Success Spotlight
Latrice (Leah) Kushlefsky
It happened so suddenly, my leg came out from under me, and I fell to the ground. I fractured my left hip and needed to have surgery.
Initially, after surgery I had a lot of pain and swelling. I went to Geer Nursing and Rehab for a short-term stay and the therapy team taught me how to regain my independence. I had to re-learn how to get out of bed on my own, access the bathroom and get dressed.
I was so excited to return to my home at the Lodge. I’ve always been motivated to be independent, my motto is ‘You can and You will’! But I still needed a little help.
Chrissy, our Occupational Therapist, taught me exercises that challenged my balance and mobility. She gave me homework to do every day, which I still do. My muscle strength and balance have improved significantly, and my pain is gone!
I am self-sufficient in my apartment, am taking care of myself and can regularly walk around the Lodge for exercise.
Betty Schultz
My advice to anyone living with chronic pain would be, don’t put off the therapy
—just do it. You’ll only wish you did it sooner!
They don’t tell you how tough aging can be on your body! Over the years I’ve experienced increased muscle weakness that finally reached a point that made it difficult to reach for items in my pantry or dress myself in the morning. I couldn’t even hold a cane in my left hand because of my joint pain in that arm. I knew I needed to do something about this so I could live a more comfortable and fulfilled life. I visited my doctor and they referred me to Chrissy and her team at The Lodge.
She and her students were patient with me as we worked together on stretches and stabilization exercises to get me back to my old self. After our treatment I was able to use my arm in all directions. The best part though was it was pain-free for the first time in years.
Not being able to drive could make it difficult for someone like me to receive the care they need. But not when you are at The Lodge. Having access to compassionate and knowledgeable therapy teams here at The Lodge improved my life tenfold. My only wish is that I did it sooner.
My advice to anyone living with chronic pain would be, don’t put off the therapy—just do it. You’ll only wish you did it sooner!
Joan MacVicar
I would absolutely recommend the therapy program to anyone and everyone. My advice is to define your own goals and work hard to achieve them.
Over the last few years, I’ve unfortunately sustained several falls which led to painful injuries with broken bones. As a result of my most recent fall I had to learn how to use a back brace after surgery, and knew I needed help getting back on my feet—literally and figuratively. So, I participated in therapy at The Lodge to re-learn how to dress myself, shower myself, use the bathroom safely, and get in and out of my chair, even walk solo again!
I was helped by my OT Chrissy and her phenomenal and intelligent students. While some may not have been thrilled about the idea of students helping them regain mobility, they were incredible. They were so intent on finding out what was important to me and truly cared about what my goals were—listening attentively all the way.
Together, we came up with safe methods to perform my daily routine. The changes that we practiced made everything easier and safer, so that I could return to my life with confidence.
Currently, I’ve maintained all my mobility and all that we worked on—thanks to their patience, support, and care. I can now get into my closet and reach for what I need. I can use the shower on my own. I use the walker to get outside, sit in the courtyard, go to the dining room, and get my mail. But beyond that, I have not had any falls since completing my therapy program!
I would absolutely recommend the therapy program to anyone and everyone. My advice is to define your own goals and work hard to achieve them. But, as you work towards those goals, understand the importance of knowing when to ask for help. There were times when I needed support and I reached out to ask for it which made all the difference in my recovery. That’s the benefit of living at The Lodge.
So many things I had taken for granted were stripped away from me, but Chrissy and her OT students were able to help me regain my strength, and perhaps more importantly, my independence. Thank you, The Lodge Team!