By John Moskin
They are among the most well-trained and highly credentialed rehabilitation therapists in the Bay Area. But when you see them in action: holding the hands of our residents and loved ones, encouraging them, challenging them, and working with them, step by step, through their recovery —it’s evident that their dedication goes beyond expertise. Their work is deeply rooted in both their training and their hearts.
That compassionate care and the deep personal connections that follow can be seen across the campus as our interdisciplinary team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nurses, case managers, and other healthcare professionals provide comprehensive rehabilitative services to hundreds of patients in both long and short-term environments.
“In short-term care, we form these intense bonds because we see these individuals every day going through extraordinarily difficult things. So, we need to be their champions, cheering them on and helping to get them where they want to go,” said Executive Director of Rehab Operations, Inna Budovsky.“But in long-term care,” she continued. “We learn their life stories. We know their children; we know everything about them. So, it’s a little different, but they are both special kinds of relationships.”
There is a shared principle that undergirds those relationships and guides every member of the treatment team, regardless of whether the goal is to discharge patients to their homes or to improve our residents’ day-to-day standard of living. “Our philosophy in rehab is to provide treatment to our patients as if they were our family members,” said Robert Chiu, Director of Rehab of Friedman Team 2 (F2).
In addition to treating people like family, the other pillar upon which our rehab service is built is expertise.
“Our team collectively has a range of skill sets to help support our residents’ specialized needs,” said Celica Eagleson, Director of Rehab for Goodman SNF. “That includes catering to a multilingual population, specialized wheelchair assessments, managing contractures, dementia and cognitively impaired-focused care, dysphagia treatment, and improving quality of life by exploring and facilitating purposeful leisure activities.”
Of course, while outcomes in healthcare can never be guaranteed, success stories at the Campus abound. Many of them are quite remarkable. Consider, for example, the recent case of Laura, who came to the short-term rehab unit following a traumatic brain injury. She endured a prolonged hospitalization following her surgery, which was later complicated by COVID-19. When this resident came to the Campus, she was bedridden and unable to perform the most elemental activities of daily living. But, through a combination of physical, occupational, and speech therapy, she was able to get out of bed, walk, use the bathroom, and feed herself, and has progressed to the point that she has been able to transfer to an acute rehab unit where she continues to make significant gains in function and quality of life. Her remarkable recovery would not have been possible had it not been for her incredibly supportive family and her Campus for Jewish Living “family,” who worked together to promote her healing journey.
There is also the case of Stuart, who came to our long-term rehab unit after three spinal surgeries that resulted in contractures in his upper extremities and significantly decreased mobility. He was, for the most part, confined to his wheelchair. And yet, with the help of his interdisciplinary team of therapists, he is now walking with a wide base quad cane and continuing to progress and heal to a degree that many may have deemed impossible.
In fact, “impossible” is not a word that comes up often at the Jewish Home & Rehab Center. Rather, it is a place where hope prevails. And where healing involves not only the body but the mind, spirit, and soul.
For more information about the Rehabilitation Program at the Campus, please call 415-469-2286.
Note: Patient names have been changed to protect their privacy.