By Steve Messineo
Contributing Writer
WORCESTER – Experiencing an amputation is a life-altering event, especially for individuals aged 50 and above. The journey to regain independence and adapt to new physical realities can be challenging. Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital, an Encompass Health hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts, offers a comprehensive Amputation Rehabilitation Program designed to support patients through every step of their recovery.
Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in amputee rehabilitation, underscoring its commitment to high-quality patient care.
The hospital’s approach to amputation rehabilitation is rooted in personalized care plans tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Upon admission, a thorough evaluation is conducted to develop an individualized treatment strategy. This plan encompasses physical, occupational, and, if necessary, speech therapy, administered for three hours daily, five days a week. Such an intensive regimen aims to restore mobility, enhance daily living skills, and promote overall well-being.
Recovery from an amputation requires the expertise of a diverse team of healthcare professionals. At Fairlawn, patients with amputations benefit from:
- Physicians: Regular visits from doctors specializing in rehabilitation medicine ensure that medical care is continuously aligned with therapeutic progress.
- Rehabilitation Nurses: Available 24/7, these nurses provide specialized care, manage medical needs, and offer education on wound care and prosthesis management.
- Therapists: Physical and occupational therapists collaborate to improve strength, flexibility, and functional abilities, focusing on both mobility and the skills required for daily activities.
- Prosthetists: Specially trained professionals assist in measuring, designing, and fitting prosthetic limbs, ensuring a comfortable and functional fit.
- Psychologists: Emotional support is crucial; psychologists help patients, and their families develop coping strategies and adjust to life after amputation.
“I would say that following an amputation our program focuses on helping the patient build strength and mobility to get ready for the prosthesis fitting process,” said Physical Therapist Jamie Cormier, one of the leaders of the amputation program at Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital. “We have a massive interdisciplinary team that looks at all aspects of care. Our therapy teams are making sure that the patient is able to move around, perform all their self-care and activities of daily living.”
”One of the most important things we offer to our patients who have had an amputation is our connections with prosthetic companies in the community,” Cormier added. “Their representatives come to our facility to do initial consultations with the patients during their stay to lay out the process of obtaining a prosthetic for the future. We also offer peer visits with past patients who have had amputations to talk to our in-house amputees about what they’ve been through, which really helps with the grieving process of the loss of the limb and how to move forward. We also have neuro-psych physicians in house for our amputee patients to consult with while they’re here, again to help with that grieving process.”
Mai Ly, Nurse Educator at Fairlawn, added that, “We have a very holistic approach with our amputee patients that goes just managing their amputated limb and helping them regain functional movement. We also have to consider their medical comorbidities to prevent further limb loss in the future,” said Ly. “For example, if they are diabetic patients, we need to understand how they are managing their insulin and if they are taking blood sugars measurements appropriately. We have glucometers and other resources we can provide our patients should they need monitoring at home to improve health awareness and prevent further limb loss,” she explained. “We also make sure the patient and/or their family members are able to manage the wound from the amputation before they are discharged home to prevent infection after they leave.”
Fairlawn’s collaborative approach to amputation management ensures that all aspects of a patient’s recovery are addressed comprehensively. Fairlawn’s collaborative approach also includes UMass Memorial Medical Center Vascular Surgery department’s Limb Preservation Committee.
The committee is led by Dr. Trista Brown, who stated that, “This committee is involved in developing postoperative guidelines for amputee management in the rehabilitation setting which include limb compression wrappings/garments, limb protection, devices, range of motion program, and Vascular Surgery follow ups. There is direct communication between UMass physicians and Fairlawn Rehab Hospital physicians regarding any postoperative complications such as wound healing issues.”
Dr. Brown also added, “The amputee program developed between UMass and Fairlawn has created a continuum of care that promotes early functional return of the major limb amputee population. Moreover, there are major efforts with the administrative departments at Fairlawn and UMass Orthopedic/Vascular Surgery to minimize trips to the hospital by coordinating multi-specialty appointments,” she said. “This allows patients to see Vascular Surgery, Physiatry, and Prosthetics at their first post-op follow-up visit, in order to expedite the process for and reduce the time it takes for amputee patients to receive their prosthetic.”
Navigating life after an amputation presents numerous challenges, but with the right support and rehabilitation program, individuals can achieve significant milestones in their recovery. Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital’s Amputation Program offers a comprehensive, patient-centered approach that empowers individuals aged 50 and above to reclaim their independence and embrace life fully.
For more information, call 508-471-9291 or visit https://encompasshealth.com/locations/fairlawnrehab.
