Since it was first established in 2017, Ignite Medical Resorts has been reshaping the landscape of the skilled nursing field with its unique short-term rehab-to-home model. Ignite offers physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy services to its guests, all in a setting that prioritizes luxury and comfort. Ignite’s facilities can be found across six states, with three located in Dyer, Crown Point, and Chesterton respectively.
One of the most significant upgrades Ignite has implemented at its facilities in recent years has been the Andago V2.0, a device that facilitates overground gait and balance training.
Kelly Petty, vice president of business development at Ignite Medical Resorts of Northwest Indiana, Is thrilled to share with the community of Northwest Indiana, how Ignite is investing in cutting edge technology to help redefine post-hospital rehabilitation in the region”
“Ignite blends advanced medical rehabilitation with luxury hospitality,” Petty said. “We strive to be the top post acute provider in region” Our goal is to create a five-star resort experience for all the guests who come to us for rehabilitation. Our use of robotics technology is what makes us so unique”
Manufactured by the Swiss medtech company Hocoma, the Andago is an innovative device that combines the benefits of both free walking and treadmill-based gait training. The Andago consists of a wheel-mounted frame about the same dimensions as a doorway and a harness that supports the patient around the waist. This frame automatically follows the patient and fluidly matches their pace as they walk. The Andago’s design negates the risk of falling and the amount of support it provides can be adjusted to fit each patient’s individual needs.
Mathew Thengil, chief operating officer for Ignite, says that the staff members have already seen the Andago’s benefits proven many times over.
“The biggest need among patients at nursing homes and post acute rehab facilities is the ability to stand,” Thengil said. “They may have been in the hospital or ICU for several weeks, or they may have been sedentary at home for several months on end. These patients are unbelievably deconditioned and standing is often a Herculean task for them. Typically, three or four rehab therapists will hoist the patient into an upright position and maybe even have them take a couple steps. However, with the Andago, you only need one therapist for this process. It doesn’t just hoist the patient’s body weight, it can offload about 50 to 60 pounds of weight off of each of the patient’s extremities. That makes the process much less strenuous for the patient and more efficient for the therapists. The Andago is truly a game-changer.”
Ignite, eager to introduce innovative robotic rehab technology to the skilled nursing industry, purchased its first Andago device about three years ago. This process took about six months, as a new Andago device is custom-built in Switzerland for each order and then sent to the United States. Today, Ignite has 14 Andago units in use across all of its locations. Thengil says that technology like the Andago helps Ignite continue to push the boundaries of the skilled nursing field.
“People don’t typically expect to receive advanced rehab therapy at a nursing home,” Thengil said. “They think they have to be in a rehab hospital to receive rehab therapy. We at Ignite want to be pioneers in the rehab industry and help change that perception. We want to make sure that our guests have access to world-class rehab technology so they can recover as quickly as possible and return home. We don’t want to take a back seat to anyone when it comes to advanced rehab technology.”
Carrie Tyson, senior vice president of therapy for Ignite, predicts that robotics technology like the Andago can have a significant impact on the medical field in the coming decades.
“The Andago device has helped shorten our guests’ stays at our facilities and start out on the road to recovery more quickly,” Tyson said. “Since we first implemented the Andago, we’ve seen a decrease in falls and re-hospitalizations among our patients. We’re even seeing that it could lessen the need for caregivers in the home setting. It’s a great device that has done much to improve our guests’ overall quality of life in the short time they spend at our facilities. The Andago is an amazing piece of technology that enables our guests to lead happier and healthier lives.”
Please visit ignitemedicalresorts.com for more information on the Andago and the services that Ignite Medical Resorts offers its guests.