Linda Riebe knew that her active lifestyle had finally taken its toll on her body. “It’s been a long time coming,” she said, reflecting on the decades of protecting her right side that was injured in a motorcycle accident when she was sixteen, only to wear out her left hip in the process.

Linda has always prided herself on her independence. Whether mowing the lawn or shoveling snow, she was used to caring for things herself, often pushing through the pain. “Two winters ago, when we had all the snow, I was shoveling and felt a pop,” she explained.

After seeing her doctor, a hip replacement surgery was recommended.

But Linda was afraid to have the surgery, so she put it off for a year and a half, trying shots to help with the pain. “I knew I had to do it, but of course, I was terrified and anxious. It was my first major surgery,” she confessed. When it began to limit her active lifestyle, she scheduled her surgery.

Facing the Fear of Surgery to Embracing Home Health Care

Once Linda completed her surgery, she had a choice: wait a week to start home therapy with another company or begin immediately with Perham Living Home Health Care. “I couldn’t wait a week to start therapy. I needed to start moving right away,” Linda emphasized.

Physical therapist Tiffany Hemberger, DPT, from Perham Living Home Health Care, went out to assess Linda’s capabilities the day after she got home from the hospital. At first, she had weight-bearing restrictions. “She had to be careful not to put full weight on her hip, and that was a challenge, but she handled it well,” Tiffany said. “We taught her how to get in and out of bed and to shower safely.”

Linda was guided by a team of home health care physical therapists through her recovery and provided the encouragement and support she needed to stay on track. “Linda is one of those patients who you can tell is going to follow every direction to the letter,” Tiffany noted. ‘She’s very determined.”

Recovery Built on Determination

Linda’s therapy sessions were rigorous but tailored to her needs. “They came in and showed me what I was supposed to do, and I did it,” Linda said. The therapists designed exercises that kept Linda safe while promoting healing and strength. “They had me standing up, sitting down, raising my legs properly, and walking three to five times a day,” Linda described.

“They were awesome,” Linda said, referring to her physical therapists, Tiffany, Tessa, and Janna, who helped her. “They were understanding and pushed me to the limits of what they knew I could handle.”

Despite the progress, the journey was challenging for Linda. “Patience is not one of my strong points,” she admitted. “But I knew I couldn’t do anything to screw this up. It took a lot for me to have this surgery, so I’m not going to mess it up.”

As the weeks passed, Linda grew stronger and more confident. She stayed with a friend during the first six weeks of her recovery, but it was time for her to head home.

Returning Home with Confidence

She moved back home after the home health care team made modifications to improve her safety. “I live in an old house, and the home health care team came and did an assessment and helped me get everything set up, like making sure I could walk around safely and helping me get my bathroom all situated, including adding a tub bar,” Linda recalled.

Tiffany was very impressed with Linda’s progress. “Linda was one of those patients who made our job easy,” Tiffany said. “She was committed to her recovery, which made all the difference.”

When Linda had improved enough to transition from home care to outpatient physical therapy, she realized how much she would miss everyone. “I missed them when it was over,” she admitted. “You get so used to having people help you, and it ends. But I know they had to go on to help the next person, and that’s how life goes on.”

Linda remains focused on her recovery and regaining her independence.

“I’m doing well,” Linda said with a smile. “I’m staying positive and doing everything I can to keep getting better.”

Linda’s success is a testament to the power of home health care. “Seeing Linda’s progress is why we do what we do,” Tiffany reflected. “It’s all about helping people get back to living their lives, and Linda is a perfect example.”

Learn more about Home Health Care services.

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About Perham Living

Perham Living is a nationally recognized leader in older adult services offering post-acute care, home care, assisted living, adult day services, apartment living, memory care assisted living, and a nursing home community within its campus.

About Perham Health 

Perham Health is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital with three primary care clinics, a 96-bed nursing home, home health care agency, adult day services, memory care assisted living, and senior housing.  The medical staff consists of 24 physicians, a nurse midwife, 14 advance practice clinicians, and three chiropractors. Visit perhamhealth.org to learn more.