NorCal SCI Connects with Mercy General Acute Rehab in Sacramento

As part of NorCal SCI's goals for 2018, co-founder Nick Struthers visited the Dignity Health Rehabilitation Center in Sacramento. He had previously connected with Lynda Eaton at the opening of the Sobrato Pavilion in San Jose back in December. Lynda who is the Acute Rehab Program Manager and a Physical Therapist was gracious enough to give NorCal SCI an introduction to the Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation Center at Mercy General Hospital.

"I had arranged to meet Char Vine who is well-connected in the Sacramento SCI Community so we could view the facility together," writes Nick.  Mercy General is located in a salubrious residential area in Sacramento and although there were no leaves left on any of the trees that line the wide streets, it was not difficult to imagine how pretty the area would look when the trees were in full bloom. 

From left to right:  Lynda, Char and Nick

Lynda met us just outside the building and we delivered three courtesy Care Packages to her for some of the current SCI patients. Linda gave us a tour of the rehab facility and both myself and Char were impressed by the unit.  Although compact, the center had all the necessary amenities to provide appropriate SCI rehabilitation. This included a vehicle in the Gym to perfect transfers as well as a transition suite to allow the patients and their loved ones to prepare for the time when there will be no call button.

When we returned to Lynda's office, we were introduced to Raul Galvez who is the social worker for the facility and I was able to give an overview of  the NorCal SCI programs and how we could best support their patients and the patients' family members after they return home. Char was able to give a clearer picture of the SCI community landscape in Sacramento.  Lynda informed us that an average of 40 patients, typically C7 and below, from all over the Central Valley receive their acute rehab at Mercy General and stay an average of 25 days.  Although myself and Char were aware of the unit, we did not realize that it was 6th in terms of the number of SCI patients treated in Northern California Rehab Facilities.

I would personally like to thank Lynda for taking the time out of her busy schedule to meet with myself and Char and we are excited about working with the team at Mercy General to best serve and support their patients when they return home and begin the next part of their recovery journey.