The Westchester House gets Steinmetz home to his wife

Doug Steinmetz came to The Westchester House in Chesterfield, Missouri, on June 20, 2017, after being treated at the hospital for anemia and acute osteomyelitis, a bone infection.

When he arrived, Steinmetz required total assistance for his bed mobility and getting around, as well as for his self-care. He was weak and experiencing a decline in cognition.

Five days a week, physical therapists worked with Steinmetz on his mobility and transfers from one surface to another. They worked on muscle strengthening, range of motion and endurance, often using the Omnicycle^™, an exercise bicycle that also includes hand cranks to work out the full body while seated. Eventually, he was able to use a slide board to transfer and stand while holding on to a bar.

Steinmetz also did occupational and speech therapies five days a week. In occupational therapy, he worked on his self-care skills and was able to progress from needing extensive assistance with grooming and feeding himself to being able to do those tasks with supervision. Speech therapy helped him get his cognition and swallowing back to normal.

"The therapy made me stronger, kept me in shape and taught me to transfer with confidence," said Steinmetz. "The entire staff has been pleasant, and the nurses and CNAs have been caring."

On Aug. 15, Steinmetz returned home with his wife and home health care.