A broken femur following a hip surgery could mean a rough road to recovery.

For Dorothy Burger, the three months away from her home were long, but she says the therapists and the ‘Road to Home’ program at Walnut Hills brought her to the strength and confidence she needed to return home in New Philadelphia. 

Burger had hip surgery in December of 2021 and five days later, she broke her femur on the same side. After having an additional surgery to repair the broken bone in her leg, Burger was transferred to the Transitional Care Unit at Walnut Hills to receive therapy services.

Burger, who is originally from Baltic, had a lot of firsthand knowledge of Walnut Hills, as both her mother and brother had great experiences as residents on the campus, so she was very comfortable choosing Walnut Hills for her rehabilitation.

“Walnut Hills has a lot of good people working there,” Burger said. “They are very kind and were a great encouragement to me.”

Burger said when her two months of inpatient therapy were complete, she did not quite feel ready to go home, so she was excited about the ‘Road to Home’ option at Walnut Hills.

"I could not put full weight on my leg, and I wanted to be stronger before returning home,” said Burger. “I chose to try the ‘Road to Home’ program to build my confidence, and I’m so glad I did.”

 The ‘Road to Home’ program is aimed at helping individuals get stronger and more confident before they return home following an injury, hospital procedure, or emergency room visit.

‘Road to Home’ rooms are fully furnished and are accessorized to make an individual’s stay safe, comfortable, and convenient. A ‘Road to Home’ stay also includes three meals a day, housekeeping and laundry services, and access to 24/7 nursing and personal services, including medication administration and wound care.

“I have had a great experience at Walnut Hills, and I would not be where I am if it hadn’t been for the therapists and other team members who have helped me,” Burger said. “The therapists helped me work with a grabber and other equipment to help be me independent. I got to a point where I could do most things by myself, but it was a peace of mind for me that supervision and help were there for me if I needed it.”

The Walnut Hills Therapy Team can provide physical, occupational, and speech therapies in the ‘Road to Home’ areas and work with each individual to help him or her feel confident going home.

“The therapists did a home evaluation visit with me, and nursing is helping set up some additional home health services for me, so I feel very confident going home,” added Burger.

For more information on therapy services or the ‘Road to Home’ program at Walnut Hills, please call 330-893-3200.