Health

EILEEN CIPRIANI Times Leader Correspondent

Vincent Cannara of White Haven says he had “one foot in the coffin and the other one on a banana peel” before being admitted to Kingston Commons Nursing facility.

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Top right: Rehab patient Bruce Matus waits as physical therapist Vidette Joseph sets the exercise equipment at Manor Care in Kingston. Above: With the aid of occupational therapist Mary Lou Gray, left, and Joseph, Matus walks in a hallway at the facility. Matus was completely paralyzed following a severe stroke in January. After months of therapy, Matus’ left arm is now at 100 percent, he’s regained strength in his upper body and he can even walk with minimal assistance.

Don Carey photos/the times leader

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Cannara, 67, had an ileostomy after a blood clot required the removal of a significant section of his large intestine and colon. An ileostomy is a surgical procedure in which the small intestine is attached to the abdominal wall in order to bypass the large intestine.

Cannara was in and out of the hospital, suffering from dehydration for months until he was finally admitted to Kingston Commons in late summer. His prognosis was poor and physicians were not certain he would recover.

Like Cannara, Bruce Matus was suffering a serious illness with a poor prognosis.

Matus was completely paralyzed following a severe stroke in January. Doctors were not optimistic about his recovery. Matus has cerebral palsy, and doctors felt his existing health issues would limit his ability to recover. After spending time in the hospital, Matus was transferred to Manor Care in Kingston.

Their experiences are being called successful rehabilitation stories demonstrating the benefits of a “team” approach to treatment. Both facilities tout their quality staffs and their ability to get to know the patients and their families. They work with the patients in laying the groundwork to successfully resume their daily lives.

Treatment at a rehabilitation facility may include a range of therapists and activities.

Physical therapists help patients improve their strength and mobility, while occupational therapists focus on helping patients achieve independence and improved quality of life with activities of daily living, work and leisure. Speech therapists aid patients in recovering from diseases and injuries affecting speech and swallowing.

These three disciplines are important components of facilities’ rehabilitation teams as they help patients adjust to disabilities, regain independence and prepare to return to their daily lives.

“There is a strong team here,” says Jennifer Lesh, admissions director at Kingston Commons, as she describes how the staff there worked with Cannara. When he arrived at the nursing home, he was dehydrated and unable to absorb any nutrients, due to the large portion of his intestines that was removed. Cannara had a feeding tube and could not eat or drink anything.

Jenn Krieger, a registered dietician, and Dr. Mark Puffenburger, medical director at the facility, worked hand in hand to determine the treatment that would allow Cannara to absorb nutrients again. “So many things were against him,” says Krieger, but “we worked as a team” and every day he showed a little improvement.

As his health improved, physical and occupational therapists worked with him to get him back on his feet.

Cannara is home now and says he is back to feeling about 90 percent healthy. He is quick to credit the staff at Kingston Commons for his recovery. “If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here,” he says.

Paulette Winkler, admissions director at Manor Care, also credits her team at that facility as she reflects on Matus’ remarkable recovery after his debilitating stroke. She also notes the “can’t is not an option” attitude of Matus and his family as a large factor in his recovery.

Tara Graci, director of social services, says Bruce’s brother, Justin Matus, told the staff at Manor Care he would be a “thorn in their sides” because he believed in his brother’s chances of recovering. According to Justin Matus, Bruce has been fighting the odds his whole life. He compared his brother to the famous racehorse John Henry — always underestimated, the odds against him, but never quitting.

Bruce Matus began a rigorous schedule of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. “At first I was very scared, but I have my grandmother’s determination,” says Matus. His goal was to get back to the quality of life he had before his stroke. Matus was very active in his community, volunteering in the mail room at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Plains Township and at St. Ignatius Church as a lector. It was not unusual for him to log more than 60 miles a week on his pedometer, he said.

After months of therapy, Matus’ left arm is now at 100 percent, he’s regained strength in his upper body and he can even walk with minimal assistance.

“He never gave up, always fought toward regaining his independence,” says Vidette Joseph, a physical therapist at Manor Care.

Mary Lou Gray, an occupational therapist on staff, worked with Matus to adapt his apartment to his needs, so he could achieve his goal — regaining his independence.

Staff members from both facilities agreed that many patients who are discharged from a hospital are not ready to go home.

“We get them ready,” says nurse Christine Yale, from Kingston Manor. This also includes preparing patients’ families. “We do more than just nursing.”