New Community Extended Care Facility offers physical, occupational and speech therapy provided through the staff of Activa Rehabilitation Services. Three nursing home residents recently shared their testimonials on how rehab has put them on a path towards holistic healing.
Name: Peggy Trotman
Age: 62
Background: Peggy Trotman’s schedule for therapy appointments was intensive: one to two hours a day, six days a week. But the payoff has been priceless, she said. “I feel myself walking better. I’m not stumbling,” she said. Trotman came to NCC Extended Care after dealing with heart issues, dizziness, and getting a pacemaker in February. She had stayed at Extended Care in 2011 and wanted to return a second time for her most recent rehab stint. “Everybody here was so nice, I wanted to come back,” said Trotman, who previously struggled to walk but can now stroll outside with minor assistance from a cane. “I would recommend it to anybody, I really would,” she said of the rehab. “You need to do it in order to get strong and get back your health.”
Name: Kenneth Watson
Age: 56
Background: A month after Kenneth Watson suffered a stroke, he came to NCC Extended Care with serious challenges. “I couldn’t walk,” recalled Watson, whose speech was also affected by his stroke. Less than two months after his five to six times a week rehab regimen, Watson is back on his feet but it wasn’t without hard work. “I can say that they put me to work but they know their limitations,” he said. “I had a lot of fun. They always made me laugh,” Watson added. Watson’s speech has also improved and he said he’s able to carry on longer conversations with greater ease. “Every day you want to come to therapy because there’s so much love and it makes you want to come,” he said. “I’m going to miss it.”
Name: Phyllis Burns
Age: 54
Background: Phyllis Burns says she deals with several different health issues—an irregular heartbeat, arthritis, and being legally blind—so when she fell off her bed at home and blacked out, she needed a lot of support in her recovery. The fall impacted both her left arm and leg, so Burns had to work on small improvements, such as increasing foot movements. “At first, I didn’t want to be here. I was down and out,” she acknowledged. Gradually, as her condition improved, Burns advanced to lifting a bar and focused on regaining her balance. She also found the staff to be her source of support throughout the process. “I call them my angels. They came into my room to encourage me,” she said during her stay at the nursing home.
