322-7500.