The Westchester House helps Eilers recover from broken leg

A fall broke Sandra Eilers' left leg, and she needed help regaining her mobility and independence.

Eilers came to The Westchester House in Chesterfield, Missouri, on July 7, 2017. When she arrived, she was not able to put weight on her left leg, and she required maximum assistance to stand up. She could only balance standing for 20 seconds and required minimum assistance to get dressed, groom and bathe herself. She also had some trouble with cognition.

Speech therapists worked with Eilers five days a week to restore her thinking skills, while occupational therapists met with her five days a week also to help her practice the practical self-care tasks she would need at home. They taught her how to use adaptive equipment to get dressed more easily, for example.

Six days a week, Eilers worked with the physical therapy team to increase her ability to get around. She used strengthening exercises for her arms, legs and core, as well as the NuStep^® exercise machine with foot pedals and arm cranks for endurance training and range of motion. They also helped her practice transferring from and to different surfaces.

"I feel therapy helped me by strengthening me and giving me advice to be able to stand and get around," said Eilers. "The staff is very good and attentive."

Eilers, a long-term resident, is now able to do most of her mobility, from walking to transferring, with supervision, and she is able to handle her self-care activities with supervision as well.