Life Care of Columbia helps fracture patient go from dependent to home

Gail Zaremsky was in bad shape when she came to Life Care Center of Columbia, Tennessee, after a fall and femur fracture.

When she arrived, she was dependent for all of her self-care and her mobility tasks, from bathing and grooming to walking and standing. She also had some deficits with memory and problem-solving.

Physical, occupational and speech therapists worked with Gail to help her reach her goals and return home. PT and OT used exercises and equipment such as the NuStep® and OmniCycle^® seated exercise machines, as well as a balance pad to get her steady on her feet again, and ST used the BCAT^® Approach to assist with memory and cognition.

“It is amazing to think about how far Mrs. Zaremsky has come,” said Joan Werkau, director of rehabilitation. “Through the skilled intervention of the nursing and therapy departments, she has gained the strength, balance and confidence needed to return home and be successful.”

Gail returned home on May 11, able to walk independently up to 350 feet at a time, get in and out of bed on her own, go up and down four steps, get in and out of the car, and dress and bathe herself. Her cognition and memory have also improved.

“I was ready to give up, but through therapy I survived,” Gail said. “Everyone felt like family. It was excellent. The nurses are fantastic and willing to go the extra mile.”