Concierge Name: Daniel Wolf
Patient Name: Christina Harris
Patient Age: 62
Admission Date: 09/15/23
Admitted From: White Plains Hospital
Discharge Date: TBD
Discharge To: Home
Length Of Stay: TBD
Reason For Stay: Muscle weakness & lack of coordination

Details of Experience:

Ms. Christina Harris arrived at Sans Souci Nursing Home and Rehab Center feeling slightly unsettled with her circumstances on September 15, 2023. Ms. Harris was transferred from White Plains Hospital, where they treated her well, but she still felt anxious about the journey ahead. She had fallen at home due to her muscle weakness and lack of coordination. Christina arrived at Sans Souci feeling uncertain but motivated to get going on the journey ahead. By the end of her first week, Christina’s entire mindset had shifted, and she was a whole new person.

Christina felt uneasy about her abilities when she first arrived, but that all changed quickly. When she was first wheeled into the community on a stretcher, a few nurses were sitting at the nurse’s station who waved and greeted her. This friendliness, along with Omar Garcia, a recreational therapist who was one of the first people she met, also made her feel a lot better. “Omar is a breath of fresh air; he helped me feel more positive and hopeful. Recreation is amazing, and Omar being one of the “first impressions” of the community is awesome,” she exclaimed, smiling. With all this renewed hope, Christina was ready to set some goals with the therapy team, including transferring out of bed with moderate assistance and walking 30 feet with a walker.

Only a few weeks later, Ms. Harris had crushed her goals and already established new ones with the therapy team. She went from needing maximum assistance with transfers to only needing minimal assistance. Christina also progressed from needing maximum assistance to walk 5 feet with a rolling walker to only needing moderate assistance to walk 60 feet.

“Melvin Panameno and Kristine Tan were a godsend; bonding with Melvin about growing up in Queens helped me keep my spirits up during therapy,” Ms. Harris shared. “Another moment that stuck out during my stay was the Dinner with the Chef. It was an amazing dinner, and Omar gave a heartwarming speech about how we’re all one big family. I even began to cry thinking about my roommate, who was leaving the next day,” Christina said. Ms. Harris may have arrived feeling uncertain, but now she definitely feels like part of the family.

Ms. Harris will be discharged home in the next few weeks and will only need a few hours of assistance from an aide at home. She is extremely excited about returning to her life and seeing all the friends who supported her throughout her stay.

Christina lives in a close-knit community that she can’t wait to return to. “The advice I always give is to get involved with what goes on in the community. You never know what kind of impact any staff member can make unless you’re open to it,” Christina shared. We hope to see Ms. Harris soon to visit all the friends she made in the community, both staff and residents.

We know Ms. Harris will continue to spread positivity in whatever she does, and we wish her the best.