Heritage Health Care Center helps patient find hope and recovery

Esperanza Oddonetto's first name means "hope" – and after a car accident and subsequent pleural effusion, a buildup of fluid around her lungs, she found hope for a full recovery at Heritage Health Care Center in Globe, Arizona.

Oddonetto arrived at the skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility on Jan. 18, 2018. At the time, she was suffering from problems with cognition, as well as difficulty walking, standing, transferring from one surface to another and doing self-care tasks like bathing and getting dressed.

Five days a week, physical, occupational and speech therapists all worked to help Oddonetto reach her goal of returning home. Physical therapists helped her with gait, balance and transfers, while occupational therapists focused on everyday functional tasks and speech therapists helped her get her thinking skills back to normal.

The hope was rewarded with results – on Feb. 22, Oddonetto went home fully independent once again.

"I never would have been this good if I went straight home [from the hospital]," said Oddonetto.