Parkview Wabash to unveil renovated outpatient rehab facility Aug. 19

Community members invited to tour at open house

WABASH, Ind. - July 30, 2026 - For years, The Rehab Place at 502 S. Cass St. has helped patients regain mobility and function as the location of Parkview Wabash Hospital's outpatient therapy department. In recent months, the facility has undergone its own rehab and now is in better shape than ever to serve the community under a new name, Parkview Wabash (PWB) Outpatient Therapy.

Area residents are invited to see the changes for themselves at an open house from 5 to 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Therapists will be on hand to answer questions and help guests try the new equipment.

"This renovation reflects our commitment to making each patient's therapy experience the best it can be - safe, instructive and effective," said Deb Potempa, market president, Parkview Health South. "Demand for our therapy services has been on the rise in recent years, and the time has come for facility improvements to accommodate growth while supporting our team's ability to continue providing high-quality care."

With a refreshed design and new flooring, PWB Outpatient Therapy offers a revitalized 6,000-square-foot space with new features focused on expanding patient access, improving safety and enhancing patient outcomes with state-of-the-art technology and equipment:

• Lobby and registration areas have been modified to give patients a better check-in and scheduling experience.
• Patients who use the warm-water therapy pool now have a shower area so they can rinse off before and after each session.
• A new filtered water station will enable patients to stay hydrated during their therapy visit.
• Private treatment space has been expanded to six individual rooms.
• Office space has been increased to allow each member of the therapy team to have their own desk area for care planning and discussions with patients and colleagues.
• New equipment was purchased to update technology, and the gym area has been reorganized to allow more open floor space for easier movement around the room.

New training and rehab machines offer smoother operation, more precise resistance and clear metrics to help track progress toward therapy goals. These include: a leg press for strength and power training, a new stationary bike, an updated recumbent cross trainer for legs and arms, and a traction machine with technology to improve spinal decompression for nerve and disc injuries. In addition, a versatile functional trainer uses air-resistance cables to provide an ergonomic workout especially helpful for cardiovascular rehab and endurance training.

Schenkel Construction of Fort Wayne worked with Parkview Wabash on the renovation, which was made possible, in part, by donor generosity through gifts to the Parkview Health Foundation.

"The Parkview Health Foundation is proud to partner with Parkview Wabash to support this project," said Denise Andorfer, foundation director. "Donors supporting Parkview Wabash are dedicated to ensuring that new programs and expanded services are a priority, advancing the vision of our clinical teams for the community's growing needs."

Among its specialized tools to aid patient relief and recovery, PWB Outpatient Therapy's team is proud to offer an aquatic therapy pool and an interactive balance trainer.

Thanks to its zero-entry design, the therapy pool is accessible for patients with mobility restrictions. The patient enters the pool at floor level, using handrails for safety, then the pool floor is lowered to the appropriate depth for treatment. As the patient walks the treadmill floor, underwater cameras let the therapist observe the person's gait characteristics to provide needed training. Being submerged in water up to the shoulders means patients need to support only about 20 percent of their actual weight; buoyancy helps spare joints the stress of full weight-bearing exercise. Resistance can be added with water jets to make walking or exercising more challenging for muscles.

The balance trainer is a harness-and-interactive-platform system used for whole-body balance and gait training associated with a variety of medical conditions including stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, concussions, inner ear disorders and more. As the patient moves, the system gathers data on perception and how the person controls their balance, enabling the therapist to gauge what changes are needed to help the person gain greater stability. The trainer can also be used to improve muscle control and functional balance before and after surgery.

In addition to physical therapy, PWB Outpatient Therapy also offers occupational therapy. Speech therapy services - which address speech, language and communication disorders - are offered at the hospital, 10 John Kissinger Drive, Wabash.