Rehabilitation plays an invaluable role in helping seniors recovering from illnesses and injuries stay active, independent and healthy. But all rehabilitation centers aren’t created equal. Five years after first conceptualizing what an updated therapy center at Marjorie P. Lee would look like, we’re delighted to announce that our major renovation project is complete. The result? The exceptional Meyer Family Rehabilitation Center.

Incorporating the person-centered philosophy shared across the entire Episcopal Retirement Services community, the Meyer Family Rehabilitation Center represents a new and exciting option for rehabilitation patients and their loved ones.

The expansion and naming of The Meyer Family Rehabilitation Center were thanks to a collective gift — through a realized estate gift from former Deupree House resident Dan Meyer, his daughter Jennifer Meyer Angus, sisters Corky Meyer Ladd and Marian Meyer Allen, and longtime friends Mike and Digi Schueler. We are grateful for these incredible philanthropists for supporting this vital renovation, enabling us to deliver top quality person-centered care for years to come.

Form Meets Function in the Therapy Gym

Many of the upgrades to the therapy center at the Meyer Family Rehabilitation Center are immediately obvious — starting with the therapy gym’s new entrance located just off MPL’s main lobby. Not only is the space twice its previous size, but it’s also bright and cheerful thanks to the abundance of natural light flowing in through the windows. Colorful checkerboard carpeting adds to the lobby’s dynamic and welcoming vibe.

In addition to rehabilitation equipment, the therapy gym is also outfitted with practical features aimed at preparing patients to a successful transition back to their home environments, including an apartment-sized kitchen and laundry facilities. Patients can work on key life skills, such as cooking, cleaning and doing laundry. A new room was also added and designated exclusively for private treatment.

Patients aren’t alone in reaping the benefits of the renovation. MPL staff are also enjoying four new therapist workstations perfect for everything from scheduling appointments to managing paperwork. Storage space for supplies has also doubled.

Homelike Rooms and Private Baths

The Meyer Family Rehabilitation Center update also includes a total of 19 remodeled patient rooms for short-term rehab stays. Featuring aesthetically pleasing design details like hardwood floors, beautiful finishes, plenty of light and large-screen, wall-mounted televisions, patient rooms are both comfortable and inviting.

As with the therapy gym, renovations to these living spaces were guided by the individual needs of patients. Says Ginny Uehlin, VP of Residential Housing & Healthcare at MPL, “We worked to create a homelike environment and make it more relevant to the way we live today.” In addition to being spacious another to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers, they’re also designed to accommodate something equally important: visitors.  “Being able to have your friends and family in the room is an important part of recuperation,” Uehlin continues.

Perhaps the biggest improvement to patient rooms at the Meyer Family Rehabilitation Center? Private bathrooms featuring roll-in showers, adjustable grab bars, a wheelchair-friendly sink, and a tilting vanity mirror. Says Annie Novak, Director of Case Management for MPL, “People certainly feel more confident and comfortable when they don’t have to share that particular space.”

Staff needs have been taken into account in this area, as well: A communication board allows patients and staff alike to easily track therapy schedules while a wall cabinet safely and securely houses medications.

A Commitment to Compassion and Care

At MPL, we know that true rehabilitation involves more than healing the body; it also means empowering seniors to reclaim their independence by supporting them both physically and emotionally. “We always went back to the same thing [when planning the renovation], that we wanted to continue the compassion and care Marjorie P. Lee and her husband Charles started so many years ago,” says Uehlin.

Indeed, you’ll hear words like “compassion” and “care” used again and again at the Meyer Family Rehabilitation Center, and with good reason: Delivering the best quality of care to our community members is a hallmark of the ERS ethos. With the completion of the renovation project, the setting truly reflects and aligns with this overarching theme — a reality which is perhaps no better embodied than by how our patients feel about their time at MPL. Proposes Uehlin, “Usually people can’t wait to get home when they’ve gone through rehab therapy. Now, I think they are going to want to stay.”