The Return to Recreational Activities

At the age of 25, Alex S. suffered a stroke due to a blood clot in the brain causing a significant brain hemorrhage.

Alex was independent, recovering from a recent ski trip injury, and working full-time as a software engineer when he was rushed to Stanford Hospital after suffering tonic-clonic seizures. After spending two weeks in the hospital, he was stabilized and discharged home.

When Alex started therapy with Rehab Without Walls Home & Community program shortly after returning home, he required 24/7 supervision due to deficits in attention, memory, safety awareness, insight, and verbal expression. He presented with notable aphasia, which resulted in significant frustration during word finding difficulties.

Alex’s 9-week treatment with RWW focused on reintegration into the community, increasing his independence at home, and returning to his favorite outdoor hobbies. With the help of his interdisciplinary team, Alex worked towards his goals by grocery shopping and cooking with occupational therapy, hiking and biking with physical therapy, and working on the computer with speech therapy.

With the help of his interdisciplinary team, Alex achieved a remarkable recovery by grocery shopping, cooking, and programming projects in new languages with occupational therapy, hiking, biking, and running with physical therapy, and executing challenging cognitive tasks in the community with speech therapy. At the end of his treatment course, Alex was biking to piano lessons, swimming, holding fluent conversations, and independently managing his activities of daily living, such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for his two kittens.

Alex stated this about his experience, “RWW had such a profound impact on my recovery that I continue to reference the exercises RWW had me doing. I will be forever thankful for my RWW therapists as they were so effective in having me return to my regular life in such a short period of time.”

Alex’s recovery was all possible because of the support beginning with our referral partners. Thank you for your support, for the referrals, and for trusting us with the care of your patients. We are so proud of the services we provide at RWW and the amazing impact we have on the people we serve. Our patients impact us – we walk away inspired and fulfilled, knowing that people can do so.

Alex’s RWW therapy team consisted of:
• Physical Therapist, Ellie Faul
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Heidi Stein
• Occupational Therapist, Clarice Torrey
• Clinical Coordinator, Ann Mallory
• Speech Therapist, Danielle Parsons