The importance of utilizing Swing Bed Skilled Care to return home safely after an illness or surgery
Swing Bed Skilled Care available at VMH ... Pictured above, at center, is 91-year-old Grace Bulman of Eitzen, MN just before going home from Veterans Memorial Hospital just two weeks following surgery from a broken hip. She utilized the Swing Bed Skilled Care program to help return to her home safely in a short period of time. Patients recovering from an illness or surgery often need skilled care for things like physical/occupational/speech therapy or longer-term IV antibiotics, prior to being able to return home. Veterans Memorial Hospital encourages anyone who would benefit from this level of care to ask for a referral to be made. For more information, call the hospital at 563-568-3411. Submitted photo.
July 4, Grace Bulman, age 91 of Eitzen, MN was busy preparing for her family to arrive for Independence Day festivities, using a leaf blower on her back deck when she broke her hip. She was taken by ambulance to La Crosse, WI where she had hip surgery that same day.
After staying in the hospital for three nights, it was time to be transferred to another facility. Thanks to a family member telling her about Swing Bed Skilled Care at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon, Grace was ready to go home two weeks to the day following her surgery.
“When I came into the hospital in Waukon, the first thing I noticed was it seems like family,” stated Grace. “The whole unit was welcoming, kind, caring and glad I was here. It was such a warm feeling. I felt peaceful, like I had made the right decision to come here and that with their help I knew I would get back home again. I was in the right place.”
Grace right away began her skilled care therapy twice a day with the Rehabilitation Department, helping her work to get back home. “Brad and Melissa in therapy are top-notch! They encouraged me every step of the way. Even when I didn’t think I could do it, they pushed for just a little bit more, and gave me the energy I needed to keep going.”
“The nurses always came in my room with a smile a mile wide, greeting me by name, asking how they could help me,” Grace continued. I was a human being, not a number. Even when my light wasn’t on, they always asked if I needed anything at all. The food was fabulous with good portions all on an attractive plate, even with cloth napkins. It was just top-notch! Lab was so friendly when they came to draw my blood and Housekeeping was also so pleasant to visit with. The entire staff always gave the extra mile.”
“This whole Swing Bed Skilled Care experience encouraged me, giving me that extra push that I needed to recover so I could safely go home when I was ready, just two weeks later. I already told my cousin who will soon be having back surgery that he needs to come to Veterans Memorial Hospital for swing bed care as well!”
