Success Stories

Her husband shared the difficulties that lay ahead for Jean: “The hospital my wife was in before Kindred told me there was no hope for her to breathe without a respirator, even her own internist had confirmed this and said the outcome didn't look good. The MD's said she would never come back. The pulmonologist at the original hospital said she didn't have the muscle mass to ever breathe on her own again.”

Jean’s care team at Kindred began a ventilator weaning treatment plan that consisted of strengthening Jean’s lungs and helping her regain her mobility and independence. Within a few days she was able to sit on the edge of the bed and began participating more fully in rehab therapy as her strength returned. She was also able to tolerate the weaning protocol as her lungs began to heal, and she reached a milestone when she was able to have the ventilator completely disconnected and breathe on her own with supplemental oxygen.

“They surely know what they are doing at Kindred. Everyone needs to know what Kindred can do to help get someone who is on a ventilator breathing on their own again,” Jean’s husband said.

Jean then began to communicate using a voice valve, and when she was able to have the tracheostomy tube removed she was able to speak with her own voice and begin eating a modified diet. At the time of her discharge to a rehab facility to continue her recovery, Jean was able to walk on her own and climb steps with the aid of a walker and rails. She was also able to eat soft foods and take care of all her personal needs.

Jean, all of us at Kindred are amazed by your recovery and determination to get better! You are an inspiration to all of us and we wish you and your family all the best as you continue on your journey to recovery.

Clockwise from left top: Lorraine Ruiz, PT; Marc Rosenblatt, Speech Therapy – program Director; Kathy Horan, RT; David Law, RN

On arrival she was also dependent on a feeding tube due to being intubated and unable to feed herself. Understandably, she was also anxious and frustrated as she was completely unable to move and required maximum assistance with even the simplest of tasks.

Under the guidance and support of her care team, Harriet began to make progress and was able to begin communicating via a Passy Muir valve. The next step in her recovery was the removal of the tracheostomy tube as she regained the ability to breathe on her own, and then quickly began to gain more strength as she was able to eat and drink again.

As Harriet progressed towards recovery, her care team helped to keep her focused and motivated and soon she was able to get up and walk with minimal assistance, and to be able to take care of her daily needs. Harriet was discharged to a lower care rehab facility to continue her journey to recovery and gain more strength and independence, with the goal being to return home with her husband.

All of us at Kindred Hospital are proud of Harriet’s recovery and wish her and her husband all the best!

Because of this limited awareness, he was initially inserted with a PEG tube directly into his stomach to provide all of his nutritional needs. However, as his respiratory and medical status improved, he was able to transition onto a modified diet. His pulmonologist and respiratory therapists were successful in weaning Robert off of his ventilator, and he soon became more oriented to his surroundings and limitations.

During the course of his physical and occupational therapy sessions, he would crack jokes and have a fun time while working really hard to regain function and his independence. Through hard work Robert progressed quickly in therapy and upon discharge, he was able to walk up to 80 feet with the use of a rolling walker. He was also much more independent with his self-care needs.

Robert left Kindred a completely different person from when he was admitted. He told the staff, "Kindred saved my life." He continued his recovery at a sub­acute rehab facility to increase his independence with daily living tasks, ambulation and overall strengthening for his goal to go back home.

Robert is looking forward to returning home and spending time with his family. Congratulations on your continued successes Robert. We are all so proud!

Mr . Z was admitted to New York Presbyterian Hospital following a fall at home on January 6, 2014. The fall resulted in an intracranial hemorrhage that required mechanical ventilation. The hospital stay was complicated by ventilator-dependent respiratory failure requiring a tracheostomy, pneumonia, sepsis, and worsening renal function resulting in the need for hemodialysis and PEG tube feedings.

Once stabilized at the traditional hospital, Mr. Z was unable to recover completely in the short-term setting. He was transferred to Kindred Hospital New Jersey – Wayne for continued care.

Although he was at Kindred primarily for ventilator weaning, physical and speech therapy, our interdisciplinary team never lost sight of Mr. Z as a person with a life full of hope, and a strong sense of family. Encouraged by his wife and children, Mr. Z worked extensively with all disciplines of rehab and became more motivated as he saw progress and improvement.

Kindred’s respiratory therapists worked diligently with Mr. Z and in spite of the challenges he was weaned from oxygen support and decannulated (tracheosotomy tube removed). Physical, speech and occupational therapy helped him regain his strength, resume an oral diet and improve his daily functional abilities.

When asked about their experience at Kindred, Mrs. Z said, “One of the things that impressed me is that all of my husband’s medical needs were addressed immediately by several specialists who came to see him right away … the nursing care was wonderful. They came to see him frequently and moved him every two hours. They were very warm and caring, the entire Kindred staff was exceptional.”

On arrival at Kindred, his admitting diagnosis was ventilator dependent respiratory failure and pre-existing pneumonia. He was a complex case and suffered from severe anxiety. After examination the pulmonologist, along with the respiratory team, began the ventilator weaning protocol.

Once the respiratory team started to wean Ronald, he was placed on C-PAP, which allowed him to breathe on his own via the ventilator. After a few days on C-PAP his dependence on the vent began to decrease. We started to take him off of the vent for spontaneous breathing trials on March 11 and we slowly increasd his time off the vent until he was able to tolerate 24 hours of breathing on his own.

After a few days off the vent, Ronald suffered a short setback and had to return to the vent for dyspnea and desaturations. Our team was determined to help him recover and began vent weaning again on March 24, with spontaneous trials begining on March 29. After three days off of the vent, we started capping trials. He loved being able to talk and have a more “normal” breathing sensation. After only four days of capping, he was decannulated.

The collaboration of the entire medical team helped Ronald to attain his goal of decannulation and total independence from the ventilator. Thanks to his determination, Ronald was able to return to a normal life.

Peggy quickly progressed from NPO to a modified diet and eventually regular consistency foods and thin liquids. In Peggy’s case it was important for her to advance safely to a diet in order to take medication and increase her nutrition. She did not have artificial means of nutrition like a naso-gastric tube or PEG tube.

Peggy was very motivated to get moving and to “dance” with us. One of her goals was to be able to get to the bathroom by herself. Peggy consistently demonstrated good effort and followed recommended exercises on her own in her room. Physical and occupational therapists worked closely with respiratory and nursing to promote her progress. One of the things Peggy identified as frustrating was that she wanted to do more; her mind was ready, but her body was trying to catch up.M

Initially Peggy was unable to sit up at the edge of the bed. With continued strengthening and exercise she was able to stand with minimal assistance of two people with a walker.

Over time she built up her endurance to tolerate more and more activity. Peggy began walking the hallways using a rolling walker with supervision assistance. She was sitting up twice a day for several hours and walking herself to the bathroom with minor assistance.

Peggy made amazing progress in the time she was here. She was walking more with rehab than she had in months at home. She even danced on her last therapy session. Peggy has been discharged to a subacute facility to continue her therapy with plans to return home.

Our rehabilitation team worked closely with the nursing and wound care team to help Gerry with his goals of mobility and returning home. Therapy started slowly in order to build his endurance and strength. Gerry required maximum assist of two people to roll and turn in bed; because of Gerry’s wound most of his core strength was lost. With repetition of compensatory techniques and practice he was able to roll with independence and eventually sat at the edge of the bed with minimal assist.

Continued therapy sessions focused on sitting balance, arm strengthening and increasing his endurance. Gerry advanced to standing trials with a walker with assistance of two people. Gerry diligently performed upper body exercises and sat in a chair several times a day. His continued effort outside of therapy sessions helped to progress him to increased activity tolerance.

Gerry was discharged to a subacute rehabilitation facility for continued therapy with plans to progress home. On April 30, we got a visit from Gerry, who we barely recognized because he was dressed in his regular clothes. It was wonderful to see that in just three additional weeks of rehab, he reached his goal of returning to home and independence.