Heim heals from infection and wound at Life Care Center of Wichita

Buhler, Kansas, resident Doris Heim came to Life Care Center of Wichita, Kansas, for help recovering from an infection, an open wound on her left knee and encephalopathy, a disease in the brain.

When Heim arrived on Dec. 7, 2017, she needed total assistance with transferring from one surface to another, such as from the bed to a wheelchair, as well as with her daily grooming and bathing. She needed extensive assistance with standing balance, getting dressed, bed mobility and wheeling in a wheelchair. She was at a moderate-assistance level for sitting balance and cognition, and she needed minimal assistance to feed herself and swallow.

All three therapy disciplines got working with Heim to help her recover – physical, occupational and speech therapists. Physical therapy focused on strength, balance and mobility, while occupational therapy retrained her in how to take care of her daily self-care routine. Speech therapy addressed her thinking and swallowing skills.

Teaming up with traditional therapy interventions, Heim underwent specialized wound care for her knee. Rachel Reed, physical therapist, used sharp debridement techniques and Closed Pulse Irrigation^™ to help her heal, which in turn helped her be able to move more.

"Doris never said no to working with therapy," said Donita Hock, occupational therapist assistant. "She was very motivated in getting stronger in order to return home."

"Therapy helped me to do more for myself," said Heim. "It built up my strength, and I'm able to stand more to transfer. I feel more confident in doing more for myself those little things that I couldn't do, like dressing myself and putting my socks on."

Heim returned home with home health on Jan. 23, 2018, improved in all areas and independent in swallowing and feeding herself again.