The Pulse

This 77-year-old woman was admitted to Raleigh Court Health & Rehabilitation Center in Roanoke, VA  due to weakness and inability to care for herself. She was hospitalized after a stroke where she was also diagnosed with COVID-19. Before the stroke, she was undergoing treatment for metastatic lymphoma (cancer in the lymph system that has spread to the lungs). Prior to hospitalization, she lived alone and was independent with self-care and mobility.

This 65-year-old gentleman was admitted to Quince Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Memphis, TN for rehabilitation services following hospitalization due to a stroke. He was diagnosed with oropharyngeal dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). His swallow initiation was inconsistent, and he had difficulty managing his own secretions. He could not take any food or liquid by mouth and a feeding tube was placed. Prior to his stroke, he ate a regular diet.

This 74-year-old woman was referred to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation services with severe debility, decreased functional mobility, increased urinary frequency, and anxiety following hospitalization for acute cystitis (inflammation of the bladder). She has a long standing history of COPD and emphysema with requirement of oxygen supplementation of 4L/min. Prior to hospitalization, she lived independently. This woman’s goal is to be able to get to the bathroom on her own again.

This 66-year-old gentleman was referred to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation services due to right-sided weakness and general debility. He was hospitalized after a stroke which required thrombectomy (procedure to remove blood clot). Prior to his stroke, he was living with his spouse in a home with a 3-step entry, was independent with all functional mobility, and walked with a rolling walker.

This 71-year-old woman was referred to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation services due to requiring increased assistance with all functional tasks after a five-day hospitalization due to nine falls in one week and diagnosis of a urinary tract infection. Prior to hospitalization she lived with her grandchildren in a single story home with four steps at the entry and was independent with ambulation and all functional activities including meal prep.

This 81-year-old woman was admitted to a skilled nursing facility following hospitalization for acute respiratory failure. She was intubated (tube inserted in airway to assist with breathing), had pneumonia caused by aspiration (material entering the lungs), and oropharyngeal dysphagia (difficulty chewing and swallowing). As a result, she was referred for speech language pathology (SLP) services. Although she had a history of dysphagia from previous spinal surgery, she was able to consume a diet of regular food and thin liquids prior to this hospitalization.

This 71-year-old gentleman was admitted to a skilled nursing facility following hospitalization due to COVID-19 with pneumonia, chronic respiratory failure, and exacerbation of asthma. He was weak and required 5 liters per minute of supplemental oxygen. Prior to hospitalization, he lived at home, was independent with all self-care and mobility, and did not use supplemental oxygen.

This 83-year-old gentleman was admitted to a skilled nursing facility following hospitalization for a bilateral hemisphere stroke (affecting both sides of the brain). As a result, he developed opharyngeal dysphagia (difficulty chewing and swallowing). He was placed on a modified diet and referred to speech-language pathology services to improve swallowing ability. Prior to his stroke, this gentleman lived alone and consumed a regular diet and drank thin liquids.

This 53-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) was admitted to a transitional care unit following hospitalization for aspiration pneumonia with sepsis (life-threatening body response to infection). She had severe weakness and oropharyngeal dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). As a result, she was referred for rehabilitation services including speech therapy to improve her swallow function. This woman has a history of dysphagia with swallowing treatments due to her MS diagnosis, but prior to hospitalization she consumed a regular diet with thin liquids.