Subjective
Ms. Johnson is a 50-year-old single parent working as an administrative assistant. Diagnosed with degenerative joint disease in both knees, she decided to undergo a bilateral total knee replacement. Her goals were to relieve pain, return to a healthy lifestyle, and actively participate in her daughter’s life and church activities. After the successful surgery, Ms. Johnson was discharged to a subacute rehabilitation faculty, where she reports feeling much healthier. According to the patient, her pain decreased, and her right knee became stronger.
Objective
Observations showed that the plan of care designed by the occupational therapist and OTA helped Ms. Johnson improve her knee flexion. The range of movements in both of her knees increased, which allowed her to return to a more active lifestyle. For example, dressing training resulted in the patient’s ability to dress without a reacher or any other dressing aid. Moreover, the therapy reinforced her independence in the car and ability to perform home management activities (such as cooking, housekeeping, and laundry).
Assessment
The patient’s progress can be described as significant since Ms. Johnson became able to manage many routine activities. In the beginning, her bilateral pain did not allow her to follow an active lifestyle as well as perform various activities with her daughter. As a result of the therapy, the patient’s pain was relieved, and she became less limited in movement. As for Ms. Johnson’s psychological state, she is highly motivated about continuing therapy, increasing her independence, and returning to her 12-year-old daughter, who is currently staying with her sister. The barrier to her recovery is that despite her progress, she still cannot perform some of the tasks independently. Additional exercising aimed at improving her physical mobility can be a solution to this problem. Other recommendations include using an elevated toilet seat and a three-in-one commode chair.
Plan
The rehabilitation plan is to discharge Ms. Johnson from the subacute rehabilitation faculty and assist in the further increase of her independence in everyday life. The new goals of the program include returning to her previous routines, such as work and participation in her daughter’s activities. Moreover, the patient is recommended to attend remedial exercise therapy three times a week, gradually increasing the complexity of exercises. Finally, she is advised to visit the clinic twice a month for the assessment of her progress.