A $5,000 grant from Wisconsin’s Stackner Family Foundation will support the expansion and renovation of Carroll University’s Therapeutic Abilities Clinic (TAC).
The clinic, offered twice a week at the Sentry Building, serves about thirty clients. At the clinic, physical therapy students provide assistance and exercise guidance for individuals with chronic neurological conditions under the supervision of physical therapy faculty. Due to the overwhelming reports of success from the clients, their families and students who participated in this clinic, the number of clients participating has grown and local health care providers have referred their patients who have run out of rehabilitative funds. For the clients, the free clinic can be an invaluable opportunity for continued treatment. For Carroll students, the clinic provides vital experiences in providing hands-on, practical treatment.
Over the past two years, master of exercise science students have seen clients on opposing days of the week to provide personal exercise prescription to improve cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance and flexibility.
Additionally, Carroll’s exercise physiology program is beginning a cancer rehabilitation program at the TAC. Cancer patients both during and following treatments will have access to free rehabilitation to improve physical functioning and enhance quality of life. Carroll’s cancer rehabilitation program will be the first to offer completely one-on-one, individualized care.
The grant will enable the Therapeutic Abilities Clinic to accept an additional six clients and renovate and update some equipment. Exercise physiology anticipates the addition of at least 10-15 new cancer patients and will continue to work with individual clients in conjunction with physical therapy on alternate days.
“The Stackner Family Foundation is pleased to partner with Carroll in helping meet the needs of our community,” said John Treiber, executive director.
The Stackner Family Foundation is committed to funding organizations providing programs and services primarily in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties that help people who are at a substantial disadvantage. Its focus is on addressing needs of mental health, intellectual disabilities or physical disabilities and on basic human needs such as food, shelter and medical care. The foundation is a long-time supporter of the physical therapy program at Carroll.