By VANESSA McCRAY
vmccray@record-eagle.com
July 02, 2009 07:05 am KINGSLEY -- After a car crash caused traumatic brain injury to the son of James and Dorothea Wilson, the couple founded a rehabilitation center to offer hope to others in similar situations. The Lighthouse Neurological Rehabilitation Center started in 1987 on the family farm in Caro. In 2006, a second location was built near Kingsley, about 10 miles south of Traverse City on M-37. And, earlier this year, Lighthouse expanded again when an 11,000-square-foot therapy center opened on the 40-acre Traverse City-area campus. The center, created after the "family tragedy," now cares for people with traumatic brain injuries and neurological disorders and disabilities, said Mark Wilson, marketing and clinical director. The local facility houses 22 beds for residential living and also offers outpatient and day programs. Wilson said his parents James and Dorothea searched for proper care for his brother, but they were disappointed with what they found. Wilson's brother experienced severe behavior problems after the accident, creating another obstacle to his rehabilitation. Dorothea read extensively and took on a leadership role with a brain injury support group. Finally, she and James opened their own residential facility. "It was really out of desperation," Mark Wilson said. They started with an eight-bed operation, but it has grown to include 133 total beds at the Caro and Traverse City sites. "Our whole goal is to help them reach their highest level of independence," Wilson said. "Everyone's different." Some clients might require lifelong care. The local center offers numerous therapies including physical, occupational, speech, recreational and music as well as psychological and psychiatric services, social work and nursing, Wilson said. The recent therapy center addition on M-37 includes a kitchen, where clients learn cooking skills. A physical therapy room includes machines to help with walking. On a recent afternoon, rehabilitation aide Linda McClain played a memory game with a patient from Cadillac. "Can you match them up? Let's see if you can find matches," McClain coached, as they flipped over colorful square cards. The center has a rehab pool. Two residential homes are located in separate buildings behind the therapy center. Plans call for six more living units to be built on the property. Sandra Pilgrim-Lewis, of Harrisville, researched before she moved her daughter into the local facility. Her daughter has a rare disease that required surgeries and carries a grim outlook. "They said she would be tied in a bed screaming the rest of her life, and Lighthouse said, 'I think she can make progress,'" Pilgrim-Lewis said. Her daughter moved into the home late last year, and has made big strides, laughing and even playing some basketball. Pilgrim-Lewis selected the spot after looking at programs in and out of state, visiting sites and interviewing directors. The Wilson family's personal struggle made her choose Lighthouse. "It's an awesome, awesome place, and if I had my wishes my daughter would be well. But, since she's not, I can't imagine a better place for her to be," Pilgrim-Lewis said. Mark Wilson said his brother's death in 1989 "motivated my mother to work harder and help more individuals." Lighthouse employs about 400 people at its Caro site and about 50 in the location near Traverse City.
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Photos
The Lighthouse Neurological Rehabilitation Center recently opened an 11,000-square-foot therapy center. Linda McClain, a rehabilitation aide, plays a memory game with Duane Strom, of Cadillac. Record-Eagle