I am a 36-year-old wheelchair user with tetraspasticity who is learning to walk in therapy. I spent six weeks at the Geerlofs Rehabilitation Center in January 2017 and would like to share my experience with you.
It took an incomparable amount of effort, trouble, and worry to navigate through this jungle of applications, objections, negotiations, arguments, certificates, prescriptions for physiotherapy, doctor's visits, and loans. Not to mention the massive debt I got myself into.
Why did I do that?
At the introductory meeting, I was promised the moon! After the meeting, I was more enthusiastic and confident than I had been in years.
Unfortunately, the facility was completely unable to keep its promises!
What I was promised: Approximately 4 hours of therapy daily, always with two therapists, running training, an innovative and individualized therapy concept, trained and competent therapists, and on-site nursing staff (due to my disability, I rely on nursing assistance).
My stated goal was to further develop my walking ability. However, my legs were tied down several times and I was asked to exercise my arms. Even if there was a deeper purpose behind it, I wasn't informed.
The therapists were constantly changing! After I didn't get along with one therapist, I repeatedly asked to be assigned someone else. This person was completely unable to adapt to my condition, provide meaningful therapy, or explain their actions.
She said, "I'm just a sports physio, and I can't do anything with you neuros anyway."
So, I would seriously question the competence of individual employees.
Ultimately, I was given a bottle of water and made sure I drank enough fluids – but the highly touted, diverse range of therapies was nowhere to be seen.
I was simply told to my face that "nothing more could be done" with me!
I was told I was "wasting my time" and "you'll never be able to stand on your own anyway."
Once, I was left sitting next to the bench for hours!
No wonder I also briefly became ill during this time and developed a fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit – I was urged, with the utmost insistence, to come to therapy, even though I felt terrible.
I was also promised a caregiver who would "take care of all my needs" – the reality was that an assistant came by three times a day to handle the bare minimum. And since the therapy placed such great emphasis on me drinking plenty of fluids, these three visits were obviously far too few!
Although I'm actually continent, I was forced to wear incontinence pants – i.e., diapers – because the staff was completely overwhelmed.
In addition, even though I was only there for six weeks, I had to change rooms at least three times – and please don't forget that I'm a quadriplegic in a wheelchair! I was expected to pack my bags and move around on my own without help!
Although I expressed my concerns in a very friendly manner several times, no one really addressed my concerns. I was left to my own devices; my words weren't taken seriously, and I didn't even get a hint that I was being listened to! Quite the opposite – I was made to feel like I wasn't being taken seriously at all.
I've never come home from "rehab" or "therapy" so disappointed, depressed, demotivated, and dejected.
It wouldn't be a lie if I said that this devastating experience caused me psychological damage.
Only thanks to my new physiotherapy at home can I now walk with a walker.
I would like to warn everyone not to invest their private money here – this rehab did not help me at all!