Salinas physical therapy office re-opens under shelter-in-place order

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) A physical therapy office with locations in Monterey and Salinas is reopening its doors under the county's shelter-in-place order. Employees at Balance Physical Therapy and Human Performance Center are treating people as of today.

Owner John Farahmand says he re-opened for the patients.

“These patients really really have desperate need to come to a facility like ours to get appropriate rehabilitation,” Farahmand said.

Balance is considered a healthcare provider, which is on the list of essential services. But Farahmand chose to close the facility at first to protect staff and high-risk patients.

Farahmand said he felt compelled to open back up after realizing patients in need of physical therapy were going to physicians, since they were the only healthcare providers open.

“Patients who have had major orthopedic-type surgeries just before or prior to shelter-in-place was ordered, and just before the outpatient centers were closed,” Farahmand said.

But he said those doctors should be focused on the battle against COVID-19. And city officials agree.

“When you think about somebody that has gone through major surgery, their medical care is not put on hold,” Salinas City Councilmember Steve McShane said.

So, patients are now able to come back into Balance and work with professionals to heal. But staff are taking extra care.

“We’re masked, we’re gloved, there is at least 20 feet between every exam table,” Farahmand said. 

And those aren't the only precautions they're taking.

“We’re reaching out to very select numbers of our patients, so that mitigates a lot of the risk right off the bat,” Farahmand said.

“This is an example of where a local business has stood up to care for the community,” McShane said.