Penny Bartlett received a hip replacement in Vail. She knew she’d need inpatient rehabilitation—also known as swing bed—before returning home as her husband was out of town. With St. Vincent Health’s swing bed services, Penny was able to transition back to her daily life in a setting close to home.

As a swing bed patient, Penny received traditional occupational and physical therapy daily including walking and isometric exercises. The ultimate highlight of Penny’s swing bed experience was receiving therapeutic leg massages (Edema Management). Penny had been experiencing swelling near her knees, also known as Edema, which is common after surgery.

In addition to the quality of care, Penny says you can’t beat the views and ambiance of Leadville. One of her nurses even brought her a pair of binoculars to get a better look at the mountains from her room.

Once home, Penny was walking without a cane just one month after surgery. When comparing her recovery to her previous hip replacement in 2018, Penny stated that this swing bed stay was “a good 10 days shorter” than her last stay at a different facility. While crediting the intense and thorough physical therapy at SVH for the shorter stay, she noted that the easy-going nature and conversations she had with the staff helped swing bed go by even faster.

Learn more about Swing Bed (inpatient rehab care) at St. Vincent Health by contacting Case Manager, Lindsy Coon, RN at 719-486-7155.