Geer Rehabilitation to lay off physical therapist and staff
CANAAN – Mike Mangini wistfully looked around the large room where for the last 25 years he has delivered outpatient physical therapy at Geer Rehabilitation.
He recently was notified that Geer is closing the practice Sept. 16, and he and his small staff are being laid off.
Mangini said he understands the closure is based on financial constraints at Geer, but he’s hopeful he can stay in the area and perhaps even rent his current space to run his own business. He is now in negotiations with Geer. If he cannot remain local, those needing physical therapy will have to travel longer distances to receive service, he said.
“When I began in 1997, there were no outpatient services in this area and they were needed,” Mangini said.
The 55-year-old New Hartford resident originally worked in inpatient care and then developed the outpatient program, always as an employee of Geer. He noted the Northwest Corner has an aging population, so many of his procedures involve spinal problems, balance disorders, osteoporosis, and issues with knees and hips. With many schools nearby, he also practices sports medicine, which is how he was drawn to the career.
As a runner in high school, Mangini hurt himself and was exposed to physical therapy. It sparked an interest and he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of New England in Portland, Maine. He worked for five years in sports medicine in Virginia for the NFL’s Washington Redskins, now the Commanders, and then the West Hartford native decided to return to Connecticut.
Mangini, who earned a doctorate in 2015 from the Evidence in Motion Institute in Kentucky, also is a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist. He was the first area therapist to be trained in trigger-point dry needling, a Western-based treatment of soft-tissue pain. His practice is extremely busy, with a four- to five-week wait time for appointments.
Mangini, who earned a doctorate in 2015 from the Evidence in Motion Institute in Kentucky, also is a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist. He was the first area therapist to be trained in trigger-point dry needling, a Western-based treatment of soft-tissue pain. His practice is extremely busy, with a four- to five-week wait time for appointments.
His own practice will be cash-based and he’ll be an out-of-network provider for all insurances, so Medicare patients will have to pay. He said he plans to keep costs reasonable for the average person.
“Physical therapy can make positive changes in one’s life,” he said. “I feel connected to the people here. Relationships are important – that’s why I’d like to stay.”
Mangini and his wife, Christine, a kindergarten teacher at Bakerville School in New Hartford, have two sons and five daughters.
“I want to be sure to give efficient, effective care,” Mangini said. “That’s why I want to work for myself. In PT, often the model has the patient see the therapist for five minutes and then they’re pushed off to some generic treatment. I’ll give solid one-on-one sessions, or longer. They will be personalized; individualized.”
Mangini, who earned a doctorate in 2015 from the Evidence in Motion Institute in Kentucky, also is a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist. He was the first area therapist to be trained in trigger-point dry needling, a Western-based treatment of soft-tissue pain. His practice is extremely busy, with a four- to five-week wait time for appointments.
His own practice will be cash-based and he’ll be an out-of-network provider for all insurances, so Medicare patients will have to pay. He said he plans to keep costs reasonable for the average person.
“Physical therapy can make positive changes in one’s life,” he said. “I feel connected to the people here. Relationships are important – that’s why I’d like to stay.”
Mangini and his wife, Christine, a kindergarten teacher at Bakerville School in New Hartford, have two sons and five daughters.