My mom was admitted to Rancho for rehabilitation a...

My mom was admitted to Rancho for rehabilitation after a debilitating stroke. As stroke patients and their loved ones know all too well, the days following a stroke are immensely distressful. The sudden loss of independence and mobility was particularly hard on my mom - a normally super energetic, active, gregarious woman who would impart that warm, fuzzy feeling in everyone she'd cross paths with. She spent the first week at an unrelated hospital - which treated the underlying physiology of the stroke - reduced to a confined ball of anxiety and helplessness. It wasn't until her admission to Rancho when we saw the first signs of her recovery - her characteristic smile and a dollop of that famous humor.

Rancho's rehabilitation service is highly organized. A strong team of professionals is assigned to each patient. My mom's team included a doctor, physical therapist, occupational therapist, recreational therapist, speech therapist (she ended up not needing speech therapy), social worker and a rotation of caring nurses. The team was wonderful in their approach to my mom's treatment. They therapists began by understanding my mom's lifestyle, customizing her therapy so she could go back to doing the things she loved - painting, cooking & working out. She spent several days rotating through a well crafted regimen of occupational and physical therapies before being allowed to return home. Her wonderful team provided mobility devices and recommendations for home fittings that would reduce her risk for falls. Post discharge, she continued to have weekly sessions with Rancho professionals to monitor and shape her recovery. It has been almost a year since her stroke. My mom's back to her everyday self - walking to the gym, strolling the farmers market for fruits and flowers, becoming a proficient watercolor painter and doling out humor of course.

Thank you Rancho for the care and treatment, and GARGANTUAN thanks & high fives especially to the following All Stars: Brandon, Jennifer, Jojo, Dr Oranusi, Yolanda and Shelly! I was filled with admiration and appreciation watching these professionals go about their work. On top of their proficiency in restoring patients' abilities, they brought smiles, joy and energy to the hospital floors. I can't recommend them enough, and wish them all the success in the career goals they aspire toward - they certainly deserve it.