After Darwin Morse had a series of falls, his health declined to the point of not being able to stand up. This led to an ambulance ride and a hospital stay where he was diagnosed with a cerebral aneurysm.
To help with his recovery, Darwin was transferred to the transitional care unit at Good Samaritan Society – Inver Grove Heights in Minnesota to receive rehabilitation therapy.
“He came to us needing total assistance. He could barely move,” says Dawn Hover, supervisor of therapy and rehabilitation at Good Samaritan’s Inver Grove Heights and Stillwater transitional care units (TCUs).
Building strength
During his stay, Darwin received physical, occupational and speech therapy from Dawn and her team. They worked with him on exercises to help him regain the abilities he had lost.
“When he first came in, we worked on improving his endurance. Then we moved to gait training and walking. In the beginning, he needed help getting dressed, getting to the bathroom, and even swallowing. He was supervised at meals and on a puree diet with thickened liquids,” Dawn says.
But Darwin’s strong determination to get better and the expert rehab therapy he received helped him recover quickly.
“Before I got there, I couldn’t lift my left leg. By the time I left, I was walking with a walker,” says Darwin.
“He was such a breath of fresh air because he was so willing to do everything we asked of him, and he was very appreciative of all the education we gave him. He was always motivated, even if he was in pain. The progress he made was just huge,” says Dawn.
Darwin’s TCU stay lasted three weeks and he continues to be impressed by the quality care at Inver Grove Heights.
“They’re really nice people. They made it easy and they were really good at what they did. I knew the exercises were good for me, so I kind of enjoyed them,” Darwin says.
Going home
When Darwin went home, he received rehab therapy services there for about three weeks.
“I think every day I’m getting so that I can do more. My daughter still makes my meals, but there’s some things I’ve been able to do that I couldn’t do before. I take a shower and I can microwave food,” Darwin says.
He feels good about being able to do daily activities. His daughter, Christina Reyes, is thankful for his restored health.
“The progress he’s made is pretty amazing. They definitely did a great job,” says Christina.
Customizing care
Dawn and her team mainly see patients who are 70 to 90 years old, but they’ve worked with someone as young as 26 and another person who was 104.
“When I first started, it was a lot of knee, hip and shoulder surgery recoveries, but today we’re seeing more complex cases and people who have had heart surgeries or strokes, or been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. We also see a lot of people with wounds,” says Dawn, who has worked in the field for 20 years.
For those seeking rehab therapy for themselves or a loved one, the hospital or provider will send a referral to the admissions coordinator at the location of their choice.
Witnessing the recovery Darwin made was a highlight for Dawn and her team.
“Seeing him meeting his goals and seeing his accomplishments is why we do what we do,” Dawn says.
