Richard's Success Story
From Kindred Hospital Sugar Land
Richard, a lively and independent individual, cherished spending time at home, engaging in basic chores and maintaining his household. However, his life took an unexpected turn when he was admitted to a local hospital due to a CHF (congestive heart failure) exacerbation. Although he was initially discharged, Richard soon found himself readmitted due to shortness of breath (SOB), bilateral lower extremity (LE) edema, and extreme fatigue. Further evaluations led to a diagnosis of acute hypoxemic hypercapnic respiratory failure with pulmonary edema.
Once stabilized, Richard was transferred to Kindred Hospital Sugar Land for extended medical care. His comprehensive treatment plan included pulmonary rehabilitation and a focused physical and occupational therapy program to restore his strength and independence. Upon arrival at Kindred, Richard was admitted to the ICU, where he required moderate to maximum assistance with bed mobility and bedside activities. The extended period of bed rest had left him severely fatigued, necessitating full support from the care team for all activities of daily living (ADLs). The interdisciplinary team at Kindred developed a personalized care plan that integrated pulmonary rehabilitation as a cornerstone of his recovery. His pulmonary rehab focused on improving lung function through targeted breathing exercises, chest physiotherapy, and the use of incentive spirometry to boost lung capacity. Richard also engaged in endurance training, vital for rebuilding his stamina, with supplemental oxygen provided as needed during sessions.
As Richard’s respiratory health improved, his physical therapy began with basic bed mobility and gentle exercises performed at his bedside. The care team employed various equipment, including an adjustable hospital bed and a Hoyer lift for safe transfers. As his strength grew, Richard advanced to more rigorous therapy sessions in the rehab room, where he practiced gait training with parallel bars, used resistance bands for muscle strengthening, and rode a stationary bike to enhance cardiovascular fitness. Occupational therapy played a crucial role in helping Richard regain his independence. These sessions focused on relearning essential daily activities such as dressing, grooming, and utilizing adaptive equipment like a reacher and dressing stick to ease his return to self-sufficiency.
With success over success, Richard passed all goals set in his care plan and was discharged to a lower-level care facility where he continues his strength training and rehabilitation. From the entire staff at Kindred, we wish him all the success in his recovery.
Care for Complex Conditions
Patients come to our hospitals with serious conditions such as respiratory failure, complex wounds, sepsis, stroke, congestive heart failure, or even a combination of these. Their diagnoses are often complicated by existing health problems like diabetes or COPD. Many of our patients require treatments such as mechanical ventilators, dialysis, or IV therapy.