MUSCLE SHOALS– Shoals Hospital is celebrating J.W. Sommer Rehabilitation Unit’s tenth anniversary from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013. The event will take place at the J.W. Sommer Rehabilitation Unit, which is on the east end of the hospital.
“This is a significant milestone for us,” said Pam Moore, director of J.W. Sommer Rehabilitation Unit. “Ten years is a long time to provide this level of care for our community, and we want to celebrate by inviting the community, including former patients and their families, as well as retired employees of the facility to see how it has grown and changed over the years.”
The J.W. Sommer Rehabilitation Unit opened in November 2003 and is the Shoals’ only acute care rehabilitation unit. 
Sommer opened with 20 beds, but it did not take long to realize the great need for this type of service in the area. Today, the unit has grown to accommodate 32 patients. Along with the 32 beds, there are three gymnasiums, an apartment living/training room and a full-time staff of more than 75, including RNs, therapists, and technicians.
Sommer was designed to help patients who have suffered a stroke, hip fractures, brain injury, amputation, total joint replacement as well as many other debilitating conditions. Through intensive therapy and medical services Sommer’s goal is to return patients to their prior level of function or greater.
“Because so much has changed at Sommer during these past 10 years, it’s important for our former patients and their families to see just how much the department has progressed,” Moore said. “For me, as the director, it’s been such a pleasure to see just how many lives that have been positively affected by the great work we do here.”
As part of the 10-year anniversary celebration, those who attend will be invited to tour the facility as well as enjoy refreshments.
