Jose: Recovery Through Therapy

When Jose, 75, was admitted to a short-term acute care hospital on March 1 with abdominal pain, bladder cancer, malnourishment, blood pressure issues, and renal failure, his prognosis was poor.

A week after he had been admitted, the referring hospital realized Jose needed more specialized, long-term care than they could provide and transferred him to Kindred Hospital San Diego.

Jose was admitted to Kindred on March 9 for continued renal dialysis, nutritional support, management of his urinary tract infection and elevated blood sugar, general reconditioning, and blood pressure support.

The Kindred multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, therapists and specialists examined Jose’s condition and laid out a treatment plan.

After evaluation by his physical therapist on March 10, Jose was found to require assistance to move about in bed, to sit and to stand and to walk any distance further than five feet.

His occupational therapist identified decreased function with his ability to put on clothes, wash his face, comb his hair, feed himself and use the restroom. He also demonstrated decreased cognitive skills, perceptual skills, sensory awareness, and coordination. Both disciplines identified decreased functional mobility, loss of joint motion, decreased muscle strength and complaints of pain.

After identifying Jose’s problems, the Kindred team got to work improving them.

Jose was discharged home on April 9. Upon discharge he was able to dress and groom himself, walk 250 feet without assistance, transfer himself to a bedside commode independently, move about in his bed and sit and stand independently. He also exhibited increased strength and joint motion as well as decreased pain.