FAQs: The Basics
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No. The state of Ohio has direct access for physical therapy, meaning a physician’s referral is not required.
To schedule, fill out our new client form or call 513-855-2092.
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Each visit is one hour.
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Wear comfortable clothes, gym shoes and a water bottle. If you do not have a credit card on file, bring your method of payment (cash or check).
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Physical therapy scheduling is individualized and will vary depending on your unique goals and medical condition. Consistency helps get you better, faster, so most clients schedule at least twice per week. Your physical therapist will provide scheduling recommendations after completing your evaluation.
Scheduling for wellness programs (Jumpstart, Anti-Freeze Bootcamp and Neuro Performance) is similar. Scheduling is flexible but most clients book at least twice per week. Anti-Freeze Bootcamp clients often benefit from more frequent visits.
Wellness programs are sold in packages of 8 or 15 visits. After completing half of your program, you will have the option to renew your program if desired.
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In a nutshell, physical therapy gets you back on your feet. Wellness programs keep them running.
Physical therapy is best when you need the skilled assessment and treatment of a physical therapist to problem solve and restore function.
Examples include:
Dizziness
Fall risk assessment and treatment
Orthotic and assistive device prescription
Modalities to reduce pain and optimize movement such as manual therapy, dry needling, electrical stimulation or blood flow restriction
Injury or surgical recovery programs
Wellness programs (Jumpstart, Anti-Freeze Bootcamp, Neuro Performance) are best for those who want to improve their overall health and fitness. Think goals such as improving strength, stamina, speed, flexibility and balance.
Empower’s wellness programs are designed to build resiliency and prevent future problems so that you can spend less time in physical therapy fixing problems and more time feeling your best.
For People with Medicare:
Unfortunately, Medicare beneficiaries are legally required to use Medicare benefits for their physical therapy and cannot choose to pay cash instead.
Medicare beneficiaries can receive services that Medicare does not cover, including wellness (Jumpstart, Anti-Freeze Bootcamp, Neuro Performance)
If you have Medicare and require physical therapy, we will gladly recommend alternative providers.
Still not sure? Fill out our new client form and we’ll reach out to schedule a free phone consultation to find your best fit.
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Wait times vary from days to months and are impacted by season, the needs of our current clients, and your scheduling flexibility.
Physical therapy clients and current wellness clients (Jumpstart, Anti-Freeze Bootcamp, Neuro Performance) have priority scheduling.
Wellness clients are offered the opportunity to renew halfway through their scheduled programs. While some clients complete only one or two rounds of their program before taking all the good stuff they learned to exercise on their own, others prefer to continue the benefits of individualized coaching and renew their programs continuously.
Once a client chooses not to renew their program, we then offer appointments to the next person on the wait list. We promise, these programs are worth the wait!
When you are next on the waitlist, we will reach out to you by both text and email with options to schedule your first appointment.
If we do not hear back from you within one week, we move on to the next person on the wait list.
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Wellness programs are not covered by insurance and include:
Jumpstart
Anti-Freeze Bootcamp
Neuro Performance
Empower often receives grants through local organizations which are used for partial scholarships to help reduce your participation costs. Make sure to ask if any scholarships are available when you sign up!
For physical therapy, we are not in-network with any insurance companies. You directly pay Empower a flat, per visit rate. Upon request, Empower will provide you with a superbill (detailed receipt) that you may submit to your insurance company for out-of-network services. If covered, your insurance company will reimburse you directly.
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There are plenty of providers out there that accept insurance. Our goal is to provide a desperately needed alternative when the standard, insurance model of health care isn’t enough.
For some of you, your insurance coverage is solid and meets your needs. Great! We encourage everyone to take advantage of their insurance benefits.
For many others, especially those with chronic health conditions, your insurance coverage simply doesn’t cut it. Limited visits, frequent pre and re-authorizations delaying treatments, denials for pre-existing conditions and lack of coverage for the very treatment your medical team recommends… the list goes on.
Maybe you got discharged because you are now “independent,” yet you know you haven’t achieved your full potential yet. Or worse yet, you heard the dreaded “plateau” word and got discharged because you weren’t making enough progress.
Once you run out of visits, many of you get discharged from PT or stuck paying your insurance company’s contracted rate, often several hundreds or even thousands of dollars per visit to continue physical therapy.
Empower uses a self-pay model to fill the gap in cases where the standard system fails. Self-pay means we work for you, not your insurance company.
Our flat rate, per visit, payment is predictable and easy to understand. It allows for continuous progress. When you no longer need skilled PT but want to keep getting stronger, faster, more balanced… you can transition right into a wellness program with the same therapist that knows your story.
When you remove all the delays, detours and road blocks of insurance, every treatment can be delivered with the quickest, most direct route to meeting and exceeding your goals.
You get better, faster. And can keep getting better, and better and better and better….
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Payment options include cash, credit, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and gift cards.
To help reduce fees, cash or check are greatly appreciated.
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Evaluation: $250
One-Hour Treatment: $175
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All clients must complete a one time mobility assessment that costs $200.
You will then have the option to purchase an 8 or 15 visit package. Packages are paid in full up front.
8 Visit Packages: $1,000 ($125/visit)
15 Visit Packages: $1650 ($110/visit)
Empower applies for grants each year and often has partial scholarships available for our exercise programs. Staff will be sure to offer any scholarships available to you when you sign up.
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We are located at 185 High Street, Suite C, Waynesville, Ohio.
FAQs: A Deeper Dive
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The benefits of exercise can be thought of in two categories:
Neuroprotection: Protecting your brain against future degeneration
Neuroplasticity: forming new connections around the areas of the brain that are impacted by Parkinson’s. Imagine disconnecting the damaged wires in your brain and reconnecting with new wires to make different pathways. These new paths help you to feel and function better each day.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), is a protein in your brain that promotes both neuroprotection and neuroplasticity. Think of BDNF as a fertilizer for the brain. The levels of BDNF are reduced in many neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s. Exercise helps “fill up your BDNF” tank, resulting in better neuroprotection and neuroplasticity.
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There are 7 elements to exercising effectively for Parkinson’s. These concepts are the foundations of PWR! training but can be applied to any exercise.
Big & Powerful
Physically Challenging
Mentally Challenging
Progressive (it should advance over time)
Fun
Consistent
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Even when exercise is “Parkinson’s specific,” we see the most impact when your movement medicine is personalized to your symptoms, fitness level and goals.
Just as your doctor prescribes different medicines for different problems, the same concept applies to your movement medicine. Specificity matters. Exercise to improve walking looks different than exercise to improve posture which looks different than exercise to improve balance.
A similar concept applies to exercise dosage. Just as doctors prescribe medication dosages individually, for long term brain protection, achieving a consistent, moderate to high intensity dosage is key for brain health. Moderate intensity exercise for you looks different than moderate intensity for your neighbor. The same exercise may be low intensity for you but high intensity for someone else.
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People who start exercising earlier experience a significantly slower decline in quality of life than those who start later.
Each year, more studies support the power of exercise to slow disease progression. Exercise is essential for people with Parkinson’s because it is neuroprotective, meaning it protects the nerves cells in your brain at risk for degeneration. In other words, exercise builds up your reserves, or strengthens, your most vulnerable cells before they experience damage.
Think of your exercise program as a long-term investment in your future. By building up your strength, balance, power and endurance reserves now, it will be much easier to benefit from your investment when you need it, compared to waiting to invest until the last minute.
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First of all, congratulations! You are well on your way to protecting your brain and building up your reserves. That’s a huge advantage worth celebrating.
Yes! While any exercise is a good thing, not all exercise is created equal when it comes to protecting your brain. What you do and how you do to it matters.
You are already putting in the work. Now it’s time to elevate your program by making it Parkson’s specific, personalizing it to your symptoms and filling any gaps in your armor.
Exercise is the one thing thought to slow disease progression. Let’s make sure the exercise you are already doing is as potent as possible.