![Patient and therapy](/sites/default/files/styles/page_image/public/media-images/Screenshot_20240408_201704_Gallery.jpg?h=d5ff3a01&itok=dPPM9xKL)
Mary Duncan
Mary had a fall at home resulting in a broken right femur requiring surgery. She came to us at the Ambassador Nebraska City for rehab and nursing care. Mary decided that after she was well enough, she would make the move to Assisted Living.
Upon arrival Mary was toe touch weightbearing (TTWB) and she had to learn to transfer and complete her activities of daily living (ADLs) with limitations. She couldn't wait to be able to walk with her walker. So, with some hard work with PT/OT and the change to weight bearing as tolerated (WBAT)she began to do just that. Next was to be independent in her room. Then when she was close to her goal something happened. She got COVID!
Getting COVID was a setback for her as it really "threw her for a loop." With the help of speech therapy Mary was able to focus on her goals of being independent in her room and continuing her path to move to Assisted Living. With a little time and more hard work with PT/OT she gained her independence using her wheeled walker in her room, walking to meals, and completing her ADL's. Socks were tough, but she mastered using her adaptive equipment and got that done too.
Mary worked her way to being independent in her room and walking in the facility with her wheeled walker. She had her ALF room picked out and was less than a week away from moving, but then something else happened. She suddenly began to have a lot of pain in her right hip. So, she had an x-ray and it turned out that the hardware in her hip had shifted out of place causing her pain. She went back to the hospital for another surgery to fix the problem and get rid of that pain. When she came back it was back to TTWB using a pivot disc to complete transfers and requiring help with all her ADLs again!
Again, Mary had more hard work ahead of her, but she didn't let it get her down. She kept working hard with PT/OT and after a little more time gained her WBAT status. It didn't take her very long and she was walking independently. She remembered how to use her adaptive equipment, so she was able to get her ADLs mastered quickly as well. Now with her ALF room already picked out it was time to practice her skills there and make moving arrangements.
She did very well making the transition with a lot of support from her daughter, staff at the Ambassador and her Powerback therapy team she spent so much time with! Mary is now finally at her ALF and has her independence. Her hard work paid off no matter what obstacles were in her path. The only help she needed now was moving plants around in her apartment to make it feel like home. Her therapy team was happy to help with that as well!