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The ribbon was cut Friday, February 23, 2024 opening a new short-stay in-patient rehabilitation unit in Bldg. 7 at the Salem VA Medical Center. The unit, which includes 10 private rooms,

dining area, conference/multi-purpose room, and physical rehabilitation fitness facility, is the culmination of a process that began in late 2019 and involved extensive remodeling of the

building’s first floor space. The renovation, done largely in-house, cost more than $50,000, much of which was spent on room and exercise equipment. According to Mark Realmuto, Occupational

Therapist and the facility coordinator, the facility falls under the umbrella of the Community Living Center that treats hospice, long term care, respite, and rehabilitation patients. “The

CLC has limited bed space and so Veterans who require inpatient rehabilitation have been forced to use community care, which is much less convenient and often doesn’t offer the same array of

services,” Realmuto said. “Having this facility allows us to accept more Veterans to stay in the VA system and allow their providers to follow them from acute care to short-stay rehab, and

as-needed as they transition to outpatient care.” Being in a single location, the facility will also create a positive synergy among nurses, and a wide variety of therapists to include

orthopedics, physical, occupational, speech, music and others. “It’s all focused rehabilitation designed to help Veterans improve function, independence and getting back to where they

belong,” Realmuto said. “From knee replacements to strokes, we have a facility where patients can get care and rehabilitation on a single floor, and where nurses and providers can be with

patients and monitor their progress.” The next project Realmuto has his sights on is adding more space and functionality to the kinesiotherapy section and renovating the clinic to allow for

more Gerofit class space for older Veterans.