Emory DPT III Student Works with a Patient Who is in the News

Erin Wilson Emory DPT III Student

Erin Wilson, a third-year Emory DPT student, has worked with many patients during her long-term neurorehabilitation affiliation at Specialty Care of Marietta. The story of one of these patients has recently been described in the local news: http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news

Erin began working with this patient in June and treated her for four weeks. The patient’s main goal was to walk with only a cane, and to throw away her wheelchair. During the four weeks of physical therapy treatment, Erin taught her scanning and compensatory techniques in order to combat her visual impairments (caused by bilateral cataracts) as the patient progressed from a using a wheelchair, to ambulating with a rolling walker, to using a single-point cane. They also worked on ambulation outdoors, particularly on uneven surfaces. The patient was discharged from the facility approx ten days after she was discharged from physical therapy, where Erin determined the patient was now safe and able to live independently. Before leaving, all staff members at Specialty Care of Marietta organized a “Housewarming Party” for the patient, bringing in food, household items and other necessities to help start her new life.

Specialty Care of Marietta is a sub-acute rehab facility located directly across from Kennestone Hospital. It features a rehab wing, as well as a long term care unit (which is where this patient had resided for three years).