Dramatic Rehab Results for Seniors at Sherwood Park

Residents Regain the Ability to Walk

This article was submitted by Sherwood Park Manor, which has launched its redevelopment campaign.

Brockville – For several seniors who were told they would never walk again, the “magic” of the rehabilitation program at Sherwood Park Manor Long-Term Care in Brockville has been life-changing.

Under the guidance of a kinesiologist, and working with physiotherapy, nursing and recreation, staff have turned back the clock for many residents who were told their walking days were over.

According to kinesiologist Mike Dier, what sets the rehabilitation program at Sherwood apart is their focus beyond simple movement. “We look at each person, identify their challenge area (what Mike refers to as their “bump in the road”), and then develop an individualized approach to overcoming the problem.”

With a program in place, the cooperation of the entire care team ensures that the resident’s care and rehabilitation are reinforced at every step of the way. Physiotherapy focuses on very specific exercises, while nursing and recreation reinforce resident ambulation while carrying out their activities of daily living, or when residents engage in recreation programs.

Dier noted that the road to resident success is often more than just addressing the person’s specific physical abilities and needs as well. The focus can also include helping the resident “re-think” how they approach doing things, by thinking differently about how to navigate their environment. As Mike says, “Learning to think about how to move, and what to look for, before a resident takes that first step, reduces the likelihood of a misstep or fall.”

The impact of the rehabilitation program at Sherwood has not gone unnoticed. As a result of several witnessing success stories of residents discharged from the hospital, and deemed unable to walk again, local care centres are now looking to Sherwood Park, to see how they are achieving such results.

While Sherwood Park has established itself at the forefront of rehabilitation within long-term care, they are anxious to share their successes and approaches with other care providers. The Home is welcoming other care providers to come and see how they do what they do, and are in the process of creating a video to further share their program.

In a time of ongoing fiscal and staffing challenges in the care sector, it is refreshing to encounter such a positive story. This Sherwood Park success story is a testament to the commitment to care of so many in the Home and serves as a reminder of what can be accomplished when there is a will to serve others.