St. Joe Hospital Celebrates 20 Years for the Transitional Care Unit

Congratulations are due to St. Joseph Hospital of the Lutheran Health Network. Next week, Tuesday, March 23, they will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Transitional Care Unit, a skilled nursing facility that provides transitional care for patients who may no longer require the full resources of the hospital, but still require short-term medical attention during their recovery or rehabilitation.

Although it is located in a hospital, the unit, which is located on the ninth floor of St. Joe, has a homelike ambiance and patients are encouraged to bring personal items to further enhance that atmosphere. Patients are also invited to wear their own clothes rather than hospital gowns. Physical and occupational therapists work with patients daily in an apartment that was recently re-located to the fifth floor at St. Joe to recreate home living experiences in a controlled environment. The small apartment has a kitchen area, dinette, living space with recliner and sofa to help patients regain their mobility in a way that mimics the residential setting. Patients can practice the activities of daily living like moving dishes from the kitchen to the dining space. Therapists provide training for both bed and tub transfers so patients learn techniques that enhance their mobility and progress. Helen Cochenour, a past patient with Transitional Care, says:

"Practicing everyday activities really helped build my confidence to return home. The people in St. Joe’s Transitional Care Unit were so good, so helpful. I couldn’t believe I got to go home early because I had such good upper body strength. The care was excellent.”