My experience with St. William’s Outpatient Therapy was absolutely amazing. It helped me get better!
I cannot thank St. William’s therapists, Maren Russman, PT (pictured with Colin below) and Kyle Hart, PTA enough.
I used to not be able to lift my right leg at all but now, with the help of St. William’s therapists, I can!
My Therapy Story
By John Schauland
After rotator cuff surgery in March 2021 the therapists at St. William’s Living Center Outpatient Therapy helped me so much to get motion back in my shoulder.
Their knowledge of what I needed to do, and patience to teach me the exercises and how to do them properly, made a world of difference in my recovery.
I feel I am on the road to a full recovery thanks to all the care I received from the therapists at St. William’s Living Center Outpatient Therapy!
Hi, my name is Charlie Ruckheim!
On the 14 of March 2021 I suffered a major health issue, where I was hospitalized at St. Cloud Centra Care Hospital for four days in ICU and three more days until I was discharged to St. Williams PP for ten days of recuperation. My body was hit big time, by being sent into what the doctors can only say as “Major Shock”!!
I suffered being very, very weak! The ten days at St. Williams was all about getting my strength back just to be able to walk to some degree! After ten days I got to go home.
Now I am doing outpatient Physical Therapy two days a week for six weeks. It’s all about getting my strength back. The people in Therapy were really good at getting me back on my feet and slowly getting stronger. Small steps, one day at a time. They always explained what and why I was doing it and very watchful for not to fall.
I’ve been in their Therapy before as an outpatient after a shoulder replacement. I would give them high recommendations! Their facilities and equipment are great. They do a very good job!!
Did you know that the VA contracts with community nursing homes to care for aging veterans?
As a veteran, you have options when you’re in need of skilled nursing care. You aren’t limited to only those facilities run by the VA.
At St. William’s, we are proud to say that we are one of the few skilled nursing facilities in the area that’s contracted with the VA for veteran care.
Keep reading to learn more about what it means to be VA contracted.
Nursing homes run by the VA are often hard to get into and might be located many miles from friends and family. If you opt for a community nursing facility, such as St. William’s, you can get the top-notch care you need while staying local.
Our facility offers veterans individualized medical care. Nurses work with your doctor to develop a care plan that’s best for you. Whether you’re staying with us short-term to recover from an injury or surgery, or you’re here for a longer stay, our staff is here for you with 24-hour care and support.
We offer a range of therapy services including physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Our state-of-the-art physical therapy room offers all the tools you’ll need to strengthen your muscles and improve joint function.
At St. William’s, we understand that, as a veteran, you may have unique obstacles to overcome on a day-to-day basis. Our mental health professionals work with veterans one-on-one to ensure they can manage the stress of daily life. Simply having someone to talk to can make a huge difference in your quality of life.
Occupational therapists work with veterans to help them become more independent. They can help you to re-learn how to feed and clothe yourself, do chores around the house, and cook for yourself. Occupational therapy might be just the thing you need to get back on your feet after a stroke or injury.
According to the VA website, if you served in the active military, naval, or air services, you may be eligible for VA healthcare benefits. Visit their site to check specific eligibility requirements and to sign up for health care benefits. Once you’re signed up for benefits, you can learn more about what the services VA can help with.
There are three different types of nursing facilities that the VA will cover. State-owned veteran homes and VA-owned facilities, as well as community nursing homes such as St. William’s. Only the facilities contracted with the VA will qualify for benefits, so it’s in your best interest, as a veteran, to choose a facility like St. William’s who works with the VA and understands the process.
At St. William’s, we value veterans. They fought for freedom and served our country bravely. Now it’s time for us to serve them.
Contact us today to find out more about how we can help care for you or your loved one.
It can happen in the blink of an eye – a fall, a sudden illness, a stroke, or a heart attack.
When a situation arises where you need a skilled nursing facility, you don’t want to rush into a decision. That’s why it’s important to prepare. Get to know your local nursing home before a medical issue forces your hand.
In this article, we’ll show you why St. William’s Living Center is an excellent choice for senior care.
The best way to compare nursing homes is to use Medicare.gov. Each nursing home in the country is given a star rating through Medicare. The overall star rating is based on the following factors:
Each year, nursing homes undergo a thorough inspection by the state. The inspection looks over all areas of nursing home life including housekeeping, food safety, medication management, and protection from abuse.
The staff rating is based on the number of staffing hours per resident per day. Quality ratings measure how residents are doing at the facility. Inspectors take into account activity levels, weight management, pain management, and up-to-date vaccinations.
It’s not easy for a nursing home to receive an overall five-star rating, but St. William’s has done it many times over. On our most recent survey, we received above-average scores in all three areas of care and a much-above-average overall score.
St. William’s is a skilled nursing facility, but we offer so much more! Our outpatient therapy services are available to residents and to community members alike.
Physical therapists help patients recover faster from surgeries or illnesses and provide the necessary support for those who need a little extra help moving around.
We offer occupational therapy to help residents regain strength and get back to the activities of daily living. Our therapists help with cooking, cleaning, laundry, and other duties around the home. They also teach techniques for energy conservation and joint protection to prevent future injuries.
Our speech pathologists give the gift of speech to those who have lost their way. They help patients regain the ability to swallow, feed themselves, and communicate their needs.
As a resident at St. William’s, you or your loved one will have access to all of our therapy options as well as a diverse activities schedule, full dining room, and beautiful outdoor spaces.
At St. William’s, we have a full staff of qualified RNs, LPNs, and CNAs to meet your senior care needs. We work with you and your doctor to come up with a personalized care plan that manages your nutritional, pharmaceutical, and social needs.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, St. William’s staff members have taken great strides to make life better for our residents. Visitor restrictions have put many residents in risk of mental health issues. But the staff at St. William’s has risen to the occasion by helping residents communicate with their loved ones via video chats and window visits and by providing much-needed companionship.
The first round of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was administered to staff and residents on January 13, 2021. The second dose of the vaccine will come in February.
We are so excited to share that there are currently NO active cases of COVID-19 at St. William’s and we will be able to welcome back visitors on Monday, January 25, 2021. Please refer to our visitation guide for more information on how to visit your loved ones.
As we come closer to a time when COVID-19 is no longer a threat, we want to thank the community for your support. St. William’s is more than a senior care facility – we are the home with a heart!
Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you!
The days and weeks following a surgery or an injury are critical. Going home is not always the best option. You may lack the strength and mobility you’ll need to get back on your feet and back to your regular routine.
Short-term rehab is an excellent option if you’re looking for a bit of extra help while you recover. In this article, we’ll share the benefits of taking a few days or weeks to recover at St. William’s Living Center.
Trying to get back on your feet when you’re all by yourself can be really tough. Even with a caretaker near, recovery can be a stressful process if you or your caretaker don’t have the proper skills. You may suffer from extreme fatigue, mobility issues, and lack of strength.
Studies have shown that people who participate in focused rehabilitation programs immediately after a medical procedure or stroke recover faster than those who don’t. With help from a dedicated staff of care professionals, you’ll get back on your feet faster.
You may benefit from short-term rehab if you’ve suffered from one or more of the following:
Many doctors prescribe physical or occupational therapy after a surgery. You’ll get the most out of your therapy appointments if you can take them on-site at a short-term care facility. You won’t have to worry about traveling to appointments and risking further injury by moving around too much before your body is ready.
Physical therapists work with you to regain mobility and strength. You’ll receive a personalized therapy program that gives you the training and tools you need for proper recovery. Your therapist will also teach you exercises to do when you go home to lower the risk of falls or future injuries.
Occupational therapy focuses on improving coordination so you can tackle day-to-day tasks with greater ease. Your occupational therapist can help you relearn how to cook, clean, do laundry, and complete other activities when you go home.
Having a whole team of care professionals on-site to help you is a really beneficial part of short-term rehab. Other care professionals include nurses, nutritionists, and social workers.
Nursing care is especially important during the first few days after your hospital stay. They’ll help you keep track of medications, make sure you’re getting enough food and water, and can assist in bathing and toileting, if necessary. At St. William’s, we are a veteran contracted facility and can work with the VA on the right care plan for you.
You’ll also have access to other amenities including a full menu of dining options and organized daily activities to keep your brain and body active. During the warmer months, you can enjoy the outdoors in the community courtyards without worry of falling and risking further injury.
Short-term rehab is an excellent option for those who aren’t quite ready to return home after a medical event. If you fall into this category, know that we’re here to help.
Contact us today! We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
We recently have had one new resident Covid case at our nursing home one and new resident Covid case in our assisted living.
We currently have the following active COVID-19 cases:
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at: Tim Kelly, Administrator at 218-338-1001; Lori Roers, Director of Nursing at 218-338-1009.
Sincerely,
Tim Kelly, Administrator
A broken bone, no matter where it is in your body, can take away your mobility in the blink of an eye.
Fast healing is essential to get you back on your feet. This is especially important if you suffer from a bone disease like osteoporosis, where broken bones can become a common occurrence.
Keep reading for some of our top tips to help heal broken bones faster.
Healing is a restorative process that your body is pretty good at. But your body can’t heal without the right building blocks. That’s why a properly balanced diet is essential to heal broken bones faster.
Bones are made mostly from a protein called collagen. Your body needs plenty of protein to build new collagen for bone healing. Eat lots of protein-rich foods like lean meats, low-fat dairy products, beans, nuts, and fortified cereals.
Leafy green vegetables like collard greens, spinach, broccoli, and kale are high in calcium, another important part of bone repair. Eggs and whole grains, like brown rice and oatmeal, provide iron, another ingredient for making collagen. Citrus fruits, potatoes, and peppers have high levels of vitamin C, another necessary vitamin used to make collagen.
Talk to your doctor before beginning any dietary supplement program. You should be able to get the vitamins and minerals you need from your diet. But if your doctor suggests supplements, follow their advice.
We’ve talked about the things you should put into your body when you’re healing from a broken bone, now let’s discuss the things you shouldn’t put in your body.
You may enjoy a cocktail or two from time to time, but it’s best to avoid alcohol completely when you’re healing. Alcohol interacts with the body’s ability to build new bone and bone grown with alcohol in the body is weaker than bone grown without alcohol present. Alcohol also impairs your judgment and makes you unsteady on your feet, increasing the risk you’ll break the bone again.
Smoking is also a no-no. It affects how blood flows through the body and has been shown to severely hinder your body’s ability to heal.
Avoid processed food while you’re nursing a broken bone. Processed foods often lack many vitamins and minerals. This leads to lots of empty calories that don’t contribute to those building blocks we discussed in the last section.
Processed foods are also more likely to contain salt. While some salt is essential for good health, too much salt can cause your body to expel calcium in urine rather than absorbing it. Read food labels and limit salt intake to six grams per day max.
Your doctor will likely prescribe a treatment plan to help get you back on your feet. Often, that plan involves physical therapy.
A trained physical therapist knows how to get you moving without risking further injury. They specialize in working on the soft tissue surrounding the fracture site. This brings fresh blood and oxygen to the bone, healing it quicker.
Physical therapy builds strength after the limited mobility which often follows immediately after a fracture. Your therapist works with you on exercises to strengthen the muscles around the fracture site. They’ll also work on improving your range of motion and strengthening the surrounding joints.
This type of physical therapy treatment helps heal broken bones faster and helps prevent future broken bones by improving your strength, flexibility, and balance.
If you’ve recently had some bad luck in the broken bone department, talk to your doctor about a physical therapy treatment plan. At St. William’s, our licensed therapists are here to support you throughout the healing process. Call us today for more information!
It’s intense, it happens to 80% of us at some point in our lives, and it’ll knock you right off your feet.
Back pain is one of the most common medical problems and it can also be one of the most difficult pains to get rid of. Many people end up on the operating table in search of relief from acute back pain.
Fortunately, back surgery isn’t the only option. Physical therapy for back pain is an effective and less invasive alternative.
Here’s what you can expect when you opt for physical therapy to help with back pain.
The muscles of the back, along with the muscles of the side body and abdomen, make up your body’s core. This large group of muscles is responsible for almost all movement in some way or another. Back pain can cause even the most mundane tasks to become excruciating.
Suffering through back pain without seeking treatment means you won’t be able to exercise effectively. Bending and reaching may be out of the question. And you may even find it painful to stand, sit, or lay down. Your quality of life will suffer as a result.
Physical therapy for back pain is a non-invasive alternative. Surgery is expensive and it involves days or even weeks of downtime. While you’re recovering, you’ll lose range-of-motion and muscle mass which makes it even harder to get back on your feet. A physical therapy treatment plan can save you time and money while reducing or eliminating the need for powerful pain medication.
During your first appointment, your therapist will evaluate your situation by asking you questions. Be prepared to answer questions about how long you’ve suffered, the level of pain you feel, and how the back pain started.
Next, the therapist will do some limited movement exercises to gauge how well you can move. This often involves range-of-motion and strength measurement exercises. They may take a hands-on approach and feel your back for tight muscles and sore spots. Wear comfortable clothes that allow you to move easily and give the therapist easy access to your back.
After the therapist evaluates you, they’ll come up with a personalized therapy plan. This plan will address your current pain and work on building strength and flexibility to prevent future pain.
Your treatment plan may include massage or ultrasound therapy to ease tension in tight muscles and reduce inflammation. They may work on stretching exercises to push, pull, or twist the joints in the back. And they’ll likely prescribe strengthening exercises that target the most painful areas of the back.
The final phase of your physical therapy treatment plan will involve preventing future injuries. Once your pain is under control, your therapist will work with you on exercises targeted to strengthen the muscles of the core.
They’ll give you stretches to do at home to keep the muscles of the back from tightening. Plus, they’ll offer you tips on how to improve posture and exercise on a regular basis.
Talk to your doctor about physical therapy for back pain. And give us a call at St. William’s Living Center! Our physical therapy room is spacious and state-of-the-art and we’d love the opportunity to work with you on relieving your back pain for good.
You’ve had the surgery. You’ve made it through the first few days post-op. Now what?
Recovery after surgery is different for everyone. But one thing is certain across the board – physical therapy is a great tool to use when recovering from surgery.
Keep reading to learn how physical therapy exercises can speed up your recovery.
After surgery, your doctor will likely prescribe some time for you to rest and heal. But when that time has passed, it’s best to get back on your feet and get moving as soon as possible. Lack of movement during the post-surgical phase can lead to a loss of muscle mass, decreases in heart and lung capacity, and an increased risk of complications.
Blood contains nutrients and brings fresh oxygen to the tissues. Increasing blood flow through a supervised physical therapy program helps keep your heart, lungs, and muscles in better shape. Exercise helps the actual surgical site heal quicker by delivering vital nutrients to the tissues.
Another important aspect of recovery is mental health. The inability to move following surgery can have a big impact on your emotions and can lead to further issues like depression and insomnia. Safe exercises, done under the care of a physical therapist, release endorphins that make you feel better and help you deal with the stress of surgery.
Strength training is a great way to bring more blood and oxygen to the tissues around the surgical site. The physical therapist will often utilize exercise machines and other tools, like crutches and braces, to ensure you’re properly supported while you build strength. And strengthening the core muscles – the muscles of the abdomen and back – provides better stability and reduces the risk of future injuries.
Targeted stretching exercises help relieve pain from tense muscles and also help with blood flow. Stretching increases range of motion in your joints which improves overall mobility. It’s important to follow the therapist’s guidelines when stretching to ensure you don’t overextend or tear the surgical site.
A physical therapist can also help improve balance. We might not realize it, but balance is so important for keeping us safe and injury-free after surgery. Falls are one of the top causes of injury in seniors. By doing balance exercises in both the seated and standing position, you can improve strength and flexibility, which can help prevent falls.
If you’re experiencing pain around the surgery site, physical therapy may be able to help. Therapists provide other treatment options including ultrasound and massage therapy. These treatments, combined with strength training and stretching, can provide physical pain relief to those areas.
Your body produces endorphins when you exercise and those endorphins may also help reduce pain. They work similarly to the way many powerful pain medications work to block pain signals from the body. The best way to get your endorphins up after surgery is to increase activity levels and physical therapy is the best way to do that safely.
Are you wondering if you’d be a good candidate for physical therapy exercises after surgery? Talk to your doctor about physical therapy any time you have surgery.
It’s a great option if you’ve had any kind of knee, hip, or shoulder surgery, including replacements. Physical therapy can also be helpful for back surgery or surgery on your hands or feet – some of the most difficult surgeries to recover from.
At St. William’s, we have a brand-new, state-of-the-art physical therapy treatment room. We can provide you the care you need while you’re recovering from surgery. Visit our website today to learn more about our therapy options!
