Employee Spotlight: Kathy Grande, PT
Career Spotlights
“I believe that Home Health is my niche. It’s where I feel that I am really making a difference.”
On several occasions people have told Kathryn (Kathy) Grande how easy it must be to be a Home Health Physical Therapist – “just driving around all day.” She counters with, “I have been bitten by dogs twice, I have been stalked by an iguana, I have driven through blizzards and torrential rain, I can easily rack up 100 miles a day on my car and that’s just the beginning – but I love my job!”
A native of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Kathy became interested in physical therapy at the suggestion of one of her high school teachers who recognized her interest in the sciences. After serving as a “candy striper” at the local hospital, she knew that the medical field was where she belonged.
In the spring of 1980, on the last day of her clinical rotation through the University of Pittsburgh at Allied Services Rehab Hospital in Scranton, Kathy walked across the parking lot to the trailer that was labeled “Personnel” and asked if there were any openings and was asked “when can you start”. Kathy graduated her Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy on April 27th, and began working at Allied Services on April 30th.
“I first worked at the inpatient rehab hospital and then was promoted to the Director of the Physical Therapy Department at Carbondale General Hospital, which was contracted through Allied Services at the time. I worked for 3 years until the birth of my first son in November of 1984. Not wanting to return to work full time, I began working at Allied Services Home Health in March of 1985, and here I am!”
“It’s actually funny that I landed here (in home health) because in college we were asked to rank our interest in the various fields of therapy service and I remember ranking Home Health as my last choice because who would want to go into someone‘s home to provide therapy services? Apparently the answer to that question is ME!”
“I believe that Home Health is my niche. It’s where I feel that I am really making a difference.”
Kathy notes she doesn’t really miss all the amenities of hospital or outpatient settings like equipment, state-of-the-art technology, and assistants. “I get to help patients take the skills they learned in the hospital and apply them to their home environment. I make suggestions for equipment or home modifications, fall prevention techniques - all within the patient’s own home setting making it unique to them. Some would call that old school, but old school has served me, and my patients well.”
“If someone asked me how you can work somewhere for 40 years, I would tell them that I believe in the Allied System. I would never work for a company that I didn’t believe in and I love what I do.”
Kathy married her husband, Tony, in 1981, and together they raised 3 sons; Anthony, Kyle and Ryan. Her son Kyle was a consumer in Allied Services Pre-Vocational Program for 5 years. She also has 2 beautiful grandsons, Jack and Miles and a daughter-in-law, Tara.
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