Posted on November 25, 2019

Mary Free Bed patients treated to Spa Day

Patients at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital received some extra special pampering ahead of the holidays, thanks to volunteers and the Recreational Therapy department.

Mary Free Bed’s recreational therapy gym was transformed into a salon, where students from the Paul Mitchell School in Grand Rapids treated patients of all ages to complimentary manicures, haircuts and styles. More than 40 patients and family members indulged in the relaxing treat.

“You look a little better, you feel better – you feel a little more normal,” said Tony Pianto, a Ludington resident who came to Mary Free Bed for spinal cord rehabilitation. “That’s a big part of getting better.”

And that’s the point, said recreational therapist Brianne Taylor, who helped organize the event with the Mary Free Bed Junior Guild.

“This is a way for patients and their families to feel cared for in a unique way, outside of traditional therapy,” Brianne said.