United Helpers RiverLedge Campus now has Six EV Charging Stations

OGDENSBURG – Thanks to a grant of more than $22,000 United Helpers was able to install six Level II charging stations at its RiverLedge Campus in Ogdensburg.

United Helpers RiverLedge Campus is located just off State Route 37 at 8101 State Route 68. The chargers are available for members of the public to use whether they’re locals or traveling through the area. 

United Helpers employees may also use the stations to charge their vehicle during the workday. United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills Director of Residential Services Kim S. George takes advantage of this opportunity almost every day.

Ms. George drives a Toyota Rav-4 Hybrid, meaning her vehicle can use gas, but she prefers to use the vehicle’s electric battery when possible. “Being able to charge my vehicle while I’m at work is beyond convenient,” she said.

The stations do charge 35 cents per kilowatt hour, but Ms. George said that’s still cheaper than gas and in line with what other stations in the area are charging.

According to JD Power & Associates, an electric vehicle with a range of 300 miles would use between 75 and 100 kilowatt hours meaning a full charge is less than $30.

JD Power & Associates also notes a Level II charger, such as those located here can fully charge a completely drained battery in roughly four hours.

Payment for the service is conveniently done entirely through the EV Connect app, which may be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play. A credit or debit card is then linked to the app with payment deducted at the time of the charge.

United Helpers Director of Facility Operations Rick J. Pirie said he’s glad to see United Helpers installing EV charging stations.

“With electric vehicles becoming more and more common, even amongst our staff, it’s important for people to have a place where they can charge their vehicle’s battery,” he said. “With these charging stations located conveniently just off of the highway people can stop by to charge their vehicles and then be back on the road in no time.”

Ms. George who travels from Massena to Ogdensburg for work each day said her car will reach a full charge in 2.5 hours for less than $6.

Sparx Construction and General Contracting completed the work for this project. 

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills Director of Residential Service Kim S. George connects her car to the newly installed EV charging stations at United Helpers RiverLedge Campus in Ogdensburg. RiverLedge is located just off State Route 37 at 8101 State Route 68.

Lisbon Senior Looking Forward to Returning To Work Following Rehab at United Helpers

OGDENSBURG – This past winter when Roger Shoen slipped on some ice and broke his leg, he was not worried about whether or not he would walk again, rather Mr. Shoen said his main concern was whether he would be able to return to work.

Mr. Shoen said he was in the middle of his route delivering prescription medication for a local pharmacy when he fell on the ice outside Belmont Courts in Ogdensburg. Luckily, he had his grandson with him. 

Physical Therapist Brett Amo looks on as Roger Shoen exercises 

“I yelled for help and my grandson came to pick me back up. A woman who lives in one of the apartments came to her door too and asked if I wanted her to call the rescue squad, but I told her no. ‘I said this ice is too cold, I’m not going to lay here and wait for an ambulance,”’ he recalled.

With the help of his grandson, Mr. Shoen said he was able to make his way back to his vehicle. He then finished his shift before going to the hospital.

“I got back to the van and thought, this doesn’t feel too bad, I might as well finish my shift,” Mr. Shoen said, explaining he drove from house to house, sending his grandson to the door with each person’s medication. “I worked for two hours before going to the hospital.”

Once at the hospital though, Mr. Shoen said his suspicions were confirmed, “I knew I broke my leg because I heard it snap,” he said. Following surgery and his release from the hospital, Mr. Shoen spent the next five weeks at RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg.

“Nobody can say anything bad about this place,” he said. “The nursing care and therapy I received were perfect. I would recommend them to anyone for a long-term or short-term stay.”

Mr. Shoen’s stay included both occupational therapy and physical therapy.

Occupational Therapist Alycia Dezell said that when Mr. Shoen first arrived at RiverLedge she helped him regain the strength needed to bathe and get dressed on his own. Noting that he enjoys cooking, Ms. Dezell said they also spent a lot of time working in the kitchen located in the therapy suite.

Following his discharge, she continued seeing him on an outpatient basis. “When he started doing outpatient therapy, he was still using adaptive equipment (occupational therapy tools designed to assist with everyday tasks, such as putting on socks), but he wanted to stop using those,” she said. “Now he’s back to doing everything on his own.”

“The fact that I was able to continue seeing the same therapist after being discharged was great,” he said.

Physical Therapist Brett Amo also worked with Mr. Shoen, noting when your outpatient and inpatient therapy are in the same place, recovery can be just a bit easier.

“He was already set up for outpatient before he even went home. It was a seamless transition, and that’s not something everybody can offer,” Mr. Amo said.

Mr. Shoen has also expressed an interest in continuing to exercise at RiverLedge, even following the conclusion of his therapy.

“I thought that was something I would have to pay for, turns out I don’t. That’s one of the benefits they extend to their patients,” he said.

As for Mr. Shoen’s work plans, he said he has returned to his delivery route on a substitute basis and is planning to drive taxicabs a few days per week.

“It’s not like I’m starving or anything, but I like to keep busy. To me, work is my hobby and United Helpers has helped me get to a place where I can continue doing what I love,” he said.

For more information on therapy services at RiverLedge in Ogdensburg, contact (315) 393-0730. For information on therapy services at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Canton, contact (315) 386-4541. You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

United Helpers Nurse Manager: "United Helpers is One of the Best Places to be a Nurse"

"United Helpers is one of the best places to be a nurse, because they're really invested in their employees. One of the big things is their orientation. Nurses can work at their own pace and comfort level and you really don't get that at other health care organizations." ~ United Helpers Nurse Manager Derek Fenton, who began working at United Helpers when he was 16.

Pinkerton Wraps Up Rehab, Resumes Baseball Career

OGDENSBURG – After just over three months of physical therapy at RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg, Seth Pinkerton has returned to Fort Meyers, Florida to prepare for spring training with the Minnesota Twins organization.

Seth Pinkerton

Mr. Pinkerton was drafted by the Twins in the 2018 Major League Baseball Amateur draft, beginning his career last spring. However, his first season of professional ball came to an abrupt halt when he suffered a serious injury while fielding a ball hit back to him. 

“I ended up with a grade two MCL and LCL sprain, as well as a complete tear of both my medial and lateral menisci and a complete tear of my ACL,” he said, noting his injury was so severe that Dr. James Andrews “had to go fishing” in order to find his meniscus while trying to repair his leg.

Prior to departing for Florida, Mr. Pinkerton agreed to discuss his rehabilitation and experience at RiverLedge.

“When I first came in I had two crutches. Then I was using one crutch and eventually a cane. Now I’m able to walk and even run on my own,” he said.

The focus on rehabilitating his leg though did take a toll on his preparations for the season, but Mr. Pinkerton said he’s confident that when the season starts he’ll be ready to go.

“I’m not 100% pitching-wise, there’s still two months left on the time frame I was given for that, but I am ready to get down there and resume my baseball career,” he said.

United Helpers Physical Therapist Brett Amo has been working with Mr. Pinkerton and the two have developed a relationship that has helped make his recovery easier than it could have been.

“Brett and I are both competitive and he has really pushed me the extra little bit that has helped my therapy be so successful,” he said. Also adding to the mix is Seth’s sister, Kelsey, who is also recovering from a torn ACL and doing physical therapy with Mr. Amo.

 “We’re all pretty competitive, so we’ve been pushing each other too,” he said. “The whole process has been great and Brett has helped me, both physically and mentally. It’s been encouraging to see my progress.”

Mr. Amo said Mr. Pinkerton’s success is a result of his hard work and an eagerness to come back even stronger than he was before the injury.

“He has done extremely well,” Mr. Amo said. “He has consistently been ahead of where his doctors expected him to be. That’s a testament to his hard work and dedication.”

Prior to wrapping up his time at Riveredge, Mr. Pinkerton and Mr. Amo had a FaceTime conversation with Dr. Andrews where they discussed Mr. Pinkerton’s therapy and his path to recover.

“He has been very pleased with my progress and everything Brett has done,” Mr. Pinkerton said.

Dr. Andrews is a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon, who is best known for his work with Major League Baseball pitchers, including the likes of Mariano Rivera and Roger Clemens. He has also operated on other legends in the world of sports like Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, and Peyton Manning among others.

Also pleased with Mr. Pinkerton’s therapy was the Minnesota Twins training staff and team doctor. Mr. Amo said he received a text message from Mr. Pinkerton following his initial meeting with the team’s medical staff.

“They said that everything looks great and they’re impressed with how much strength and size I’ve gained back in my leg since my surgery,” Mr. Pinkerton wrote.

For more information on therapy services at RiverLedge in Ogdensburg, contact (315) 393-0730. For more information on therapy services at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Canton, contact (315) 386-4541. You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

Local Snowbird on the Road to Recovery, Eager to Head South

OGDENSBURG – Twelve years ago Leona Miller, of Ogdensburg, had knee replacement surgery on her left leg. The day after that operation she had a stroke, leaving her fearful that the time would come when she would need the same surgery on her right leg.

In 2018 that time came. However, this time around Mrs. Miller did 10 sessions of prehabilitation prior to her surgery which took place on Dec. 4.

“I came into the therapy not sure if I was going to have the surgery or not,” Mrs. Miller said, explaining that the weeks and months that followed her first knee surgery were some of the most difficult in her life. 

Leona Millers works with Physical Therapist Megan Morrison

“Pretty early on though, Megan (Physical Therapist Megan Morrison) and I determined that I was going to need that surgery,” she said.

Ms. Morrison said the purpose of prehab is to strengthen a limb or joint as much as possible prior to an operation, something which makes the recovery significantly easier.

“Our goal with those sessions was to make her stronger heading into the surgery,” Ms. Morrison said, to which Mrs. Miller replied, ‘It certainly helped.”

Following her discharge from the hospital, Mrs. Miller spent six days at RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center for a short-term, in-patient therapy stay. RiverLedge is also where she had done her prehabilitation and is now receiving outpatient therapy.

“The fact that I can receive all of these services at the same place is great,” she said.

While many patients end up with an inpatient stay longer than six days, Ms. Morrison said that Mrs. Miller is working hard towards the goal of heading to Florida, where she and her husband spend their winters, as soon as possible.

Mrs. Miller said that as soon as she was discharged home, she began doing exercises at home, something that was not lost on Ms. Morrison.

“You can definitely tell when they do exercises at home,” she said. “It helps their progress and makes things go a lot easier when they’re here. She’s done everything right.”

Mrs. Miller is now walking short distances without a cane or walker and has her eyes set on walking longer distances unassisted and receiving clearance later this month from her doctor to head south.

“It’s coming along,” she said. “If you need therapy for anything, this is the place to come.”

For more information on therapy services at RiverLedge in Ogdensburg, contact (315) 393-0730. For information on therapy services at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Canton, contact (315) 386-4541. You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

United Helpers Celebrates Opening of Nursing Education Centers

OGDENSBURG – Both RiverLedge and Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center are now home to state of the art nursing labs, now giving United Helpers three such labs in the county.

Clinical and Diagnostic Educator Elayne Woodcock said the labs are a nice addition, giving the organization’s staff development team tools that can be used not only for training, but for practice.

“Our nurses know their skills, but if there is something they haven’t done or had to do in a while, it’s nice for them to have this facility for them available to practice,” she said. “You can literally see their confidence increase after they spend some time in here.”  

Social Service Assistant Alissa Hawley and Assistant DON Madison Brossoit

The newly opened labs join a third lab, located at the Sparx building in Canton, where the organization’s Home Health Care staff is based.

“These are all tremendous facilities,” she said.

In Ogdensburg, where a house was recently held, Ms. Woodcock said the Nursing Education Center is divided into two parts, a classroom and a hands-on skills lab.

“In the classroom, CNA training, staff education, as well as other classes and meetings will be held,” she said. “The lab includes several different training stations featuring life-like simulation mannequins that allow staff to practice with EKGs, IVs, sutures, feeding tubes, catheters, wound treatments, Doppler readings and more.”

“We are confident that access to these facilities is going to bring the confidence and comfort level of our CNAs and nurses to a whole new level,” she said.

If you are interested in a nursing career with United Helpers, please visit www.unitedhelpers.org/employment. The organization currently has several openings for RNs, LPNs and CNAs with a variety of shifts available.

Clinical & Diagnostic Educator Elayne Woodcock shows Vice President of Development Christa Carroll a nursing cart, while explaining some of the tools inside.

Man Regains Sight After Infection Causes Blindness

OGDENSBURG – Four months after being bitten by a stray cat, Keith Taylor, of Cadyville, woke up unable to see.

After spending 10 days in the hospital and two weeks at RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg, Mr. Taylor is now home with sight back in his right eye, optimistic that his vision will also return to his left eye at some point in the future.

“My doctor told me it’s going to take some time for my left eye to come back. It could take six months or a year, they’re not sure,” Mr. Taylor said. 

Mr. Taylor was capturing feral cats in Ogdensburg with his girlfriend, who lives here, when one of the animals bit him on the left hand. A sore that he described as “hard like a marble” developed on his finger, but Mr. Taylor did not seek any medical attention following the bite.

“The mistake we made was popping it,” he said, pointing to his finger where the bite occurred. Mr. Taylor said that doctors told him popping the sore led to an infection which over the next four months would spread through his body eventually reaching his eyes and causing blindness.

“Imagine waking up one morning and not being able to see,” Mr. Taylor said. “That’s pretty scary.”

Mr. Taylor then went to the hospital where he spent the next 10 days being treated for the infection, which had spread through most of his body. Most of that time too was spent in total darkness.

“On the fifth day I broke down and cried,” he said. “When they told me my vision might not come back that’s when it hit me.”

Occupational Therapist Alycia Dezell said that while Mr. Taylor wasn’t completely blind when he arrived at RiverLedge, he wasn’t anywhere close to where he was just two weeks later.

“He wasn’t completely blind, but he had significantly decreased vision, no sense of color, and even a little bit of light was causing him to have really bad headaches,” she said. “To see him in here right now not wearing sunglasses is amazing.”

Over the course of his two week stay, Ms. Dezell said she worked with him using a series of reaction timing, vision tracking exercises and even a punching bag. Also working with Mr. Taylor was Physical Therapy student Chelsea Martin.

“I’m sending him home with a pretty strict program and some exercises that his daughter can do with him,” Ms. Dezell said.

Mr. Taylor, who noted his daughter lives next door to him, said that while he’s glad to be going home, he’s not expecting his daughter to take it easy on him. “Going home is not going to be a break, but I’m just looking forward to everything getting back to normal,” he said.

“I have a two-year-old granddaughter and another grandchild on the way. I want to be able to watch them grow up,” he said. “My daughter is getting married next year and I want to be able to walk her down the aisle.”

Mr. Taylor, who said he ended up at RiverLedge, because he was unable to get into a similar facility in Clinton county, said he’s glad things worked out the way they did.

“This is a great place to come if you need therapy for anything,” he said. “They go above and beyond and they’re all really good people. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

For more information on therapy services at RiverLedge in Ogdensburg, contact (315) 393-0730. For information on therapy services at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Canton, contact (315) 386-4541. You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

From left, Occupational Therapist Alycia Dezell, Keith Taylor, Occupational Therapist Brianna Baillargeon and Physical Therapy Student Chelsea Martin.

Major League Prospect Rehabbing at RiverLedge

OGDENSBURG – The last thing any athlete wants is to be injured, but when you’re a prospect dreaming of one day making the big leagues a serious injury could potentially put an end to your dreams before your head even hits the pillow.

Seth Pinkerton is confident that’s not going to happen to him. Mr. Pinkerton is currently rehabbing a left knee injury at United Helpers RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg and if his second stint in physical therapy is anything like his first, he’ll return to the field stronger than ever. 

Seth Pinkerton working with RiverLedge Physical Therapist Brett Amo

Mr. Pinkerton, who graduated from Ogdensburg Free Academy in 2015, was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 20^th Round of the 2018 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft following a successful three-year career where he became the University of Hartford’s all-time saves leader.

However, prior to the start of his senior year at Ogdensburg Free Academy, Mr. Pinkerton found himself rehabbing a shoulder injury.

“I told him that by the time he was discharged from therapy that he’s be stronger and throwing faster than he ever had before,” said RiverLedge Physical Therapist Brett Amo. “The fact that he did, however, is a testament to him and his hard work. I could see how hard he was working and I knew his rehabilitation would be successful.”

Up until that point, Mr. Pinkerton said he had never really lifted weights, something he admittedly now regrets.

“I never touched a weight in high school, which I kind of regret now, but after working with Brett I was able to gain three to four miles per hour on my fastball,” he said. “Brett helped me get stronger so I was ready to go for my senior year and able to go to prospect camps.”

A successful senior season then led to a successful college career, which ultimately led to Mr. Pinkerton becoming one of the few people fortunate enough to receive a call letting them know they’ve been drafted and are officially on the path to the big leagues.

That path, however, took a major detour when late in his first season of professional baseball, he injured his leg while making a play in the field.

“I ended up with a grade two MCL and LCL sprain, as well as a complete tear of both my medial and lateral menisci and a complete tear of my ACL,” Mr. Pinkerton said. “My meniscus tear was so severe that Dr. Andrews (world-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews) had to ‘go fishing’ behind my knee to find it and suture it back together again.”

Mr. Pinkerton said the initial plan called for him to split time between his home in Ogdensburg and the Minnesota Twin’s spring training complex in Fort Myers, Florida, but after the severity of his injury was discovered the decision was made to limit his travel.

Following his surgery with Dr. Andrews on Sept. 25, Mr. Pinkerton said he spent five days in Alabama where the surgery took place. On Oct. 1 he began a three days per week physical therapy regimen that will continue until min-January when he reports to Fort Myers for some additional therapy with the Twins’ training staff.

“I’ll be down there until the season starts and then I’ll go to wherever I get assigned,” he said, adding that he is planning to be on the field and ready to go when the season starts next spring.

As for right now, Mr. Pinkerton said he’s ahead of where doctors told him he could expect to be.

“I’m ahead of the game right now. At this point, I should only be at 105 degrees, but I’m at 130 degrees,” he said referring to the range of motion in his injured knee. “Brett is competitive and so am I. He pushes me that extra little bit that I need to be successful.”

While Mr. Pinkerton credits Mr. Amo with helping him get to where he needed to be in high school and again right now, Mr. Amo said that his success is more of a tribute to the hard work Mr. Pinkerton has continued to put in.

“He is an incredibly hard worker and obviously that hard work has paid off for him to be where he is today,” Mr. Amo said. “The fact that someone like Seth trusts us with his rehab shows that we are able to treat people of all ages and activity levels, from those just looking to resume regular daily life to athletes performing at a professional level. We have a great team here and I appreciate that Seth trusts us to rehab him back to where he needs to be to resume his career.”

For more information on therapy services at RiverLedge in Ogdensburg, contact (315) 393-0730. For information on therapy services at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Canton, contact (315) 386-4541.  You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

Potsdam Man Regains Use of Hands, Sets His Sights on Getting Back on His Bike

POTSDAM – This past spring Thomas Robarge was alone in his home when he fell down. Unable to get back up or reach one of the three telephones in his home, he spent two days laying on the floor of his apartment without food and water clinging to hope that someone would find him before it was too late.

A friend of his from the apartment complex where he lives did find him and called 911, setting into motion a series of events that would see Mr. Robarge spend time at three different hospitals before coming to RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg.

“From the information I received, the hospital didn’t think he would ever be able to go back home,” said Occupational Therapist Alycia Dezell. “When he came here the thought was to do some cognitive rehab and work on his hands and he’s done great. I think he’s even surprised himself.”

It’s been a rough 12 months or so for Mr. Robarge, who has little recollection of the event leading to where he is today. 

Occupational Therapist Alycia Dezell & Thomas Robarge

“I know that something happened in my apartment,” he said. “I remember falling backwards and things being like they were in slow motion. I had three phones, but I didn’t have enough strength to get to them or use them. I’m very lucky.”

According to one of his five daughters, Danielle Rusk, Mr. Robarge had been experiencing numbness in his hands for quite some time following a surgical procedure last fall.

“This is a person who was a fisherman. He was used to tying lures on lines and baiting hooks. He started downhill skiing at 50 and rollerblading at 60. He was a very strong man,” Mrs. Rusk said. “He was used to having his fine motor skills, but he didn’t think he would ever have feeling in his hands again. Whatever they did with him worked wonders.”

Although, Mr. Robarge was never diagnosed with having a stroke, Ms. Dezell recognized that many of the things he was experiencing were similar to what people recovering from a stroke go through.

Using some techniques she picked up during recent training to become a Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist, Ms. Dezell said Mr. Robarge was able to make progress that surprised everyone.

“When he first came in he used to fight Natalie and I all the time,” Ms. Dezell said, referring to Physical Therapist Natalie Gilmour. “I think though after he started to notice some improvements, he started to trust us and believe in the program.”

“At first I thought it was ridiculous, but then I noticed some improvements. We’re not all the way there yet, but I’m hoping to get there,” he said.

When asked what “all the way there” would be, Mr. Robarge, who said he used to ride his bike for between 10 and 12 miles per day, is hoping to one day again get back on his bike.

“I’m happy to be going home. I’m looking forward to fishing again and one day hopefully riding my bike again,” he said.

During the course of his therapy, Mr. Robarge said there were a couple of turning points, one involving a dog, and one involving a shoe.

Mrs. Rusk who traveled to the area from her home in Georgia to be with her father during his therapy and recovery brought her dog with her. Describing the dog as soft and fluffy, she said that while her father had been able to pet the dog, he did not understand how soft the dog’s fur was until one day when he was petting the dog.

“I could see the look on his face change,” Mrs. Rusk recalled. “Then he said, ‘Oh my God, he is really soft.” 

Just a few weeks ago, Mr. Robarge couldn't tie his own shoes.

The second turning point came when Mr. Robarge was again able to tie both of his shoes.

“I hadn’t been able to tie my left shoe in over a year, even going back to before the surgery,” he said, as he leaned over from his chair and adjusted the laces on his sneakers.

In addition to regaining use of his hands, Mr. Robarge has also seen significant improvements with his memory and other cognitive skills. He is now back at home in his own apartment and after a period of adjustment and getting settled, hoping to resume therapy in an outpatient setting and continue working towards getting back on his bike.

“He didn’t even want to have hope, but they just kept on him and would not let him give up,” Mrs. Rusk said. “Our family is incredibly grateful for Alycia and the entire staff at RiverLedge. They were all great.”

For more information on therapy services at RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg, contact (315) 393-0730. For information on therapy services at Maplewood, contact (315) 386-4541.  You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

United Helpers Now Offering Stroke Therapy From Region's Only Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialists

Alycia Dezell and Stacie Jessmer, Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialists

OGDENSBURG – At any given time there can be as many as a dozen or more stroke patients receiving therapy services through United Helpers.

While traditional therapy is certainly better than no therapy at all, United Helpers can now say they employ the region’s only two Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialists.

Alycia Dezell, an Occupational Therapist at RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabiliation Center in Ogdensburg and Stacie Jessmer, a Physical Therapy Assistant at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Canton recently earned their certification by completing a series of classes offered by the National Stroke Association over the past several months. 

“There are only 40 Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialists in all of New York State and until now the closest one was in Syracuse,” Mrs. Jessmer said. “Being Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialists, we now know the most beneficial ways and latest techniques for treating stroke patients.”

Ms. Dezell said the course included a lot of lab-based work and data analysis.

“They used to say there was a small window of opportunity, usually around a six month window, for someone to be able to reach their maximum potential after a stroke. With new research we now know that fully recovering from a stroke can sometimes take years. In some instances progress can even continue throughout the remainder of their lifetime,” she said.

Mrs. Jessmer said that it is her hopes that with their certifications, insurance companies may be willing to provide additional therapy services for those trying to recover from a stroke.

“Sometimes insurance companies will only approve therapy for someone for up to three or four weeks, but now with our certifications we have evidence-based information, training and skills that we can use to show the insurance companies how beneficial additional therapy could be,” she said.

Director of Rehabilitative Services Terry L. Micelli said that stroke therapy at either location could occur in an outpatient or inpatient setting. Ms. Dezell and Mrs. Jessmer may provide services to those who just recently had a stroke or those who have had a stroke in the past, but need additional therapy in order to reach the highest level of function possible.

“There is evidence out there that people who have had a stroke even three or four years ago, can possibly regain some function with the help of a specialist,” she said.

The key, Mrs. Jessmer said, is constant stimulation in their environment through specific functional-based tasks.

“To be successful with neuro-therapy you have to stimulate the brain,” she said. “Stroke patients need the same amount of sleep as anyone else, as when they’re sleeping their brain can recover and process the information it has learned. Throughout the day the best thing for them is constant stimulation within their environment.”

Ms. Jessmer said that information, which she and Ms. Dezell learned in the course, is a much different approach than what is often taken with traditional therapy, where stroke patients often work in little bursts and are then given “time to recover,” before doing more therapy work.

In addition to having each other to bounce ideas off of, Ms. Dezell said they know have access to the National Stroke Association’s plethora of experts and library of resources. She also said that in order to maintain their certifications, they must recertify every two years and get an additional 16 hours of continuing education credits.

“This will ensure that our patients are always receiving cutting edge treatment and the benefits of the most up-to-date information and research available,” Ms. Dezell said.

To help provide their stroke patients with constant stimulation, Mrs. Jessmer also said they will be relying heavily of the nursing staff at both facilities.

“It’s a total team effort,” she said.

Mrs. Jessmer and Ms. Dezell are also currently working on a presentation where they will share some of what they’ve learned with other members of the therapy team, nursing staff and people in key positions.

If you feel like yourself or a loved one could benefit from therapy services offered by a Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist, please contact Navigator Nicholas Maneely at (315) 714-3110 ext. 504.

United Helpers Now Offering Respiratory Therapy in Canton & Ogdensburg

CANTON – Thanks to a partnership between United Helpers and Canton-Potsdam Hospital, residents of Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center and RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center have access to respiratory therapy as part of their in-patient therapy programs.

The respiratory therapy program, known as Critical Pathways is designed to help reduce the amount of time patients with COPD, respiratory failure or other related illnesses spend in the hospital.

The vision of this program is to establish a continuum of care for COPD patients in St. Lawrence County with United Helpers, as well as other medical service providers and acute care partners also participating. 

“This model has been successful in improving health, quality of life, and reducing hospitalizations in other parts of the country,” said United Helpers Vice-President of Quality Improvement & Clinical Services Stacey Cannizzo. “It is an integral part of providing high quality care in a rural environment.”

Providing those therapy services for patients at RiverLedge and Maplewood is United Helpers Respiratory Navigator Matthew King, CRT.

“I use an evidence-based software program to direct the delivery of care,” Mr. King said, noting that includes assessments, therapeutic treatments and measuring outcomes. “The hospital, as well as local home health care providers are using the same software, which ensures a continuity in care from the hospital to our facility to the patient’s home.”

Referrals to Mr. King come from Canton-Potsdam Hospital, as well as nursing staff at either RiverLedge or Maplewood.

While many of Mr. King’s patients are receiving long-term care, he said that’s not the case for everyone. “I’ve worked with patients as young as 50-years-old who were just here for a temporary rehabilitation stay,” he said.

“What I do is often integrated into a patient’s physical and/or occupational therapy program,” Mr. King said, adding several other staff members from both RiverLedge and Maplewood have received additional training in support of the Critical Pathways program.

“The goal of our program is to reduce the amount of time these people are spending in the hospital and so far, I think it has been a success,” he said.

Mrs. Cannizzo agreed. “This program has been in place since January and I can honestly say it has far exceeded my expectations,” she said.

Both Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Canton and RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg offer short-term and long-term care. If you think the Critical Pathways Program could benefit you or a loved one, please contact Navigator Nicholas Maneely at (315) 714-3110 ext. 504.

Waddington Man Pleased by Service Received at Both RiverLedge and Maplewood

Allen McIntosh

OGDENSBURG – While rehabilitation is often associated with surgery on one’s legs, arms or hips, it can also be used to help make someone stronger and able to return home following any number of medical procedures. 

 Allen McIntosh, of Waddington, recently had an appendectomy after falling ill at home.

Following his discharge from the hospital, Mr. McIntosh spent roughly two weeks at United Helpers’ RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg.

“I knew something was wrong so I went to the hospital,” he said. “My doctor told me he does five of those surgeries (appendectomies) every day, and mine was one of the worst he’s ever seen.”

While an appendectomy will take anyone off their feet for a few days, at the age of 92, the recovery period is a bit longer. Mr. McIntosh said he was unable to get a bed at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center, where he has previously spent 19 days following a stroke, but given the success he found there, he knew he wanted to receive his therapy at a United Helpers facility.

“I can now say I’ve been to both places and they were each great,” he said. “I enjoyed my experiences at both.”

In addition to receiving physical and occupational therapy at both locations, Mr. McIntosh has also worked with Respiratory Therapist Matthew King.

A short time prior to his appendectomy, he noticed he was having difficulty breathing and was placed on oxygen by his primary care provider.

Although he is unsure if he’ll be able to stop using oxygen, Mr. McIntosh said his time with Mr. King has made a difference.

“I’m what they call a shallow breather,” Mr. McIntosh said. “Mr. King has taught me a little bit about breathing better and I’ve noticed a difference. I might not ever discontinue oxygen, but I can tell that what they’ve been doing is working.”

For more information on therapy services at RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg, contact (315) 393-0730. For information on therapy services at Maplewood, contact (315) 386-4541.  You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

Respiratory Therapist Matthew King, Allen McIntosh and Physical Therapist Trent Worden