 |
Regaining Independence
Two area women get back in motion after spending time at Meridian’s
new state-of-the-art rehabilitation facility in Wall.
Getting back to normal is the creed
orthopedic patients strive for.
"Regaining independence and
achieving their maximum level of
function are among the top reasons
why individuals undergo an orthopedic
procedure," says John M. Tozzi, M.D.,
board-certified orthopedic surgeon
and chairman of the Department
of Orthopedics at Jersey Shore
University Medical Center. "And
the first step toward regaining
independence starts with a
progressive rehabilitation program,
one that provides targeted,
comprehensive care and facilitates
as full a recovery as possible,
as soon as possible," he adds.
Yet physical rehabilitation can
be very challenging and frustrating
for some people as they are
pushed to struggle through
strenuous exercises day after day.
Not so for Gail Rodgers, 58, of
Neptune, and Claudette Jackson,
43, of Laurence Harbor. For these
two local women, post-surgical
rehabilitation was a positive
experience all around.
Home Away from Home
Following their discharges from
Jersey Shore, both Gail and
Claudette chose to continue their
rehabilitation at Meridian Subacute
Rehabilitation in Wall, with the
blessings of their orthopedic surgeons,
Anand Swaroop, M.D., and Dr. Tozzi,
respectively. "I’ve heard many great
things about this new facility, and with
its affiliation with Meridian Health, I
felt it was in Gail’s best interest to enter
the program there," Dr. Swaroop says.
"The program," comments Mark Pass,
M.D., medical director of the rehab
center and Gail’s and Claudette’s rehab physician, "uses an interdisciplinary
and goal-oriented approach to return
physically disabled adults to optimal
functioning and independence."
While accomplishing these objectives,
the Meridian Subacute facility surrounds
patients in a warm, home-like setting
featuring companion suites that allow
for personal privacy while also providing
a comfortable environment for recovery.
While accomplishing these objectives,
the Meridian Subacute facility surrounds
patients in a warm, home-like setting
featuring companion suites that allow
for personal privacy while also providing
a comfortable environment for recovery.
As inpatients, both Gail and
Claudette were able to benefit from
over 15 hours of therapy per week,
with ready access to their team of therapists. "Each patient’s team may
include licensed nurses; certified
nurse’s aides; physical, occupational,
speech, and respiratory therapists; and
input from the physiatrist, psychologist,
dentist, podiatrist, pharmacist, and
dietitian," explains Dr. Pass. "Our
health care team meets regularly to
discuss each individual’s progress.
Every staff member caters to every
patient’s needs and embraces the
opportunity to provide them with
the best care available."
Memories That Will Last Forever
For all of her 16-day stay at
Meridian Subacute Rehabilitation,
Gail enjoyed an extremely
comfortable and friendly
atmosphere. Echoing Claudette’s
sentiments, Gail remarks,
"The best part was the staff.
They saw to my every need. I’m
a very private person, so the last
thing I imagined was that I would
make friends at the center, but
I actually enjoyed the company
of all the staff members."
Throughout her stay, too, Gail’s
family received thorough updates
about her status and activities. "My
family was very happy to hear about
my progress and to feel like they
were part of the process."
When the time came to leave,
Gail had a hard time saying good-bye,
having grown quite attached to her
temporary residence. "When my family
came to take me home, I was almost
in tears. The staff had become like
family to me, and the entire experience
is something I’ll remember for the
rest of my life."
 – Ryan Tilker
|
