Concierge: Kathleen Ferlise
Admission Date:
4/23/21
Admitted From:
Morristown Medical Center
Discharge Date:
6/11/21
Discharged To:
Home
Reason for Stay: Weakness, Sepsis, Dysphagia, Feeding Tube
How did this patient hear about Chatham Hills?
The primary care physician is Chatham Hills’ Medical Director.


Details of Experience:
Tom was admitted to Chatham Hills Subacute Care Center on April 23, 2021, after his stay at Morristown Medical Center. Tom’s road to recovery started in early April when he became very ill at home. His loving wife by his side, he was taken to Morristown Medical Center. After many tests, Tom was diagnosed with pneumonia sepsis. He, unfortunately, developed many different health obstacles. Diagnosed with c-diff and dysphagia, Tom required a feeding tube and was bedridden for two weeks. 

The team at Morristown Medical notified Tom and his family that he required subacute rehabilitation before returning home. With Tom’s primary care doctor being the medical director at Chatham Hills Subacute Care Center and a previous patient, Chatham Hills was his number one choice. 

Tom was admitted to Chatham on April 23rd. Our team greeted him, anticipating his arrival, and excited to see him again, under the circumstances. Upon initial evaluation with his incredible therapists, he required modified to maximum assistance with activities of daily living, could not ambulate, and required assistance with bed mobility tasks. Since Tom also suffered from aspiration pneumonia in the hospital, he was on an NPO (nothing by mouth) restriction. Before his hospitalization, he was eating regular, solid foods and thin liquids. Not only did Tom require physical and occupational therapy, but our speech therapist had a plan of treatment for him.

Tom attended therapy six days a week, working hard to get back to his prior level of function. Unfortunately, he acquired covid and needed to be in isolation. After two weeks of recovery, Tom was ready to start up his therapy program again. Tom’s goals upon re-evaluation were “to eat safely, to walk and be able to return home.” His highly trained speech therapist, Natasha, worked hard with him five times a week on safe swallowing strategies, reducing his anxiety/fear when eating, and improving his diet as time went along. He worked hard practicing self-care skills, balance, transfers to and from his chair and bed to return home at his highest level of function.

After a few weeks passed, Tom was nearing his discharge date. His determination and motivation lead him to be able to reach his goals. When he was admitted to Chatham Hills, he was unable to ambulate, required maximum assistance with all activities of daily living, and was unable to transfer himself without assistance. Tom graduated from our therapy program able to ambulate over 250 feet, requiring standby assistance for toileting, dressing, and transferring! Not only was he able to return home close to his prior level of function, but he also transitioned from requiring a feeding tube to meeting all his goals and eating normal food again! All of Tom’s therapists were so proud of him.

Team Chatham Hills congratulates Tom on his amazing progress and is so happy he can be back home with his number #1 supporter, his wife!