Shelley Mulligan
Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist · IA Lic. 000000
Leads the practice and our work with senior communities. She starts with what a person wants to be doing again, and she asks the family to join in.
Balance and falls care in Marion
Steadier steps, at home and in your community
Prairie Step is a physical therapy practice for older adults who feel less steady on their feet. We treat people in our clinic and lead balance classes in senior communities. Families and community directors can both begin here.
Where would you like to begin?
Group balance classes
A class that meets you where you stand
Small groups, led by a physical therapist with an assistant beside the group. Pick the kind of class that feels right, and we will help you choose if you are not sure.
Seated and steady
For people who want a chair under them. You sit tall, reach, shift your weight and practice getting up, with a therapist and an assistant close by.
Chair-based, with bands and light weights
A therapist and an assistant in the room
A good first class if standing feels uncertain
Standing balance
For people who can stand with a chair or rail within reach. We practice stepping, reaching and standing on softer ground, one small challenge at a time.
A chair or rail always within reach
Foam pads and balance boards, a step at a time
A rest whenever you want one
Walk and turn
For people who walk on their own or with a cane or walker. We practice the moments that cause trouble: turning, stepping around things and walking while you talk.
Walking patterns, turns and curbs
Your cane or walker, adjusted if it needs it
A gait belt when it helps you feel secure
For senior communities
How we start with a community
Directors and wellness teams set the pace. We start small and add what your residents ask for.
- 01
Step 1: A call and a walk-through
We talk with your director and wellness team, then walk the halls, the dining room and the activity room. We look at where residents hesitate.
- 02
Step 2: A balance screening day
Residents who want to take part meet a physical therapist for a short, friendly look at how they stand, step and turn. We share what we see with each resident and, if they wish, with their family.
- 03
Step 3: A class, and a next step
A regular group class begins in your activity room. A resident who needs more than a class can see a therapist one-on-one, and we let their doctor know.
For families
Coming along with a parent is welcome
Many people first call because a daughter or son noticed something: a hand on the wall, a missed step, an outing that stopped. You are welcome at the first visit and every visit after it.
What families often ask us for
A seat next to your parent in the gym
A plain explanation of what we found
Exercises you can cheer on at home
A call to your parent's doctor, with permission
Choosing
A class, or a one-on-one visit
Many people do both. A therapist can help you choose where to start.
| One-on-one visit | Group balance class | |
|---|---|---|
| A good fit when | One-on-one visitA fall, a new worry, or a problem a therapist needs to look at closely | Group balance classStaying steady, with company and a regular time |
| Who leads | One-on-one visitA physical therapist, from start to finish | Group balance classA physical therapist, with an assistant |
| Attention | One-on-one visitAll on you: your steps, your home, your goals | Group balance classShared, with each person's exercises matched to their level |
| The first step | One-on-one visitAn evaluation, about an hour | Group balance classA short check with a therapist before you join |
| Where | One-on-one visitOur clinic | Group balance classOur clinic gym, or your community's activity room |
Our team
The people who treat you
Our physical therapists plan and lead your care. Our assistants help carry it out, under a therapist’s direction.
Mattie Manning
Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist · IA Lic. 000000
Sees people after a fall, a hospital stay or a joint replacement, and keeps their doctors in the loop.
Yusuf Sabry
Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist · IA Lic. 000000
Works on walking, stairs and curbs, and fits canes and walkers to the person using them.
Zeina Hourani
Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist · IA Lic. 000000
Leads the group balance classes and plans each class around the people who sign up.
Jonalyn Mangubat
Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist · IA Lic. 000000
Runs the screening days in senior communities and trains caregivers and community staff.
Devendra Kapoor
Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist · IA Lic. 000000
Builds leg and hip strength, and teaches people how to get up from the floor with help.
Jean Duffy
Physical Therapist Assistant
- Physical Therapist Assistant · IA Lic. 000000
Helps in the group classes and exercise visits, under a physical therapist's direction.
Petar Pavlovic
Physical Therapist Assistant
- Physical Therapist Assistant · IA Lic. 000000
Guides strength and walking practice, under a physical therapist's direction.
Families and community teams
What people say about coming in
“My son came to the first visit and asked everything I was too proud to ask. They talked to me, not over me.”
Hank T.Class member
“I noticed my mother had stopped walking to the dining room alone. The class gave her a reason to leave her apartment, and the therapist told us what to watch for.”
Debbie R.Daughter of a class member
“Our residents ask when the class is on. Their therapist learns names and tells our staff what she sees.”
Marlys V.Wellness director, senior community
Sample reviews.
Questions people ask first
Do I need a referral?
In Iowa, you can start with an evaluation by a physical therapist without a referral. Your plan may still ask for one, and Medicare needs a physician or other practitioner to sign your plan of care. Call us and we will check yours.
Do you come to our community?
Yes. We lead screening days and group classes in senior communities around Marion. Directors can start on our senior communities page.
Do you take Medicare?
Yes, Medicare Part B, and many other kinds of plans. The front desk checks your coverage and calls you before your first visit.
Can my daughter or son come with me?
Yes, please. There is a seat for them in the gym, and we show them the exercises if you would like.
What if I am afraid of falling in class?
You will not be asked to do anything you cannot do. A therapist stays near, and you can sit down whenever you like.
Tell us who you are and how to reach you
A family member, a community director, a referring office or the person who would be the patient: we call back on the next working day. For anything urgent, call us.
Phone(319) 555-0102
Hours
- Monday – ThursdayToday
- 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- FridayToday
- 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Saturday – SundayToday
- Closed