Rehabilitation

SOUTH OGDEN — A hospital chain that once canceled plans to build a facility in Ogden after tough questioning from city council members, has announced its intent to construct a 40-bed unit in South Ogden.

Ernest Health, Inc. announced Friday its plans to construct and operate a new inpatient rehabilitation hospital at the corner of Harrison Boulevard and U.S. Highway 89.

The new facility, known as Northern Utah Rehabilitation Hospital, will provide intensive physical rehabilitation services to patients recovering from strokes, head and spinal cord injuries, and other impairments as a result of injury or illness.

OGDEN — Millions of brain connections and pathways involving thinking, behavior and physiological responses that exist exclusively to support alcoholic drinking have been developed by the time a person becomes an alcoholic.

The tendency to drink alcoholically is hardwired in the brain of an alcoholic, said Dr. Dennis Ahern, a psychologist with Intermountain Healthcare. Once those pathways are established, they do not go away, despite years of not drinking. They may become fairly inactive, but they do not disappear.

“Once activated, they work as they always did. If drinking alcohol has progressed to the point of meeting the criteria of addiction ... the alcoholic has a loaded gun in his head and any drinking or use of other drugs is the same as putting a finger on a hair trigger and moving it around,” Ahern said.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The criticism of Dr. Drew Pinsky spread on the Internet almost as quickly as news of Mindy McCready's death.

OGDEN — A graduation ceremony Thursday for patrons of the 2nd District DUI Court offered inspirational uplift for anyone struggling with addiction.

The 10 graduates of the two-year-old court started by 2nd District Judge Mike DiReda marked its fourth, and largest, graduation, bringing the total number of graduates to more than 30.

“You’ve all saved what was a lost soul,” said Winston K., who noted he had been in other rehab programs “where it seemed like no one cared who I was and how I ended up.”

FARMINGTON -- Davis County Jail inmates will continue to have some time behind bars set aside to prepare them for life back in society.

OGDEN -- BASICS Sports Medicine, a sports rehabilitation program that works out of Weber State University, is adding something new.

BASICS -- which since 2004 has offered athletes speed and agility training, and physical and massage therapy -- is adding another specialty aimed at both professional athletes and the general public. The new element is CrossFit training, which offers workouts that can include basic weightlifting, sprinting, kettlebell and medicine-ball training, rowing, gymnastics and powerlifting.

The goal is an intense, variety-filled workout that builds stamina, flexibility, agility, coordination, balance and strength.