Case Study: Water’s Edge Rehab & Nursing Center at Port Jefferson (May 2019)

Patient’s Name: Alan Edelman
Patient’s Age: 82-years-old
Admission Date: 03/21/2019
Discharge Date: 05/10/2019
Discharged To: Home
Length of Stay: 50 days
Reason for Stay: Femoral bypass.
How did this patient hear about Water’s Edge at Port Jefferson Rehabilitation & Nursing Center?: Patient had stayed here prior.


Details of Experience:
After spending some time at Stony Brook University Hospital due to femoral bypass surgery, Mr. Alan Edelman was set out to choose a sub-acute rehabilitation center. This wasn’t Mr. Edelman’s first experience with sub-acute rehab; therefore, he knew that the Water’s Edge Rehab and Nursing Center at Port Jefferson would be where he wanted to go. Alan arrived at our community on the evening of March 21, 2019, where he was greeted by a number of our professional team members to help him get settled.

Surrounded by his loving daughters and our staff, Mr. Edelman was eager to get started doing what had to be done so he could go home. If you asked, Alan would have told you, “My leg is frozen and if I had wished it would that it is unfrozen and I could just walk again.” With that being said, our team of therapists was ready for the challenge.

Upon admission, Alan was referred to rehabilitation due to a decrease in strength, functional mobility, and coordination; amongst other things. He was completely dependent on our physical therapists and was only able to initiate movement; as well as needing about 25% of help from our occupational therapists. Alan’s long term goal was to be able to perform all tasks with complete independence, as he always had. Setting the bar high, Mr. Edelman was ready to work.

Our team of occupational therapists worked with Mr. Edelman by performing resistance exercises, weights, and therapeutic exercises to facilitate independence in self-care tasks. They used gross motor and fine motor coordination techniques, with the help of techniques to enable functional balance skills. All the while, our team of Physical Therapists used therapeutic exercises to facilitate independence in mobility tasks. They used gait training; such as strategies to safely maneuver around obstacles, task progression while ambulating and self-correction

during performance. Our therapists used activities such as weight shifting, bed mobility, transfer training, and placement of objects out of reach to increase dynamic skill performance.

Within one month of his stay, Mr. Alan Edelman went from being completely dependent on needing a contact guard to assist for his physical movement, as well as being able to walk 30 feet. He also improved in performing daily life functions, going from needing 25% assistance to only needing supervision. A few weeks away from his planned discharge date, Mr. Edelman and his team of therapists worked hard towards meeting his goals.

Upon discharge, Mr. Edelman was able to walk 125 feet with contact guard assistance and occasional verbal cues. Alan was also able to perform daily life functions independently, only needing assistance with set up. He was so thrilled with how far he has come. When approached by our Concierge; he said, “Look! I can move my leg and I can walk!”

Mr. Alan Edelman expressed an abundance of gratitude to our team, as he was able to walk out the front door. We will miss Alan’s love for chocolate, great attitude, and a positive spirit. Team Water’s Edge wishes nothing for the best for him as his journey continues!