Covid recovery at The Laurels of Chagrin Falls

By Allyson Bush, RN Laurels of Chagrin Falls

Of all the demographics affected by Covid-19, the senior population was hit the hardest, and many are still on the long road to recovery.

At The Laurels of Chagrin Falls, we took a proactive approach through our Covid Recovery Program, which began in March 2020. Whether in-house residents or on an outpatient basis, we address the specific needs of each person through a combination of therapies (physical, occupational, speech) and medical care, monitoring their progress. So far, we’ve worked with about 15 people.

“Respiratory issues can linger for a considerable amount of time,” says Medical Director Dr. Rajesh Agarwal. “Getting patients up and moving is important. We also encourage lung exercises and monitor their progress with a spirometer to measure air going in and out of the lungs. Ongoing fatigue is another issue we address.”

“We take an interdisciplinary approach, assessing their unique health condition and coming up with a comprehensive plan of action,” says Petrina Garritano, PT, MHA, and Regional Rehab Manager. “We are also adept at monitoring other medical conditions the guest might have that could be worsened by the virus.”

Research is also indicating that people are having difficulty with brain fog following Covid, but Petrina reports that they respond well to speech therapy to help them concentrate and recall names and words.

Our approach to caring for each guest in a medical, therapeutic and personal way has been successful since we began this program. Seeing the smiles on the faces of our guests who have fully recovered is pretty amazing.

The Laurels of Chagrin Falls is located at 150 Cleveland Street in Chagrin Falls, within walking distance of downtown and the falls. For more information, call 440-247-4200 or visit LaurelsofChagrinFalls.com.