Life Care Center of Omaha helps amputee walk again

Complications of diabetes led to a below-the-knee amputation for 62-year-old Steven Dau.

Steven wasn’t going to let this setback keep him down, though, and on Jan. 5, 2021, he came to Life Care Center of Omaha, Nebraska, to start his journey toward regaining his independence.

When Steven arrived, he not only couldn’t walk or stand, but he needed extensive assistance using his wheelchair and getting dressed. He needed moderate assistance with bathing and bed mobility and supervision with grooming.

Five to six days a week, Steven took part in physical and occupational therapies. Therapists worked with his prosthetist to make sure Steven’s prosthetic leg fit well, using their understanding of the complicated nature of prosthetic fitting, training and use. They taught Steven how to get his prosthetic leg on and off and how to do his daily self-care and mobility tasks with this new limb.

“Hard work and a willingness to be pushed beyond his comfort zone contributed to Steven’s success,” said Jarrod Handy, occupational therapist.

“Therapy helped me to be able to get up and walking on my prosthetic,” Steven shared. “Therapy did a good job, and nursing was good too.”

Steven returned home less than a month after starting rehab – on Jan. 28. He can now walk with a walker, take care of himself, get in and out of cars and even manage stairs.