The Lodge at Willow Bend

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by Jessie Dees, DOR, Willow Bend Nursing and Rehab, Mesquite, TX –

For months now, I have wanted to sit down and type up this article to share my thoughts and reflections on Willow Bend’s Rehab Department. I have been here for 15 months, and looking back, we have come so far. I walked into a department that was struggling to maintain a caseload and keep current on paperwork, while also considering an addition to the building that was a concrete slab and wood studs. Today, our department is quickly growing with team-oriented therapists and techs. Our long-term, short-term and outpatient caseloads continue to expand faster than any of us ever imagined. The timeliness of paperwork completion is much improved through numerous systems we have developed, implemented, and continue to modify. We have improved our presence within the building and in the community.

On January12 of this year, we accepted our first patient into “The Lodge,” our newly renovated Rehab space. We were all excited at the future possibilities and secretly anxious about the unknown. The Lodge has been a great learning experience filled with indescribable opportunities and lots of “growing pains.” As a physical therapist and a Director of Rehab, this opportunity is a dream come true. I am truly grateful to be able to work with a staff that is team-focused and willing to go above and beyond to provide quality treatment to patients. The facility is likewise a therapist’s dream and allows us to expand our creative therapy minds to focus on individualized care. Our therapy courtyard is both functional and provides entertainment and serenity for our patients. The state-of-the-art gym and equipment are exciting for both patients and therapists. The Lodge also has a full-functioning ADL apartment. It provides a great opportunity for patients to perform home tasks in a safe environment and to allow therapists to assess that the tasks are safe and that the patient is truly ready for a safe discharge home.

We accepted our first outpatient this past week with hopes of developing a truly successful outpatient department, not merely a SNF that offers outpatient care. I know that there will be challenges in the development of this program, but I am looking forward to continuing to grow with my team as we forge on into this new area.

It is important to acknowledge and thank all of the other departments at Willow Bend. They have supported the rehab department and have grown with us. Kevin has been nothing but supportive of our department from Day One. We tackle “bumps in the road” together, and while we might not always see eye-to-eye, we are always passionate about our patients and the care we provide.

I am truly excited about our future as a facility and a department. I know there will be long days ahead, some filled with headaches and others with laughter. I am confident that we will continue down the path together, keeping our patients’ best interests at the center of our thoughts, driven by our desire to continue to provide excellent service to our patients, their families, our employees and the community. If you ever find yourself in the Dallas area, please stop by and visit us. We would love to meet you and show you around!

Educational Journey

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by Jesus Rodriguez, OT, Grand Terrace Rehab and Healthcare, McAllen, TX –

Getting an education can be a challenging experience for many. Imagine adding other factors to the equation, such as family and full-time employment. This can make it difficult for those who work and attend college to be successful in achieving that goal. In addition, many believe that the traditional route of getting an education going from high school straight through college still exists. However, this is not true. Many students are now obligated or choose to work in order to pay for school or to avoid loans. Furthermore, not everyone chooses to go to college after high school or complete a higher education at once. This is true for me.

My road to getting an education has been a journey. I graduated from an occupational therapy assistant program in May 1999 and initiated my practice shortly thereafter. After a few years off, I received a second associate’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2004. I took some time off to allow my wife to attend college and get her degree, and then I started school again on a part-time basis, wanting to continue my education but not knowing in what discipline. I finally chose to go back to OT school and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Service Technologies in 2008. In 2009, I initiated the COTA to MOT bridge program at Texas Woman’s University in Denton. I am graduating this year and with great feelings of relief.

The process of continuing your education can be a tedious and challenging one, but it’s well worth it. It starts by ensuring that you have the self-discipline, self-motivation and determination to start and finish what you undertake. It also takes much planning with your family in order to ensure that all the finances, roles and family responsibilities fit in with this venture, and that everyone is willing to sacrifice themselves and understands what is about to happen. Remember, you are not doing this alone if you’re married and have kids; your family does it with you.

After you’ve finalized your decision of going to school, the second step is to gather the information needed to apply to the program such as requirements for application, the application process, and information on the process of completing the educational and clinical coursework. Thereafter, once you are accepted into the program, take time to organize your work, family and school life and prioritize the times allotted for each in order to succeed in the different roles you will have to assume. As for me, after many years of hard work, long work hours, late nights, sports practices and games, white hairs, and four kids later, I am finally DONE!

Helping Family and Caregivers Connect with the Person Inside

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by Gina Tucker-Roghi,Therapy Resource

One of the most exciting aspects of the Dementia Capable Care Model for me has been the ability to tap into the unique personhood that remains in each of our residents and longs to be acknowledged. Even those at the late and end stages of the dementia process have the ability to connect in a meaningful way. Our skill lies in finding what type of stimulation will awaken our clients, and teaching others effective methods, cueing strategies and techniques to elicit this same positive response.

During a recent dementia training I attended, I was brought to tears watching a video clip of a client who was being met right where he was in his dementia by a therapist using sensory stimulation techniques to bring him to life. To see this individual, who had previously been cared for in body but not in soul, awaken to the therapist’s techniques was a moving experience. The types of stimulation she used were customized to the client, based on his past experiences, interests and habits in order to have the greatest impact. By using stimuli that tie into the client’s long-term and procedural memories, we tap into the strongest and most durable types of memory.

The client’s responses to these powerful and meaningful stimuli are used to promote health and well-being and to prevent many of the complications that are frequently related to dementia. The responses that are elicited might include vocalizations, which can decrease the risk of aspiration; and partial ROM of the trunk, head or extremities, which can prevent contractures and promote improved positioning. In addition to these valuable responses, we are able to tap into the humanity of our clients.

Sharing this gift of human connection with families, loved ones and caregivers is a powerful intervention. The facial expressions, vocalizations and eye contact that are elicited in response to a purposeful stimulation are indications of the client’s remaining abilities to connect to another person. At the end stages of dementia, it can become difficult for families to find ways to interact with their loved ones. The client has usually lost the ability to relate with spoken language. By developing a targeted sensory stimulation program, the therapists also are preventing complications and further decline in the client. This increased sense of purpose in their interactions, as well as the increased sense of connection, will surely result in more rewarding visits for both the client and the loved ones.