Regular Visitor to United Helpers in Ogdensburg Comes for In-patient Therapy Stay

OGDENSBURG - After visiting United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care regularly to deliver communion to residents, Sister Bernadette Collins recently spent just over two weeks there for an inpatient therapy stay.

As part of her mission work with the Diocese of Ogdensburg, Sister Bernadette has been visiting the facility on a weekly basis for more than three years.

Sister Bernadette Collins works with Chelsie Brenno, PTA.

“I knew the place and I had heard great things about the therapy here,” she said, adding she knew she wanted to do an inpatient stay following knee replacement surgery on her right leg.

The surgery took place on Dec. 30 and on Jan. 1 she checked into United Helpers. On Jan. 17 she was discharged back home. 

“I knew I wanted to do inpatient therapy because it would help me get better faster and I knew this was the place I wanted to do it,” Sister Bernadette said. “I’m glad I was able to get my therapy here, where I wanted.”

During her stay at United Helpers, Sister Bernadette said she’s received therapy twice a day, six days a week, with roughly 90 minutes of physical therapy and 30 minutes of occupational therapy each day.

While she says she’s happy with her progress, she said the road to recovery hasn’t been easy.

“The first week I was here, I said never again, but now looking back on it, I say, ‘if I have to do it again, it’s not so bad,’” she joked.

Physical Therapist Megan Morrison and Physical Therapist Assistant Chelsie Brenno worked with her during her stay, and Sister Bernadette said they were both great, as were the nurses, occupational therapy staff and everyone else she came into contact with during her stay.

“My therapists have been great. Megan is very good and so is Chelsie. The nurses have been great, and the food isn’t bad either,” she said.

Sister Bernadette said she can now walk short distances with a cane, while using a walker for longer distances. It is her goal to again walk unassisted, and Ms. Brenno said that should be achievable.

“She’s doing great and I try to remind her of that every day,” she said.

As Sister Bernadette continues working towards her goal, she will continue receiving physical therapy at United Helpers on an outpatient basis three times per week.

Thanks in part to the work she’s already put in with inpatient therapy, Ms. Morrison said Sister Bernadette now finds herself ahead of the game.

“Her range of motion is already ahead of where most people are when they start outpatient therapy,” Ms. Morrison said.

For more information regarding therapy services in Ogdensburg, please call (315) 393-0730 ext. 2156. For information regarding therapy services in Canton, please call (315) 386-4541 ext. 3217. You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.