Rehab Success Story

Submitted by Pramoda Kozhikotte, MS CCC SLP, DOR, Providence Place, Kansas City, KS

Shirley was admitted to Providence Place on March 19, 2025, following an intracerebral hemorrhage in the cerebral hemisphere, which resulted in hemiplegia. Prior to her stroke, Shirley was living independently and occasionally used a walker at home. Upon admission, however, she was entirely dependent for bed mobility, functional transfers, and wheelchair propulsion. She required maximum assistance with eating and hygiene and was placed on a diet of pureed solids with thin liquids due to swallowing difficulties.

From the start, Shirley, alongside her dedicated husband and family, approached therapy with determination and positivity. She actively participated in intensive skilled PT, OT, and ST services. Over the course of her stay, Shirley made remarkable progress. Gradually, she regained the ability to walk with assistance and improved to a moderate level of assistance for transfers. In Speech Therapy, she showed significant advancement, transitioning from pureed foods to soft solids and ultimately being upgraded to a regular solids diet on Apr 18, 2025 — an exciting milestone for her recovery.

Shirley was discharged on May 10, 2025. At the time of discharge, she was independent with bed mobility, wheelchair propulsion, and upper body dressing. She required only supervision for toileting transfers and was able to ambulate 30 feet using her walker. She also required setup assistance for eating and oral hygiene. It was an honor to support her return home, and her story continues to inspire everyone at Providence Place.