Coronavirus Patients Face Long Recovery After ICU: 'We're Starting At Square One'
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - More than 2,000 people across the state have been hospitalized due to coronavirus, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. For those in intensive care, recovery from the ICU can be just as grueling.
"They need to be able to tolerate 3 hours of therapy five days a week at minimum and our goal is to get them home," said Emily Wilkinson, Therapy Manager for Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy at Spalding Rehabilitation Facility.
Spalding, a HealthONE rehab facility, has been treating COVID-19 patients in need of further care following discharge from the ICU.
While it has only seen a total of four patients to date, with two in house, it's likely there are more who will need therapy to recover. From the damage that ventilators can cause, to sedation and the virus itself, for many, it's a long road.
"I think that a lot of people are just unaware of how drastically this disease can impact people's lives and their function," said Lauren Meader, the lead for Occupational Therapy at Spalding.
Clinicians say for COVID-19 patients, initially, an act as simple as picking up a toothbrush can cause oxygen levels to decrease.
"Many of these patients have difficulty even standing so we're starting at square one with these patients and progressing them as they can," said Wilkinson.
From the physical side of things, treatment is tailored to their ability, much the way it is for any other patient.
"We're looking at their ability to stand up, to get out of bed, to walk, do stairs and get in and out of their car, just to summarize," she said.
Meader says especially with COVID-19 patients, the rehab goes beyond physical,
"A lot of people are coming to us with cognitive deficits from this disease for varying reasons so working on memory, problem solving," said Meader.
With current visitor restrictions, there is one thing that all COVID-19 patients in therapy at Spalding have in common, they have gone weeks without family.
"These patients haven't been home in over a month and now they have a lot of new needs. So, that's part of our job is to try to connect as best we can," said Wilkinson.
It's new territory for all in health care and for patients. It's a serious mental tole that staff at Spalding are adjusting to.
"There's so much psychological things that are happening with these people. You're separated from your family and friends, you know the healthcare providers around you are in full PPE gear, there's just a lot happening for them," said Meader. "As a clinician and working with other clinicians here at Spalding, I think everyone is going above and beyond to try to help people feel comfortable, safe cared for and just really get them ready to go home."
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