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.

Retired Nurse Pleased With Care At United Helpers Maplewood Campus

CANTON – As a retired nurse and someone who spent most of her adult life working in health care, RoseMary Crupi, of Canton knows a thing or two about quality health care, and she said that’s exactly what she received at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center. 

RoseMary Crupi

In 2016 Ms. Crupi had her right knee replaced. She spent two weeks in the rehab unit and continued with outpatient physical therapy for “several months.”

After recovering fully from that surgery, she then had, in 2017, her right hip replaced spending five more weeks in the rehab unit.

“If someone asked me for an opinion, I would say, “go there,’” she said. “They were not only competent, but they were kind and caring. They impressed me with their kindness and empathy. A lot of people who work in health care don’t always do that.”

Admittedly Ms. Crupi can get emotional at times, but she said through her whole time at Maplewood, she was never made to feel embarrassed or like she was in the wrong.

“I’m a bit of a wuss but whenever I would cry from the pain someone would be right there,” she said, mentioning specifically physical therapy assistants Jenna Cryderman and Stacie Jessmer, as well as physical therapists Brittany Wieszczyk and Elizabeth Foster.

Ms. Crupi’s second stay at Maplewood included some medical complications, which she said weren’t anyone’s fault.

“You know your own body better than anyone and when I told them something wasn’t right, they listened,” she said, surmising that may not always be the case elsewhere.

“When a patient says this is not normal and there is something wrong, people need to listen and they did,” she said.

In addition to being pleased with the therapy staff, Ms. Crupi said the nursing care she received during her two stays was also impressive.

“I met some really terrific aides,” she said. “There was one young woman, “Trish” (Patricia Kerr) who would literally give you the shirt off your back. What she does for patients is amazing.”

Ms. Crupi then talked about the Nancy Delorme, a nurse who worked day shifts on the rehab unit.

“On my discharge day I wasn’t able to walk as well as I would have liked and when the ambulette came to pick me up they only brought one guy,” she recalled, realizing she was going to need the assistance of two people to get out of the vehicle and into her home.

“I didn’t think I was going to be able to go home and I started to cry,” she said. “Nancy very calmly told me, ‘Hold on, I’ll take care of this.’ She then went and grabbed Curtis (Legault). He’s one of the maintenance guys now, but he used to be a CNA. They made sure I was able to go home that day and he made sure I was able to get settled at home.”

Looking back at her own career, Ms. Crupi said the staff at Maplewood acted just as she would have wanted her own employees too.

“I used to train LPNs and I always taught them to act as if the person in that bed was their own mother or father,” she said. “The staff there cares about you as a person and not just a room number and that matters.”

For more information on therapy services at Maplewood, contact (315) 386-451. For therapy services at RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg, contact (315) 393-0730. You may also like United Helpers on Facebook or visit www.unitedhelpers.org.

United Helpers Aids in WWII Vet’s Recovery from Broken Hip

Jack Regan, 91, of Canton credits physical therapy at Maplewood Health Care & Rehabilitation Center for helping him regain his independence after breaking his hip earlier this year. Looking on is Physical Therapy Assistant Jena Cryderman.

CANTON - A broken hip is a devastating injury for anyone, but when you're 91 years old, such an injury

usually means the end of your independence. 

Jack Regan, of Canton suffered a broken hip earlier this year following a fall, not on the ice, but inside his own home.

“All winter long I walked slowly like a duck with little steps so I wouldn’t fall,” he said. “Then one day, I just stood up a little too fast, got light headed and went down.”

While Mr. Regan initially declined treatment following the fall, he said the pain quickly became too much to bear. When the time came to be released from the hospital, Mr. Regan said he knew exactly where he wanted to go.

“I’ve heard a lot of good comments about Maplewood and United Helpers in general,” he said, adding his stay at Maplewood was just over four weeks.

Initially upon his arrival, Mr. Regan admitted he wasn’t feeling the best.

“I was raised to never give up and I brought my children up that way too,” he said. “However, after breaking my hip I discovered I don’t do well with pain. Then one of my girls reminded me about what I taught them growing up, and I said, ‘You did listen.’”

After graduating from a wheelchair to a walker, Mr. Regan was allowed to return home. After several weeks of twice weekly outpatient therapy Mr. Regan has even began walking with the use of the cane.

“Thanks to this lady and the other people here I’ve gone from not being able to stand to walking with a cane,” he said referring to Physical Therapy Assistant Jena Cryderman. “Canton is very fortunate to have a place like Maplewood. A lot of communities don’t have a facility like this.”

While Mr. Regan is quick to credit Maplewood for his success, Ms. Cryderman said no physical therapy patient can succeed without doing their own part.

“Eighty percent of their success is up to them,” she said. “He certainly does what he has to do and puts in the work at home.”

For more information on United Helpers Therapy Services contact Maplewood in Canton at (315) 386-4541 or RiverLedge in Ogdensburg at (315) 393-0730. Visit us online at www.unitedhelpers.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/unitedhelpers.

Therapy Helps Ogdensburg Man Return to the Dance Floor

OGDENSBURG – When Frank Howie, of Ogdensburg was admitted to RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center he was prepared to stay there for the rest of his life. 

 However, just over three months later Mr. Howie was free to return home after completing a short-term rehabilitation stay.

“When I got here, I couldn’t even walk. My left leg would just give out on me all the time,” he said. “My wife and I never thought I was coming back home. That’s how bad it was when I first got here.”

While his stay at RiverLedge was interrupted by a brief hospitalization, Mr. Howie said returning to RiverLedge was like going home.

“When I got back here the nurses were right here waiting for me,” he said. “It was like coming back home.”

His wife, Terri said that one of the things that upset him the most about being in the hospital was while he was not being able to receive therapy while there.

“When he was in the hospital, he was angry, because he was missing therapy,” she said.

Mr. Howie said he was initially treated for back pain, but eventually doctors would discover the problem was with his leg, as a result of complications with diabetes.

During his inpatient stay, therapy was held two or three times per day, but now that he’s home and progressed to the point of walking with a cane, Mr. Howie said his therapy has been reduced to twice per week.

“I can’t believe how well they got me,” he said. “If you need therapy, this is the place to go.”

Given that Mr. and Mrs. Howie didn’t think he would ever come back home from his stay at RiverLedge, the thought of dancing together again was something that didn’t even cross their minds up until the day it happened.

“The thing I’m most proud of is being able to dance with my wife again,” Mr. Howie said. “It was a short dance, and a slow dance, but it meant the world to me. I never thought I would be able to do it again.”

Mrs. Howie agreed.

“I’ve always enjoyed dancing, but we both thought it was never going to happen again,” she said. “But it did, and it was amazing. They made a new man out of him.”

In addition to physical therapy and occupational therapy, RiverLedge staff also assisted Mr. Howie with diabetes management.

“Mr. Howie had many changes to his diabetes regimen while he was at RiverLedge,” said Kara Pharoah, who serves as the nurse manager in the Newell Neighborhood where Mr. Howie stayed. “Diabetes management is important for people with diabetes because it helps to keep their blood sugars within normal limits. When blood sugars are consistently high it leads to extended healing times, neuropathic pain, neuropathic organ failure and other serious conditions which can be life threatening.”

Ms. Pharoah said staff worked with Mr. Howie to show him ways to check his blood sugar, administer insulin, manage pain connected to diabetic neuropathy, check his feet and legs for symptoms of other complications and monitor symptoms of hypoglycemia.

When asked if he would recommend therapy at RiverLedge to others, Mr. Howie said without a doubt that he would, adding that if he ever ends up needing skilled nursing services he knows exactly where he wants to go.

“If I ever need permanent placement, this is where I want to go,” he said.

For more information on United Helpers Therapy Services contact RiverLedge in Ogdensburg at (315) 393-0730 or Maplewood in Canton at (315) 386-4541. Visit us online at www.unitedhelpers.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/unitedhelpers.

Ogdensburg Man "Amazed" With the Care He Received at United Helpers

Mike Ripa works with Donna Donnelly, PTA.

OGDENSBURG - Earlier this summer Michael Ripa, of Ogdensburg had hip replacement surgery. While he didn't really know what to expect, one of the things that surprised him most was his time spent at the RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center.

"I was totally amazed with the care I received," he said. "I didn't really want to come here, but they have treated me tremendously and I have no complaints."

Following a one week stay at RiverLedge this past August, Mr. Ripa has been receiving outpatient therapy twice a week.

"It was tough at first, but little by little it's getting better," he said. "I've had improvements every time I come."

Bailey Stickney, a physical therapy assistant who worked with Mr. Ripa during his inpatient stay, said Mr. Ripa's attitude and willingness to work helped him progress quickly.

"Mr. Ripa had the perfect attitude to be successful with his rehabilitation at RiverLedge. He never gave up and was willing to go the distance each and every therapy session," she said. "He didn't let his previous injury hinder his success and looked at everything as a milestone, even the smallest victory."

While Mr. Ripa only stayed on campus for a week, Ms. Stickney said more often than not someone who has hip replacement surgery is going to be in inpatient therapy for roughly two weeks.

"Normally, you're looking at a 2 week stay for a total hip replacement, but he was very motivated and it allowed him to be in and out in a week," she said, adding, "That isn't very common."

Mr. Ripa said one of the things he appreciated the most was the flexibility afforded to him by the staff.

"I didn't work around them. They worked around me," he said, noting he was even able to sign out to go to lunch with a friend of grab ice cream with his wife.

"I've had therapy at other places and it's not like this.On a scale of 1 to 10 this place is a 12," he said. "If you need any kind of therapy this is the place to come. I had other options, but I'm glad I chose this one." 

Aldrich & TenEyck Honored With Life Improved Award Nominations

Trent Worden, Deb Aldrich, Terry Micelli, Crystal TenEyck & Alycia Dezell

The therapy department at our RiverLedge Campus in Ogdensburg was staffed with not one, but two Life Improved Award nominees - Physical Therapy Assistant Deb Aldrich and Certifiied Occupational Therapy Assistant Crystal TenEyck.

Ms. Aldrich was nominated for the honor by three of her co-workers in the therapy department, who all had wonderful things to say.

"She is the most kind and caring person I have worked with at RiverLedge. She goes above and beyond every day and she makes all of the residents feel comfortable and cared for," wrote Jennifer Nelson.

Bailey Stickney echoed those sentiments.
"She will lend a helping hand to anyone in need, whether it be another staff member or a resident," she wrote. "I have seen her drop what she is doing to help CNAs on the floor when they're understaffed, even if it means staying for an extra eight hours to work a double on the floor."

Given her devotion to the department and the building's residents, when she's not there, Tonya Mackay said people notice.
"She goes above and beyond on a daily basis for the staff and residents. No matter how busy she is, she will make the time to help you out," Ms. MacKay wrote. "When Deb does take a much needed day off, she is missed greatly."

Ms. TenEyck was nominated for the honor by Alycia Dezell, who called her a "fantastic asset to our therapy team."

"Not only has she been with the company for a long time, and done multiple jobs here, but she goes above and beyond for our residents and their therapy," Ms. Dezell wrote. "She will come in and cook with them to make sure they are ready to do so at home before they're discharged. She is a great COTA and a fantastic asset to our therapy team."

Jessmer Receives Life Improved Honorable Mention

From left, Director of Rehabilitative Services Terry Micceli, Stacie Jessmer PTA and Brittany Wieszczyk PT

Stacie Jessmer, a physical therapy assistant at United Helpers Maplewood Campus was among those nominated for a Life Improved Award.

In her nomination, which was submitted by Brittany Wieszczyk, a physical therapist from Maplewood, it was noted that Ms. Jessmer has a rapport with patients that may lead to repeat business.

"She has a good rapport with all of our patients and I feel that brings business back to Maplewood," Ms. Wieszczyk wrote, adding she's not afraid to lend a helping hand when needed.

"She always goes above and beyond to help me out, as well as co-workers and she is constantly bouncing back and forth between outpatient and inpatient therapy."

Oklahoma Woman Impressed With Stay at RiverLedge

Oklahoma Woman Impressed With Stay at RiverLedge

OGDENSBURG – An Oklahoma City woman injured while on vacation in Canada said she was impressed with her stay at United Helpers RiverLedge Campus.

Karen Stolte was in the midst of a two-week bus tour when she fell while visiting a museum in Quebec. “I walked over to a window and there was a ledge sticking out that I didn’t see,” she said.

Emergency medical personnel on the scene initially told Ms. Stolte that her hip was bruised, but she said she knew her injury was more serious than that.

“They told me it was bruised,” she said. “But I knew it was broken. I felt it crunch.”

Ms. Stolte said after being transported to a hospital in Canada she was informed the surgery she needed was going to cost $20,000.

At that point, she said she told hospital officials she wanted to be brought back to the United States for treatment, a task that was easier said than done.

“They called five doctors in the U.S.,” she said. “If Dr. (Thomas) Herzog wouldn’t have done it, they would have had to do it there. God really took care of me.”

After receiving word that Dr. Herzog, an orthopedic surgeon who practices at the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, agreed to do the surgery she was brought to the hospital in Ogdensburg where her surgery would take place.

Ms. Stolte said that she had the operation on Oct. 2 and was released to begin a post hospital rehabilitation stay at RiverLedge on Oct. 7, where she would be for nearly three weeks before being discharged on Oct. 27.

“When I got here I had no clothes or anything and I didn’t know anyone within hundreds of miles,” she said, adding the support she received from the staff at RiverLedge and her “church family” helped her get through a situation that could have been even worse.

“I felt that everyone was very knowledgeable and caring,” she said. “One of the things that impressed me the most was how many people stopped in to wish me good luck.”

While Ms. Stolte said she didn’t get to really tour the museum, she said the vacation, which was actually a two-week bus trip was nearing its completion.

“I got to go to Maine and that’s what I really wanted to do,” she said, adding her trip back home wasn’t exactly going to be a direct route.

A couple of friends from Cleveland, Ohio made the 500 mile trip to pick her up and bring her back to Ohio, where she was planning to stay for a week. She was then going to fly from Cleveland to Kansas City, where another friend would pick her up for the five hour drive home.

Once back home, Ms. Stolte said she was planning to continue her physical therapy.

“They (staff at RiverLedge) told me they wished all their patients were as motivated as I was,” she said, adding that maybe if the other patients were in her shoes they would be.

“I just really wanted to get back home,” she said, noting she did enjoy her stay as much as possible.

“I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, but if you’re going to go through what I went through this was a good place to do it.”

What People Are Saying About Us

Earlier this week we received a comment card with the following message* from a therapy patient at Maplewood.

"I was in a serious motorcycle accident on Sept. 5 and after spending a week in the hospital was fortunate enough to end up at your Maplewood facility in Canton. For the first few weeks I suffered all the indignities: being hoyered onto a portable commode, bedpans and being unable to wash myself or get dressed. I was/am a very active, independent person and these changes, as well as the realization that this condition would not go away quickly and I wouldn't be seeing home for quite some time made me miserable, to put it mildly.
What saved me were your facility and most importantly the superb staff at every level in all departments, nearly without exception. The exceptions were simply a few personnel who were acceptable, but not exceptional. The greatest accolade I could give is that a big part of me actually regretted leaving. I still miss them and our interactions. I maintain contact with the PT/OT personnel and all the aids.
The caring for all aspects of my condition, both physical and emotional began immediately and continued, actually increased throughout my entire six week stay. I was never once made to feel uncomfortable in the least. As a result we all enjoyed each other's company immensely, and we got to know each other quite well. The night before I left I sent out for pizza and ribs for the evening shift. It was both a joyful and sad occasion. I'll forever cherish the card that all the staff gave to me at that time.
Of course the PT/OT staff played a huge role in my recovery, including the emotional and mental aspects of it.We had a ball. It was a thoroughly professional approach to a very serious and complex rehab that was executed in a thoroughly professional way. I was urged to voice my goals (e.g. wanting to be able to get on and off a real toilet in a real bathroom) and my exercised were tailored to help me reach that goal among others. The work was hard and at times uncomfortable, but I looked forward each day to the time spent with them all, as well as the other residents there. We learned about each other's families, commiserated about current events in each others lives, laughed, joked, encouraged each other and succeeded. As a result I want to do my challenging outpatient PT/OT at Maplewood once I'm ready for it.
My injuries included some complicated fractures of the wrist and ankles. My fullest recovery is of extreme importance to me. My choosing Maplewood art this critical juncture is further evidence of the trust I place in the professional capability of the PT/OT staff there.
Your people at the Maplewood facility are great - like extended family, many of them.
Of course, the facility itself was excellent. I wouldn't wish what happened to me on my worst enemy, but under the circumstances I was fortunate to have been able to get into Maplewood. The semi-private room was perfect. It gave me enough privacy, while still having activity nearby. It truly became "my room." the "great room" lounge was a great place to socialize with other residents, visitors, staff or to just hang out reading. We had some memorable times in that area! I thought the food service was also excellent. Of course, it's institutional cooking, but the quality and variety were excellent. Heck, I was even able to get liver, bacon and onions one evening! The level of cleanliness and the attention to detail was also very good. Once again, the housekeeping staff was personable, friendly and much fun to get to know.
I could go on and on.. Thank you for a wonderful experience in the midst of otherwise terrible circumstances. Well done!"

*Editors note: The comments have been edited for clarification.

Man Walking Again With Help From Therapy At United Helpers

OGDENSBURG – In just three weeks Reginald “Reggie” Emerson, of Potsdam went from being partially paralyzed to being able to walk with the assistance of one other person.

Mr. Emerson, who suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage, said the incident happened in the middle of the night.

“I was sleeping and then I woke up and that was it,” he said, adding he was then airlifted to Burlington, where he spent five days in the hospital before being released and admitted to United Helpers RiverLedge Campus.

“I was paralyzed on my left side all the way down,” he said, motioning from his shoulder down to his leg.

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Amber Williams said she’s been impressed by the progress Reggie has made in just a short period of time.

“When Reggie first came to us it took two or three of us to stand him up, but we worked really hard with him and he has come a long way,” she said, noting that within a matter of weeks she could transfer him by herself. Now after three months of post hospital rehabilitation, Mr. Emerson can move on his own and has returned home.

Mr. Emerson said his therapy consisted of exercises that worked his hands, arms and legs, including walking with assistance to and from his room, a distance he estimated is “roughly 50 yards.”

Ms. Williams said Mr. Emerson has been a very motivated patient who has worked hard to be discharged and return home. “That helps a lot,” she said, explaining a patient’s willingness to work is one of the leading factors in whether or not therapy is ultimately successful.

After awaking with his injury, Mr. Emerson said he wasn’t sure what his future would hold, but following his stay at United Helpers, he was able to return home, though he continues to come to RiverLedge for outpatient therapy three days per week.

One of the people treating him now is Physical Therapy Assistant Joseph R. Longshore, who said Mr. Emerson, who is now using a walker, is continuing to make progress.

“Reggie is an excellent worker and I expect him to continue making progress,” Mr. Longshore said. “He is doing exercises at home, as well as here during PT.

Mr. Longshore said one of Mr. Emerson’s goals is to walk with a cane or no assistance at all, and Mr. Longshore said his therapy is being crafted with that goal in mind.

“One of his goals is to walk with a cane or even less assistant than that, so that’s why we’re working so much on his balance,” he said. He is doing extremely well and I think he is well on his way to meeting that goal.”

Mr. Emerson said he’s been pleased with his therapy both as a resident and out-patient client.

“This is a very good place,” he said. “They know what they’re doing and it shows.”

For more information on therapy services at United Helpers contact RiverLedge in Ogdensburg at (315) 393-0730, Maplewood in Canton at (315) 386-4541 or visit us online at www.unitedhelpers.org.

Maplewood Therapy Team Helps Man Suffering from Vertigo

It's not unusual for us to receive notes or letters from patients or clients thanking us for the impact United Helpers has had in their life.

Usually the notes will say something to the effect of, "thanks for helping me get back on my feet" or "thanks for helping me come home once again," but last week we received a note from a patient thanking us for something much deeper.

Those words follow...

"To the Maplewood Therapy Team

I would like you to know that you really did put hope back in my life. There is nothing more disorienting than the vertigo I was suffering from. Your healing touch truly added stability to my life. I can look through the window and the world is not spinning."

The note was also accompanied by the following poem...

Hope is a Window

Hope is like a window,

Where the sun comes shining through,

Bringing warmth and glowing laughter,

And a sky of endless blue.

Because God always loves you

He has promised he'll be there, 

To heal you with his gentle touch, 

And keep you in his care.

Local Athlete Returns to the Field After Physical Therapy at United Helpers

HEUVELTON – After missing much of last year’s soccer, all of cheerleading and the majority of softball season Heuvelton’s Sydney Thornhill is back on the field following physical therapy at United Helpers RiverLedge Campus in Ogdensburg.

Ms. Thornhill was injured last fall during a soccer game, suffering from a torn meniscus that required surgery.

“I fell on it wrong and I knew right then something had happened,” she said. “After the surgery they told me it was worse than they expected it to be, so they said the recovery time was going to be six months.”

However, Ms. Thornhill was back on her feet and cleared to again compete after just four months, returning in time for the end of softball season.

United Helpers Physical Therapy Assistant Joseph R. Longshore said that was the goal heading into therapy.

“We wanted to get her back to playing softball, soccer and cheerleading,” he said.

When asked to describe her therapy, Ms. Thornhill said it wasn’t easy, but at the same time it was fun and just what she needed.

“Brett (Physical Therapist Brett C. Amo) and Joe really worked me hard, but it was fun while we did it,” she said. “They got my confidence up and helped me build up the muscle in my legs so I would be ready to come back.”

Now that fall sports have started including, soccer, football, volleyball, cross country and swimming, Mr. Longshore said the need for physical therapy amongst the area’s youth is sure to increase.

“Sports specific injuries are certainly prevalent this time of year,” he said. “We try to create protocols that are sport specific and get people back to playing the sports safely that they enjoy.”

As patients begin their therapy, Mr. Longshore said the therapists and assistants become cheerleaders themselves.

“At some point during the therapy after the therapist has set up the protocol we become cheerleaders,” he said. “We cheerlead and create enthusiasm with the clients.”

Mr. Longshore said those protocols include one on one attention that patients may not always find everywhere else.

“At United Helpers we have the ability to work one on one with the patients,” he said. “It’s very rare that we see more than one patient at a time and that’s a great thing to be able to provide personal care.”

For more information on therapy services at United Helpers, contact RiverLedge in Ogdensburg at (315) 393-0730 or Maplewood in Canton at (315) 386-4541.

What People Are Saying About Us

Maplewood Physical Therapy Assistant Stacie Jessmer received rave reviews this week from a patient who recently completed physical therapy there after having his second knee replacement surgery. The patient also completed rehab there several years ago following the same operation on his other knee.

Here's what he wrote when completing his comment card.

"Your faculty is very professional and you were great. I would like you to tell Stacie Jessmer how much I appreciate her personal efforts in my recovery. If everyone took the time to make you feel good about yourself like she did me, the world would be a better place to live. She is truly inspirational and helped an old man believe in himself again. Many thanks!"

United Helpers: Offering Therapy for Everyone (w/video)

CANTON – When Sara Day-Schulz and her husband Ted left Boston and headed back home following an operation on their daughter Ruthy’s legs, they knew they would be in need of physical therapy.

What they didn’t know was how hard it would be to find a provider for their young daughter, who was only three at the time.

“I remember driving back from Boston and we were on the cell phone trying to find physical therapy providers in St. Lawrence County. There were several, and I don’t remember how many we called, who said, ‘We’re sorry, we just don’t take pediatrics,’” Mr. Schulz said. “United Helpers was someone willing to take on pediatrics and they were really great to work with.”

Ruthy was born with a larger than normal meniscus in each of her legs.

“Her menisci were too big for her knees, so they had to trim them up, because they were causing a lot of pain,” said Physical Therapy Assistant Stacie Jessmer.

Mrs. Jessmer worked with Ruthy for three months and helped transform a young girl in a wheelchair to a young girl who could ride her bike and run around in the yard with her sister.

“She went three times a week for two months and then after a follow-up visit in Boston they recommended another month of therapy,” Mrs. Schulz said.

Mrs. Jessmer detailed the progress Ruthy was able to make, noting now you would never even know Ruthy had surgery on her legs.

“When Ruthy first came to me she was in bilateral leg braces so she couldn’t bend her legs. Any exercises we did she had to keep her legs in the immobilizers. By the end of the therapy, she was able to bend, she was able to ride her bike again and she was able to do her everyday things,” Mrs. Jessmer said. “Ruthy’s biggest goal was her sister dances and plays basketball and soccer. Ruthy was hoping to do those things and now she’s able to.”

While the therapy wasn’t always fun, Mrs. Schulz said Mrs. Jessmer worked with her daughter in a way that truly got the best out of her.

“Her favorite line she would always say to Miss Stacie is, ‘This is not the fun stuff.’ She did a lot of her working exercises first and then they would do games and things like that,” she said. “I think that really helped Ruthy get as far as she did. Now she calls her knees her, “super knees.’”

For more information on therapy services for people of all ages contact Maplewood in Canton at (315) 386-4541 or RiverLedge in Ogdensburg at (315) 393-0730.

Life Improved Honorable Mention - Brett Amo

Over the past several days we've honored our seven Life Improved Award winners. Now, over the next week or so we are going to honor each of the nominees, all of whom have made valuable contributions to United Helpers and the lives of the people we serve.

Our first honorable mention goes to Brett Amo. Brett is a physical therapist, who works at both Maplewood and RiverLedge. His nomination was the lone nomination to from outside the company, coming from the mother of a young physical therapy patient.

Here's the text of that nomination.

"Our seven year old son, Wyatt Wilkinson had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Amo after he had double leg Achilles's tendon lengthening surgery at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. Wyatt was in a double leg cast for 6 weeks and after surgery he had lost his coordination and would have to learn it all over again. We were told it would be 6 months or more before Wyatt would be able to run or jump again the way he should. 2 days after the casts were removed Wyatt began out-patient therapy at Riverledge in Ogdensburg. The best decision hands down. Brett immediately developed a bond with Wyatt. It took a lot of hard work to get Wyatt to participate in his own therapy in the beginning. There was a lot of pain and tears. His spirit was broke. He was used to running and racing his bike with the neighbor children. They developed a fist bump and from there on in Wyatt worked hard every appointment he had. Brett would get to Wyatt's level and talk with him and walk him through the exercises encouraging him every step of the way even to the point of Wyatt complaining his feet were hot (an excuse to get out of the exercise that caused him pain) and Brett would take the time to remove his socks and fan his feet and ankles. Thanks to Brett it didn't take Wyatt 6 months or more to learn to walk, run and jump again. It took a little over 3 months. Wyatt has made a full recovery and you would not even know there was an issue to begin with..It seems good to see the smile back on Wyatt's face. I am forever grateful for Brett and his hard work and dedication to Wyatt."      

Twenty-one employees received nominations and each nominee will receive a small token of appreciation for the work they do to improve the lives of those we serve.

United Helpers Television Commerical Filmed Thursday

A new television commercial  highlighting services offered by United Helpers was filmed Thursday.
Filming locations included Maplewood, Partridge Knoll, RiverLedge Residence and the Mosaic Complex. The commercial will highlight all of the ways that United Helpers improves the lives of those we serve and showcases our therapy, home health, day habilitation, case management and other members of our team.

The commercial will air on WWNY Channel 7 and WYNF Fox 28 this fall.
For a complete album of behind the scenes photos, click here.

Local Man Can Eat Again Thanks to Therapy at United Helpers

OGDENSBURG – Being able to eat whatever we want is something that most people take for

granted, but for one Lisbon man, eating is something he’ll never take for granted again.

This past winter Bruce Wood realized he was having difficulty eating. Following a brief stay at

St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, it was determined that his epiglottis was not working properly.

“There’s what they called a ‘flipper’ (epiglottis) in there (throat) and it was staying open, so food was going directly into my lungs,” he said, explaining that during his three-day hospital stay this past January his only source of nourishment came from an IV drip.

“I couldn’t drink or eat anything until they got me a tube,” he said. “My pills were crushed up with a little apple sauce, but that was it. No water, no nothing.”

After having a feeding tube put in, Mr. Wood would spend the next 17 weeks with the tube receiving nourishment through canned “food” sent to them by the hospital.

“They sent it to us by the case,” his wife Phyllis said, noting Mr. Wood was fed seven cans each day.

When asked to describe the mixture he was fed once every two hours when awake, Mr. Wood replied, “It was keeping me alive, but that’s about it.”

After returning home, Mr. Wood went through three months of therapy with United Helpers Speech Pathologist Andrew S. Hockenbery, who said the cause of Mr. Wood’s condition was never really determined.

“We’re not sure why it manifested the way it did, but he had no swallow function whatsoever,” Mr. Hockenbery said. “He couldn’t eat or drink anything, as he couldn’t move those muscles at all.”

Mr. Hockenbery said therapy began with simple exercises designed to increase strength in the muscles needed to eat and swallow.

“One of the exercises involved picking up a piece of paper with a straw,” he said. As therapy progressed and Mr. Wood regained strength, therapy then transitioned to ways to make eating safer and easier.

“The last third of the therapy was working with him to make eating easier and safer for him. I would actually have him bring his breakfast with him,” Mr. Hockenbery said, adding Mr. Wood can now eat or drink whatever he likes.

“It was a process. We worked at it for three months,” Mr. Hockenbery said. “It sounds easy, but it isn’t. It’s no different than physical therapy. People forget there are all those muscles involved in swallowing.”

Mr. Wood agreed that the therapy wasn’t easy and said Mr. Hockenbery helped provide him with the motivation he needed to complete his therapy and begin eating normal foods again.

“Andrew felt like he was coming on a little strong, but I needed it. I did everything he asked me to and I think he appreciated that I was working at it,” Mr. Wood said. “You have to be willing to do the work. You can’t just show up on therapy days. I did it seven days per week and was doing my exercises at home. You have to want to do it and I wanted to get eating again.”

When asked what his first meal was after his feeding tube was removed, Mr. Wood said it was a cheeseburger from McDonalds.

“I was going to have breakfast at the hospital, but they were in between breakfast and lunch, so I went to McDonalds and was going to have an Egg McMuffin, but it was too late, so I had a cheeseburger,” he said. “A couple of days later I had a steak.”

Mrs. Woods added her husband’s diet wasn’t the only that suffered.

“I was dying for a sub, but I wasn’t going to eat something like that in front of him,” she said, adding with a laugh that she would occasionally “sneak something.”

Mr. Hockenbery said that while swallow therapy is commonly used with stroke victims, he feels like it is an underutilized area of therapy.

“I think there are a lot of people who could benefit from this who may not even know it exists,” he said.

Bruce Wood

Occupational Therapy at River Ledge Helps Florida Woman Get a Hand Up on Summer Fun

OGDENSBURG –  After falling off of a truck at a car show in Florida, Barbara Judware injured her left wrist and needed surgery to help make her hand right again.

“They put a plate and four pins in there,” Ms. Judware said.

Ms. Judware resides in Florida, but spends her summers in Waddington. She said she’s glad that the injury didn’t prevent her from traveling to St. Lawrence this year.

“I live in Florida, but I wanted to come up here for the summer like we always do,” she said. “So they released me to come here for occupational therapy.”

Initially, Ms. Judware said she wasn’t sure what to expect with the therapy, which was performed at United Helpers RiverLedge Campus by Occupational Therapist Alycia Dezell.

“My intentions, like everybody’s, were to go a couple of times and get the exercises, but once I got here and got started, I really enjoyed it,” she said. “Every time I come she does something different with me and it’s energizing.”

“When Barb first came in she had limited range of motion and couldn’t actively move her fingers or make a fist,” Ms. Dezell said.

After a few weeks of therapy though, Ms. Dezell said that has changed and Ms. Judware’s hand is now beginning to return to normal.

“She can actually now move her wrist actively and do things she couldn’t do before. She said the other day she started gardening again and doing dishes.”

The progress her hand has made isn’t lost on Ms. Judware either.

“I’ve noticed a lot of progress,” she said. “This morning when I was in the truck I was able to put my hand in the back and pull a tissue out of the box. I couldn’t do that before.”

Ms. Dezell, who works with patients of all ages, said working as an occupational therapist is a truly rewarding career.

“I love working with people and I like being able to help make a difference in someone’s life,” she said.

And that’s exactly what she’s done for Ms. Judware.

“I would recommend United Helpers to anyone,” Ms. Judware said.

For more of Ms. Judware's story, check out the video below.