Healthy Living Newsletter
Patient-Focused Inpatient
Rehabilitation at Mercy Hospital
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Linda and Dale Keller of Port Huron know service when they see it. Both are past patients of Mercy’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and credit their health and independence to the professionals at Mercy Hospital.
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Dale and Linda Keller of Port Huron recognize outstanding service and compassion when they see it. They’ve lived their lives serving others. In the 31 years they’ve been married, they have served as foster parents for 56 children, adopted eight and now celebrate 16 grandchildren.
When Linda experienced a stroke, she knew she could count on Mercy Hospital to provide the same kind of dedicated service and compassion she needed.
A patient of Mercy’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, Linda received extensive physical and occupational therapy; the types of therapy she needed to get her back on the road to recovery.
Under the care of a staff of professionals and a dedicated Physiatrist (a physician specially trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation), Linda received extensive medical and rehabilitation services. “The therapists worked with me on walking, writing and personal hygiene,” explains Linda. “The staff were wonderful. They referred to me as a wonder child.”
And, when Linda was ready to go home, the caring professionals at Mercy provided all the referrals needed to community agencies, home nursing care, support services and even provided a referral to a physician who visited her in her home. What’s more, Dale was provided extensive training as Linda’s caregiver.
“Although the experience was overwhelming, I knew I was in good hands at Mercy Hospital,” continues Linda. “The way they’ve developed their care services offers the patient a great advantage. In addition to individual therapy, they also provide group therapy. Working next to others with the same challenges helps encourage you to do more and do better.”
The Kellers were so impressed with the type of care Linda received, that when Dale needed inpatient rehabilitation due to knee problems, difficulty walking as well as arthritis, gout and other acute conditions; they once again turned to the Mercy Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit.
“Sometimes it seems that it’s difficult to get into the program,” explains Dale. “It requires three hours a day of intensive therapy, and the doctors make sure you can endure that level of therapy, but, for me, the payoff was enormous.
“After only one week, I was able to go home again,” continues Dale. “What I appreciated the most was the staff’s determination to provide encouragement to all the patients. It’s the small comments, words of support and dedication to the individual that really push the patient to want to succeed.”
Dale’s therapy and treatment was so successful that in the course of a few months he went from being confined to a wheel chair, to being able to move around with a walker and now with a cane. “I have more independence now than I’ve had in a very long time, thanks to Mercy,” Dale says.
Mercy’s 15-bed dedicated inpatient rehabilitation unit is available to any person who has experienced a decline in function and/or ability to perform activities of daily living and has the potential for improvement.
Patients eligible for the program include those who have had a:
- Stroke
- Amputation
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Neurological Disorder
- Dysfunction caused by cancer or other acute condition
Mercy’s team of professionals is dedicated to helping patients like Dale gain as much independence as possible. As such, patients are required to receive three hours of therapy, five days per week. Mercy’s team of professionals includes:
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians
- Physical and occupational therapists
- Speech and language pathologists
- Certified nurses and support personnel
- Social worker and case manager
Mercy’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit isn’t the only option for patients in need of therapeutic treatment. Many turn to outpatient programs through skilled nursing facilities. Although they do provide less-intensive forms of therapy, the overall treatment time may be prolonged.
“It’s important for patients, especially those who receive Medicare benefits, to understand that rehabilitative treatment is available that will not require the use of valuable “Nursing Home Days” as defined by Medicare when making this decision,” explains Pete Dimmer, Director of Mercy Inpatient and Outpatient Rehabilitation. “Another benefit might include a quicker recovery based on the intensive level of therapy offered through our inpatient program.”
Like Dale and Linda this level of care helped them return to their active lifestyle. But, it was the personal care they received that touched them most.
“We celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary while I was a patient at Mercy,” concludes Dale. “When the staff found out, they offered us a romantic dinner for two. But, we wanted to celebrate our anniversary with the other patients in the unit. Teamwork and togetherness helped us and we wanted to share our success and our celebration.”
For more information regarding the Mercy Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and stroke care, visit the Stroke and Inpatient Rehabilitation section of this website; or contact the Mercy Inpatient Rehabilitation Referral Coordinator at (810) 966-3160. |
