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From Interstate 35: Take Exit 90. Turn west onto Oralabor
Road and drive 1.6 miles. Turn left at the On With Life road
sign onto SW Snyder Road. Turn right at the stop sign onto SW
Ankeny Road. On With Life is the second building on the south
side of the road.

From East bound Interstate 80: Take Exit 135. Turn North on
2nd Avenue (Iowa Hwy 415) and drive 2.9 miles. Turn right at
the On With Life road sign onto NW 72nd Place, then immediately
turn left onto SW Ankeny Road. Drive .7 mile to On With Life
on the south side of the road.

From West bound Interstate 80: Take Exit 137B. Proceed
North on I-35. Take Exit 90. Turn west onto Oralabor Road and
drive 1.6 miles. Turn left at the On With Life road sign onto SW
Snyder Road. Turn right at the stop sign onto SW Ankeny Road.
On With Life is the second building on the south side of the road.

Pat M. Stilwill, B.A., LNHA, CBIS

Administrator

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Phone: (515) 289-9603
pstilwill@onwithlife.org

David S. Demarest, Ph.D.

Clinical NeuropsychologistDirector, OWL Psychology and Neuropsychology Services

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Phone: (515) 289-9631
ddemarest@onwithlife.org

Carla Dippold, RN, BS, CRRN, CCM, CBIS

Director of Case Management

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Phone: (515) 289-9610
cdippold@onwithlife.org

Cara Bianchi

Director of Nursing

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Phone: (515) 289-9711
cbianchi@onwithlife.org

Dave Anders

Therapy Manager

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Phone: (515) 289-9626
danders@onwithlife.org

What services does inpatient rehabilitation provide?

Physicians supervise the planning and implementation of each individual’s comprehensive rehabilitation plan. Our Rehabilitation Medical Director is a Board Certified Physiatrist. Our Attending Medical Director is a Board Certified Internist. Our rehabilitation teams work closely with these physicians and other specialists to maximize functional outcomes.

Individuals with brain injury may have behavioral or psychiatric issues that could prevent full participation in the rehabilitation program. On With Life’s Consulting Psychiatrist works closely with the team to evaluate experiences and treat mood states and levels of agitation to optimize rehabilitation outcomes.

On With Life’s Neuropsychologist assesses strengths and needs in the areas of cognition, behavior management, mental health, substance abuse and sexuality, providing information and guidance for individual rehabilitation plans. Our Neuropsychologist also counsels persons served and their families, and works closely with our Social Workers and consulting Psychiatrist to minimize emotional barriers.

Ankeny’s skilled rehabilitation nursing team understands the essential role quality care plays in earning the trust of persons served and their families. Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurses (CRRN’s) and Certified Nursing Assistants trained in rehabilitation, provide a wide range of specialized services – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – to meet the complex medical and emotional needs of individuals with brain injury. Our nursing team helps individuals remain medically stable so they can fully participate and benefit from intensive clinical intervention. Persons served and their families receive ongoing education from the rehabilitation nursing staff regarding brain injury and complicating medical issues to help them regain control of their lives.

Our Physical Therapy team works to enhance functional mobility. Because persons with brain injury are often unable to move all or parts of their bodies, physical therapy targets enhancement of movements and compensatory methods of moving. The inability to perform functional mobility skills – such as bed mobility, transfers, wheelchair mobility, and walking – is often an effect of a brain injury. On With Life’s physical therapy programs are designed to help regain strength, endurance and balance for functional mobility tasks.

Our Occupational Therapy team works to enhance life skills that are affected by brain injury. The environment and items used in daily living are modified and compensatory strategies are targeted to allow an individual with a brain injury to function at his/her highest level. Our therapists also evaluate and address visual skills, movement throughout the upper body, and cognitive skills in order to enhance performance of daily living activities, which are frequently impacted by a brain injury.

Our Speech Language Pathology team works to enhance cognitive abilities, executive functioning, receptive and expressive language skills, and motor control. Because persons who have acquired a brain injury often are unable to communicate via traditional means, our Speech-Language Pathologists also evaluate and implement alternative means of communication. Deficits in swallowing are often an additional complication of a brain injury, and Speech- Language Pathologists work with individuals to help them safely consume food in the most natural way.

Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists design interventions to help persons with brain injury develop and express healthy leisure lifestyles. Therapists rely heavily on community reintegration activities to make the rehabilitation experience meaningful, fun, and functional.

On With Life’s Board Certified Music Therapist promotes cognitive, social, emotional, and physical well being through participation in music activities. Because musical interests are unique, therapy is designed around specific interests. Persons with a brain injury can benefit from music as a modality to promote vocalization, rhythmic movements, orientation, relaxation, self-expression, and as a way to enhance overall self-esteem.

Proper nutrition is essential to restore and retain health during the brain injury rehabilitation process. Our Registered Dietitian assesses the nutritional needs of each person served to maintain safe swallowing, address medical needs, and maximize nutritional status. Person served also receive ongoing nutrition education while at On With Life to promote wellness following discharge

A beautiful chapel is centrally located within On With Life to provide a quiet and contemplative area for individuals and their families. Regularly scheduled services by our chaplain, arrangements for clergy visits and support for continued participation in spiritual activities are made as requested. On With Life is committed to a holistic approach that addresses not only the clinical needs of each individual, but also his/her spiritual, emotional, and psychosocial needs.

Our Case Management Team closely monitors the person served throughout the rehabilitation process, maintaining consistent contact with family members and external case managers to communicate information, address specific issues and coordinate discharge planning. The Case Management Team also works with individuals and their families to strengthen advocacy skills and identify short and long term future resources.
Rehabilitation does not end when a person leaves On With Life at Ankeny and faces new challenges. Our staff understands these challenges, and continues to offer support to individuals and their families after discharge. Outpatient services are also offered for persons in Central Iowa.

Vocational needs are evaluated using information gathered from the person served, family members, clinical assessments and psychological testing. Whenever feasible, pertinent work experiences and skills are woven into the therapeutic program. Referrals to Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) for post-discharge vocational services are initiated, as appropriate.

• High ratio of brain injury rehabilitation professionals to persons served.
• Excellent state, federal and CARF survey history.
• Building designed for the sole purpose of brain injury rehabilitation (large therapy rooms, private rooms with roll-in showers, brain injury resource library, and wheelchair-accessible garden and pond).
• Access to an array of services within the On With Life “family” – Outpatient, Neuropsychological, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Language Pathology services, Supported Community Living, Skilled Long-Term services, and Subsidized Independent Apartment Living.

The person to be served:

• has acquired a brain injury or other neurological disorder.
• has the potential to participate in, and benefit from, comprehensive rehabilitation services.
• is medically stable and no longer requires acute hospitalization.
• breathes independently, without medical assistance.
• does not demonstrate a severe behavioral, psychiatric or personality disorder that poses a threat to self or others, or that requires intensive or long-term psychiatric intervention.
• has means of payment for services.
• who is either a minor or adult not capable of informed decision making, has either a legally appointed decision maker or a family representative responsible for decisions and/or informed choices.

Funding Sources

• Health Insurance
• Private Pay
• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Workers’ Compensation Insurance

The person served:

• has improved sufficiently so he or she no longer needs the services provided within the inpatient rehabilitation program.
• is not medically stable and no longer benefit from the intense rehabilitation program.
• or responsible party determines that he or she no longer wants to participate in the comprehensive rehabilitation program.
• no longer has a viable funding source for inpatient rehabilitation services.

For more information about what makes On With Life at Ankeny such a unique program, contact our Admissions Coordinator who will be happy to provide consultation and arrange for an onsite assessment. On With Life at Ankeny Inpatient Rehabilitation 715 SW Ankeny Road Ankeny, Iowa 50023 515-289-9618.