James Higgins

Physical therapy helped James Higgins grow stronger after he broke his hip. Nevertheless, it was the fellowship and encouragement of others at Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital that he says accelerated his recovery.

“It’s just a huge motivator when you have other people cheering you on,” James said. “There was a smile from the moment I walked into my door and daily since. The staff is friendly, and the hospital is the nicest I have ever been in. ”

Before his injury, James was very active. He enjoyed horseback riding, racing motorcycles, cycling, hiking, and training his three dogs. One day, while cycling with his wife at the coast, James hit a patch of loose gravel going downhill, which caused him to lose control and wreck his bike. The wreck caused an injury to his left hip, which James described as excruciating. Mrs. Higgins called an ambulance to take him to the hospital. While in transport, the ambulance hit what seemed to be a large pothole, which jostled him violently and caused a sudden “pop” in his already injured leg.

James was evaluated at the hospital and sent to another rehabilitation hospital for care. However, he described it as “a horrible experience” and spent just twelve hours there. With anger and frustration, James pushed to transfer back to the acute hospital. Until he left to go back to the hospital, James recalls arguing with the staff about his care.

“I felt very hopeless,” James noted. “Until my wife told me about hearing about Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital. I asked my doctor to get me in there.”

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Kathleen Costello

Following a hip replacement, Kathleen sought to return to her husband, who lives with Parkinson’s disease, as soon as possible.

When Kathleen Costello lost her balance and fell this summer, she sustained a hip fracture that required surgery. This posed a substantial challenge for Kathleen, who cares for her spouse, who lives with Parkinson’s disease. She also enjoys walking her dog each day.

Kathleen and her family wanted her to return home as quickly as possible. So, with her family as strong advocates to get her the proper level of care for the best outcome, Kathleen admitted to Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital (BRH). At BRH, Kathleen worked closely with physical therapy and occupational therapy toward her goals of regaining strength, endurance, and coordination.

Each day, Kathleen made gains in her recovery. The support of the BRH staff, as well as her family, who kept her updated on her spouse, kept Kathleen motivated and focused. Finally, after a week at BRH, Kathleen made enough progress to safely return home to her spouse and canine companion. “I can’t wait to go home to start walking my dog again!” Kathleen said with a grin.

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Carol Chilko

Carol proactively planned to complete her post-op rehab at Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital

With hip replacement surgery in her future, Carol Chilko made sure to be proactive about her recovery. Speaking with her primary care physician, Carol asked for information about her options for post-surgical rehabilitation. After reviewing the options, Carol decided to admit to Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital (BRH) for her recovery.

 

Carol is a full-time caregiver to her spouse. As such, it was imperative that she safely return home to care for him as soon as possible following her surgery.

 

At BRH, Carol found just what she needed. “It was wonderful. It was so wonderful for me. All of the staff was wonderful,” she stated. “The room was nice. They took me down for physical and occupational therapy a couple of times per day.”

 

Carol is grateful for her short-term inpatient rehabilitation stay at Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital. Today, Carol can walk across the room without any assistive device and is back to caring for her beloved spouse.

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James Nichols

James made great progress recovering from a bad motorcycle accident at Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital

James Nichols, 53, spends much of his free time riding his motorcycle. The Bakersfield resident enjoys his job as a supervisor and loves being with his wife. They especially enjoy performing firework shows together.

Riding his motorcycle to work one day, James had a car change lanes in front of him. When the car cut him off, James crashed into the back of the vehicle. The driver fled the scene, but bystanders assisted James, getting him out of the street until an ambulance arrived.

The ambulance transported James to Kern Medical, where he was diagnosed with multiple pelvic and rib fractures. Fortunately, James didn’t require surgical intervention. But he was unable to transfer or walk on his own. James needed rehabilitation to help him regain his strength and independence.

James had a great advocate in his wife. She knew he needed inpatient rehabilitation and arranged a transfer to Bakersfield Rehabilitation Hospital.

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Recognized Among Top 10% in the Nation

South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital has been named in the Top 10 percent of inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the United States for the 11th year. The hospital’s care was cited as being patient-centered, effective, efficient and timely.

“We strive to deliver this higher level of care as our standard,” says Leo Garza, CEO of South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital. “We have graciously been recognized as a top performing facility for many years now, but we never take it for granted. Our staff is exceptionally passionate about helping patients reach their full potential through the care we provide. We work daily to ensure patients are reaching their highest levels of ability and independence.”

South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital was ranked in the Top 10 percent from among 870 inpatient rehabilitation facilities nationwide by the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR), a non-profit corporation that was developed with support from the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The UDSMR maintains the world’s largest database of rehabilitation outcomes.

“If you take into account that a national study has previously shown that inpatient rehabilitation facilities provide better long-term results for patients, being ranked at the top of that group validates the quality of care we provide,” says Dr. Christopher Wilson, Medical Director for South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital referencing a study commissioned by the ARA Research Institute that showed patients treated in inpatient facilities experienced improved quality of life as compared to skilled nursing facilities.

“To provide the highest level of rehabilitative care available in the United States to our own community is truly rewarding,” Garza says. “This means our family, friends, and colleagues don’t need to leave the area to receive the best care available.”

Through the UDSMR, South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital also will collaborate with peers throughout the nation to share information and establish best practices for patients. “This helps elevate rehabilitative care for everyone across the United States,” Garza says.

South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital provides specialized rehabilitative services to patients who are recovering from or living with disabilities caused by injuries, illnesses, or chronic medical conditions. This includes, but is not limited to, strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic injuries, cerebral palsy, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.

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