After an employee encounters a work-related injury, you’re eager to help them recover, feel well and return to work. The occupational rehabilitation service at Genesis Occupational Health can help. Our rehab programs assess the employees’ abilities to get back on the job, and a plan is developed to return to work.
For patients, family members and caregivers living with a recent or existing traumatic brain injury, we offer our Brain Injury Support Group to share your experiences, challenges and receive support.
After an injury, employees can receive high-quality, cost-effective treatment for a prompt return to work and a healthy life. We have a wide array of occupational rehab therapies for neck, back and orthopedic injuries to get employees back to work. Referrals can also be made to specialists when needed.
Back pain, back strains | Post-surgical cases |
Bursitis | Spinal cord injury |
Chronic pain | Sprains and strains |
Minor fractures | Tendonitis |
Muscle injuries | |
Neck injuries, neck strains | |
Orthopedic injuries |
Our therapists have special training in occupational rehab and use programs especially designed to meet the employer’s and employee’s needs and goals. The treatments include general warmups, aerobics, circuit training (carry, lift, push/pull), sit/stand tolerance and education. Occupational Rehab completion can include up to 4-8 hours of therapy and simulating the job the employee will return to.
The employee will work with therapists in daily sessions at a Genesis Rehabilitation Services location to improve physical strength, aerobic fitness and work capacity for a more successful return to the workplace. A team of physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners and technicians is here to help, and employers are kept up to date about the employee’s injuries and recovery.
Work hardening is a program that focuses on work-related activities designed to prepare employees to get back on the job. The patient plays an active role in their rehabilitation by simulating their everyday work activities and receives an assessment to determine if he or she can return to work. Work hardening treatments start with 2 hours daily and progress to 4-8 hours a day by the end of the treatment.
Physical Reconditioning is designed to increase physical tolerance, psychological status and performance of duties. While physical conditioning is less intense than work hardening, the end goal is that a patient will be more employable by the end of the reconditioning. Treatment is typically three times a week for 2 hours each and patients receive an assessment to determine if he or she can return to work.
Functional Capacity Evaluation looks at the individual’s musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, daily living activities, pain, body mechanics, sit/stand/drive tolerances, bending, reaching, squatting, climbing, lifting, carrying and push/pull activities. This type of evaluation assesses a patient's work abilities and his or her maximum ability to perform certain tasks.
Work Capacity Evaluation may include the same tests as the Functional Capacity Evaluation, in addition to an evaluation of the patient's ability to complete specific work tasks related to his or her job specific demands.
Genesis has convenient locations in both Muskingum and Perry County offering occupational rehab including the Genesis Outpatient Rehabilitation and the Genesis Perry County Medical Center in Somerset. Occupational Rehab is also available at the Genesis HealthCenter-New Concord.
If you’d like more information about the encompassing occupational rehab at Genesis Rehabilitation Services, please call today. A physician referral is required.
After an employee encounters a work-related injury, you’re eager to help them recover, feel well and return to work. The occupational rehabilitation service at Genesis Occupational Health can help. Our rehab programs assess the employees’ abilities to get back on the job, and a plan is developed to return to work.
For patients, family members and caregivers living with a recent or existing traumatic brain injury, we offer our Brain Injury Support Group to share your experiences, challenges and receive support.
A concussion is a type of brain injury that involves a short loss of brain function and can be a scary injury. You can receive expert concussion therapy in Zanesville and Somerset for concussions and post-concussion syndrome without traveling far from home.
Our therapists offer comprehensive concussion treatments after an assessment that may include:
Balance assessment | Neurological assessment |
Baseline Concussion Testing | Oculomotor testing |
Cervical assessment | Patient and family education |
Closed head injury, blunt head trauma | Return to work, return to play assessment |
Concussion therapy | SCAT-5 |
Concussion with loss of consciousness | Symptom management |
Concussion without loss of consciousness | Vestibular screening |
ImPACT Testing | Unrestrained passenger in car accident |
For children at least 10 years old, Baseline Concussion Testing, also referred to as Neurocognitive Baseline Testing, is available at participating Zanesville-area schools. This 20-minute, computerized exercise measures your child's current attention span, memory, problem-solving skills and reaction time prior to playing sports. After a suspected concussion, your child will retake the test to determine if the head injury affected brain function. The results help healthcare professionals assess when your child can safely get back to athletic activity.
If you are interested in taking the Baseline Concussion Testing, please contact the Genesis Outpatient Rehabilitation at (740) 455-5151.
Our Return-to-Play program is supervised and administered by licensed physical therapists specially trained in concussions.
If your child or loved one receives or is suspecting of receiving a concussion, has a suspected concussion, he or she can be evaluated by one of our specially trained therapists. After the evaluation, a physical therapist will develop a personalized rehabilitation plan and monitor the patient's progress throughout recovery.
The program has five phases, with at least 24 hours between each phase. If concussion symptoms re-occur, the athlete or individual stops activity and rests, then the therapy resumes when the athlete is symptom-free.
Our therapists work closely with your physician to ensure it’s safe to return to sports, school or work.
You will need a physician referral for your first concussion therapy session. Concussion therapies are available at the Genesis Outpatient Rehabilitation. Concussion evaluation and therapy is also available at the Genesis Perry County Medical Center in Somerset at (740) 743-3800. For more information on concussion therapy at Genesis, call (740) 455-5151.
Genesis Rehabilitation Services are experienced and specially trained in treating both children and adults with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) or concussions. Our licensed physical therapists will work with you and your physician to determine the severity of your concussion. After your evaluation, our specialists will develop a return-to-play or return-to-work treatment plan, and use concussion testing technologies to set cognitive baselines and post-concussion benchmarks during your recovery.
For patients, family members and caregivers living with a recent or existing traumatic brain injury, we offer our Brain Injury Support Group to share your experiences, challenges and receive support.
A concussion is a type of brain injury that involves a short loss of brain function and can be a scary injury. You can receive expert concussion therapy in Zanesville and Somerset for concussions and post-concussion syndrome without traveling far from home.
Our therapists offer comprehensive concussion treatments after an assessment that may include:
Balance assessment | Neurological assessment |
Baseline Concussion Testing | Oculomotor testing |
Cervical assessment | Patient and family education |
Closed head injury, blunt head trauma | Return to work, return to play assessment |
Concussion therapy | SCAT-5 |
Concussion with loss of consciousness | Symptom management |
Concussion without loss of consciousness | Vestibular screening |
ImPACT Testing | Unrestrained passenger in car accident |
For children at least 10 years old, Baseline Concussion Testing, also referred to as Neurocognitive Baseline Testing, is available at participating Zanesville-area schools. This 20-minute, computerized exercise measures your child's current attention span, memory, problem-solving skills and reaction time prior to playing sports. After a suspected concussion, your child will retake the test to determine if the head injury affected brain function. The results help healthcare professionals assess when your child can safely get back to athletic activity.
If you are interested in taking the Baseline Concussion Testing, please contact the Genesis Outpatient Rehabilitation at (740) 455-5151.
Our Return-to-Play program is supervised and administered by licensed physical therapists specially trained in concussions.
If your child or loved one receives or is suspecting of receiving a concussion, has a suspected concussion, he or she can be evaluated by one of our specially trained therapists. After the evaluation, a physical therapist will develop a personalized rehabilitation plan and monitor the patient's progress throughout recovery.
The program has five phases, with at least 24 hours between each phase. If concussion symptoms re-occur, the athlete or individual stops activity and rests, then the therapy resumes when the athlete is symptom-free.
Our therapists work closely with your physician to ensure it’s safe to return to sports, school or work.
You will need a physician referral for your first concussion therapy session. Concussion therapies are available at the Genesis Outpatient Rehabilitation. Concussion evaluation and therapy is also available at the Genesis Perry County Medical Center in Somerset. For more information on concussion therapy at Genesis, call (740) 455-5151.
Donna Taylor knew she had poor eating habits and that she could be at risk for developing diabetes. The Zanesville woman has a family history of diabetes. Her father was diabetic and required insulin injections and her paternal grandmother was diabetic and lost her sight.
Even so, Donna admitted that she was in denial. “I fooled myself into believing that I didn’t really eat that much. I drank water instead of pop, and I thought gaining weight was just a part of getting older,” she said.
The wake-up call came when A1C tests, taken during checkups to her family doctor, steadily started increasing. A1C tests measure blood glucose levels over three months and 5.7 percent or less is normal. Donna’s levels reached 6.4 percent in about nine months. “The doctor told me I was prediabetic. All I heard was ‘diabetic’ – I didn’t hear the ‘pre.’ I was at the danger level and it scared me.”
Donna knew she had to change her habits. She immediately enrolled in diabetes self-management education classes at Genesis. In the six-week class, Donna learned ways to improve her health including reducing food portions, limiting salt and cutting sugar consumption.
“Before taking the diabetes education class I didn’t realize the consequences of overindulgence in sugar and what it was doing to my body,” Donna said. High blood sugars can increase the risk of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and heart problems, eye problems that can lead to blindness, circulation and nerve problems, and kidney disease and kidney failure.
Donna learned the impact her habits were having on her health. “I was in a bad place in life. I ate to feel better. I would eat sweets, chocolate, cookies, potato chips … in front of the TV … by myself. I knew I was eating poorly, but I thought I deserved to feel better – in the moment.” The momentary lapses took a toll on Donna’s body, and she decided to make changes after seeing her A1C levels. “I’m a numbers person,” said Donna, who is an administrative assistant, in the accounting department at Genesis HealthCare System, “and the numbers didn’t lie.”
Donna’s advice is to recognize poor eating habits and learn ways to improve. What would have happened if Donna hadn’t taken the diabetes education classes and changed her ways? “I might have still been using sugar as the drug of choice,” she said.
“The diabetes educators at Genesis listen to you, answer questions and present the health information in an easily understandable way.” The diabetes education helped Donna avoid developing diabetes. “I’m eating healthier, and I am happy my A1C is getting lower. Be honest with yourself and take action to learn more about how to improve your health,” she said.
What is prediabetes? It’s a warning sign that you’re at risk for getting type 2 diabetes. It means that your blood sugar is higher than it should be, but not high enough to be diabetes. A1C tests between 5.7 to 6.4 percent are considered prediabetic.
Most people with prediabetes don’t have any symptoms. But if you have prediabetes, you need to watch for signs of diabetes, such as:
Blurred vision
Feeling very thirsty
Frequent urination
Hungry, more often than normal
Unintentional weight loss
Genesis is one of the few health care systems in the area providing the Diabetes Self-Management Education Program. The program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) as providing quality self-management education and is offered mornings, afternoons or evenings. Call (740) 454-4568 to schedule the self-management education program.
There’s a special exercise program at the Genesis Physician Pavilion for anyone who has Type 1 or 2 diabetes or is prediabetic. Your friends and family may join the program at the same price if coming as a support person or an exercise buddy. Call (740) 454-4336 or 866-351-6688 to register. The cost is $60 for a 16-class session, and financial aid is available.
You can learn more about the basics of diabetes self-care, feel the support of others, or share your knowledge with your community in the Diabetes Neighborhood Watch. This free, interactive, hands-on program will have rotating topics and is locally based. Meetings are in Crooksville, New Concord, Zanesville and McConnelsville. For more information, call (740) 454-4568.
onna Taylor knew she had poor eating habits and that she could be at risk for developing diabetes. The Zanesville woman has a family history of diabetes. Her father was diabetic and required insulin injections and her paternal grandmother was diabetic and lost her sight.
Jay Hunt was at his son’s wedding in Colorado when he began having trouble breathing and could barely put one foot in front of the other. The trip to the mountains and photos from the celebration in June 2018, caused him to make changes in his lifestyle.
“I felt terrible and was going downhill quickly. My A1C blood sugar level was 11, and I was taking about eight medications a day along with two insulin injections. I knew I had to do something to change or I wasn’t going to make it,” said the 59-year-old.
Jay’s wife Cheryl also recalled the transformative trip vividly. “When we got home, he decided to take his life back,” Cheryl said. Jay had previously taken the Diabetes Self-Management Education at Genesis when he was first diagnosed with diabetes. He decided to put into practice what he had learned about improving his diet through the education.
Learning healthy eating habits helped Jay shed more than 40 pounds, lower his A1C from 11 to 5.4 and no longer need the long list of medications he was taking daily.
Optional video caption
“The Diabetes & Nutrition Education team opened my eyes to the possibility that I could get ahold of my bad habits and change. Before, I was ready to give up,” Jay said. A picky eater, Jay loved donuts, didn’t like salads and had never tried broccoli.
The education program taught Jay about portion control, counting carbohydrates and shopping for groceries. “I read labels and look at the carbohydrates and calories and think to myself, ‘Is this food really worth it?’ I don’t want to go back to feeling terrible all the time. My muscles hurt, and I was losing function.”
Jay learned to eat a healthier diet. “I cut pop, potatoes, breads, sugars and pasta from my diet and stuck with low carbohydrate and high protein foods.”
Get the Diabetes Food Cheat Sheet (Infographic)
Cheryl enrolled in the education program to support her husband. As a result, she lost more than 20 pounds. Cheryl, a food service associate at Genesis Food & Nutrition, also learned a lot of practical ideas through the education. The main take-home message Cheryl garnered was portion control. “If the menu suggested ¼ cup of cottage cheese; we ate a fourth of a cup,” Cheryl said.
The Hunts have made a life change, and the outcome is apparent. “People stop me in the hallways of the hospital and ask if I’ve lost weight,” Cheryl said. Jay is also employed at Genesis as a valet.
Jay’s advice to others facing similar health challenges is to set goals and make healthier choices a priority. “My goal was to get off the medications I was taking. Now I have more energy and have never felt better in my life,” Jay shared.
Learning healthy eating habits helped Jay shed more than 40 pounds, lower his A1C from 11 to 5.4 and no longer need the long list of medications he was taking daily.
Our diabetes educators have advanced training to help you learn about diabetes.
Read personal stories from our patients about the Diabetes & Nutrition Education team improving health and changing lives.
Man With 11 Percent A1C Level Changes Life Through Diet | Jay Hunt
Jay Hunt was at his son’s wedding in Colorado when he began having trouble breathing and could barely put one foot in front of the other. The trip to the mountains and photos from the celebration in June 2018, caused him to make changes in his lifestyle. Learning healthy eating habits helped Jay shed more than 40 pounds, lower his A1C from 11 to 5.4 and no longer need the long list of medications he was taking daily.
This fun, interactive program runs for eight weeks at the Physicians Pavilion at Genesis Hospital. The cost is $100 and financial aid is available.
To learn more call the Genesis Diabetes Education staff.
If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, healthier eating habits are a good place to start. Our mini cheat sheet gives you a variety of low sugar, low calorie, low carbohydrate and low saturated fat food choices. (These aren’t the only foods or snacks you should eat as part of a balanced diet—just a few quick options for your grocery list.) Are you just looking for healthy food options? Our list is perfect for you too. ➔ View the Diabetes Food Cheat Sheet (PDF)
Diabetes Cheat Sheet
In 2022, the Perry County Medical Center Emergency Department (ED) had an average wait time of only 19 minutes from the time a patient enters our ED until they are seen by one of our medical providers for treatment.
Our full-service ED with board-certified physicians, specially trained registered nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and critical support staff provides exceptional service in less time than expected. Located in Somerset, just 12 minutes from most of the county’s population, we are always ready to treat you.
Our always open Emergency Department treats all emergency situations, but we are especially prepared to treat serious medical situations, including the following:
The 7,500 square foot Emergency Department is staffed by board-certified emergency physicians, specially trained registered nurses, emergency medical technicians and other critical support staff.
Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, our Emergency Department has eight examination and treatment rooms, a trauma and major medical bay, and a trauma area. Additional services include:
Additional outpatient services are available at the Genesis Perry County Medical Center.