Concierge: Samantha Holman
Patient name: James M.
Patient age: 68
Admission Date: 3/31/2026
Admitted From: Stony Brook University Hospital
Discharge Date: TBD
Length of Stay: 3 months
Details of Experience:
On March 31, 2026, James was admitted to our community with an admitting diagnosis of orthopedic aftercare following a surgical amputation. Due to Type 2 diabetes, James underwent an above-knee amputation (AKA) at Stony Brook University Hospital.
Following his surgery at the hospital, James came to our community and became part of our Comprehensive Amputee Rehabilitation Program, led by Todd Schaffhauser and Dennis Oehler. Todd and Dennis work alongside the Physical Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) departments to mentor amputee patients throughout their rehabilitation journey.
James was welcomed to The Hamlet by our interdisciplinary team, which is committed to delivering individualized care throughout his rehabilitation journey. Nursing, therapy, social work, concierge, and recreation staff met with James to provide the tools, resources, and support needed to help him work toward his goals.
James was evaluated by Physical Therapist Maria Cruz and Occupational Therapist Melissa Kelly, who developed individualized treatment plans to help him build the strength needed to one day walk again with a prosthetic leg. He required PT to increase participation in activities of daily living (ADLs), improve overall mobility, enhance functional status during transfers, and increase range of motion, balance, and ambulation. He also required OT to promote a safe return to his prior level of function.
Within the first week of admission, James began improving his mobility by transferring from lying to sitting using his core strength. Once in a wheelchair, he practiced sit-to-stand transfers in the parallel bars using his left leg while working on weight shifting, safe hand placement, and postural stability. Through consistent practice, James worked diligently to begin hopping on his left leg within the parallel bars, with the support of his therapy team and Todd and Dennis’s weekly visits.
After several weeks of continued practice, James was able to safely ambulate by hopping 50 feet using a two-wheeled walker with partial assistance. After two more months of dedication with the therapy team and support from The Hamlet community, James received his prosthesis and began learning how to use this new tool to walk again. He started in the parallel bars to learn safe ambulation and, as his confidence and ability grew, progressed to using a rolling walker. James remained motivated and is now walking 100 feet with supervision or touching assistance using a rolling walker. In OT, he also learned how to safely and efficiently manage personal hygiene and clothing management.
James continues with PT to improve his prosthetic use, standing dynamic balance, trunk control, and ambulation by focusing on foot placement, quadriceps and hip strength, base of support, and postural stability. These goals are intended to enhance his quality of life while decreasing the level of care required from caregivers. He also continues with OT to increase functional activity tolerance, achieve independence with all ADLs, and improve safety awareness so he can live in an environment requiring the least amount of supervision.
Throughout his stay at The Hamlet Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, James has used his outgoing personality to make new friends and inspire others throughout the community. He enjoys drinking coffee in the café and relaxing in the lobby while maintaining a positive attitude each day. He reminds us all to stay strong and trust the process.
We wish James continued happiness and success as he continues his rehabilitation journey.