Case Study: Gallatin Center – Q1 2025
Concierge: Christina Mitchell
Age: 43
Name: Chris K.
Admission Date: 12/14/2024
Discharge Date: NA
Discharged to: NA
Length of Stay: 3 months… ongoing
Reason for Stay: Therapy services
How did the patient hear about the Gallatin Center: HighPoint Health Hospita
Details of Experience:
Chris K. was admitted to the Gallatin Center on 12/14/2024 following a stay at HighPoint Health. Chris was admitted with a diagnosis of food in the trachea causing asphyxiation, acute respiratory failure, cerebral Infarction, muscle weakness, dysphagia following cerebral infarction, rib fractures, fracture of the sternum, and need for assistance with personal care. Chris choked on food at his prior residence, losing consciousness and going into cardiac arrest. CPR was performed and resulted in 8 fractured ribs and a fractured sternum, and pulmonary contusions. Chris was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation on 12/1/2024 and was extubated on 12/8/2024.
Upon admission to our community on 12/14/2024, Chris met his personal concierge, and a welcome gift was presented. He was also introduced to his nursing team (Certified Nursing Assistant, Nurse, and Nurse Practitioners), Social Services, Activities Director, Therapy Team (Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech Therapy), and Respiratory Therapist. He was admitted on a puree diet with honey-consistency thickened liquids due to a poor swallowing test performed while in the hospital. Chris required total assistance with all mobility tasks. And was totally dependent on staff for all activities of daily living, for example: bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and personal hygiene. Requiring full body lift/Hoyer for transfers. A high-back wheelchair was used when out of bed due to poor balance. The team discussed his needs, and a plan of care was established. Physical Therapy for ambulation, transfers, bed mobility, strengthening, and endurance were some of the focuses, Occupational Therapy is more focused on fine motor skills (required for bathing, dressing, grooming, strengthening, and cognition), and of course, Speech Therapy to work on cognition and swallowing as well as speech. Some short-term goals were set with physical function, cognition, and mobility as a priority. Examples of some of these goals were for Chris to stand supported by at least 2 persons for safety. Sitting in a wheelchair and self-correcting/positioning and improving lower extremity (leg) strength.
By the end of six weeks, Chris was excelling in bed mobility, he was able to roll left to right independently, go from sitting position on the bed to a lying position independently, and back to a sitting position. Chris was able to go from sitting to standing with supervision and assistance for safety and was also able to perform transfers with supervision. By the end of February, Chris was ambulating ten feet with a rolling walker with supervision for safety, and ambulating 50 feet and performing two turns with partial/moderate assistance. And as of March, his cognition has greatly improved. His diet has also been upgraded to a soft texture instead of puree; at this time, he remains on honey-thickened liquids for swallowing precautions. Chris is very determined and has overcome a myriad of obstacles on his journey. He is still residing at our community, and therapy is ongoing, but his plans are to return home when appropriate. We are committed to going as far as he is to rehabilitate Chris and meet his personal goal of returning home.