I get by with a little help from my friends

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I got to visit Lance in his new facility over the course of 4 days, Sat – Tues of this week, spending anywhere from 4–8 hours each day. I was so happy to see him in such a supportive environment. The staff is very nice and very attentive and the residents (they’re called neighbors) are friendly as well.

I initially visited around 4pm on Saturday so I only got a few hours in the first day. Lance was in bed so I’m not sure if he was up and about earlier but the facility usually takes him out of bed daily. He was surprised (and just a little emotional) to see me and we spent the next several hours talking and laughing a lot. He still has trouble completing sentences yet is very expressive with his face and gestures. I could tell he was exasperated by his situation yet I thought he was more upbeat and less emotional than the last time I saw him.

I came back earlier on Sunday, around 11. There are no classes or therapies on the weekends so I feel that the weekends are the best time for visitors to come. When I arrived, Lance was dressed and in a wheelchair so I figured we could tour the facility. I took him downstairs through a few of the sunny atriums in the building. He wasn’t as talkative today but very interested in his surroundings. Unfortunately, the art classes happen during the week so the art studio was quiet. I heard an announcement and took him to a different part of the building, where they were setting up a radio program. The director Peter Bass was very welcoming and asked if we had any requests. I showed Lance some CDs and he either nodded or put the CDs on his lap of those he liked. If he didn’t like the CD, he waved it away. His music tastes haven’t changed. A couple of residents were the DJs announcing the songs while Peter played the CDs. Lance seemed to enjoy the music overall, tapping or snapping his fingers, tapping his foot, even doing that Lance dance with his head. A couple of songs triggered some emotions in him but we both instantly broke out in tears to the Beatles’ I get by with a little help from my friends. A couple of songs he didn’t like elicited a look from him that said give me a break. We had a lot of fun. Then we got a real treat, a live performance from a funky piano player playing jazz, blues, and standards which brought out a crowd of residents. Peter (one of the two music therapist there conducting classes during the week) said they usually do the radio program the first Sunday of the month but the live music occurs whenever they can schedule it.

Next, I came Monday late morning. I found Lance in his wheelchair in his room, the nurse had just gotten him up. His counselor Sean said Lance’s schedule wasn’t finalized so he could go to the general classes for his group and his therapists would come and give him one-on-one sessions. He gets physical, speech, swallowing, and occupational therapies during the week. There are also optional art, music, writing classes going on every day. And group sessions for neurobehavioral re-integration, which I got to attend with Lance. Every day, there is a list of activities/classes that is posted and on hand-outs so if you visit Lance, and he’s not busy with group or individual therapies, then you can have him check out something else that is going on. I was having a little trouble with Lance’s wheelchair and he was a little uncomfortable in it, being so tall, but his occupational therapist, Donna Hill had ordered a new one for him. I had to leave mid-afternoon but they apparently came and got him for other classes and other therapies.

I came early on Tuesday because I wanted to check out a neurobiofeedback session, they happen on Tues and Thurs mornings. Dr Zelek’s assistant Phil explained that last week they did a brain map to see what parts of Lance’s brain were under- and over-active to get a baseline. Then they do exercises to try to stimulate those areas of the brain and then do additional brain mapping to monitor the changes. During the session, they put electrodes on Lance’s earlobes and head and he had to complete small challenges on the computer like move a ball across a fulcrum or up some stairs with his mind. Pretty cool. Lance was a little shaky at first but he did well. Phil explained it’s very tiring on the brain and Lance nearly nodded off by the end. After lunch, Donna, his OT, excitedly brought him down to the physical therapy room to try out his new wheelchair. She actually had to find even another because he was still too tall for the one she got but then she found the right one. Lance seemed a lot more comfortable in this chair and she was very pleased that it worked out. When she was done, I found a small music jam happening in the café so we stopped to check it out. We met the other music therapist Rick who came over and introduced himself and told Lance he would like him to eventually participate and start playing the drums. Then he had a speech therapy session with Megan, doing some vocal and word exercises. Also she wants to incorporate a small picture chart so he could ask for things a little easier. He then had another group class, where they worked on a nonogram, a kind of number puzzle. Lance was pretty tired by then and dozed off a little. I don’t blame him, the puzzle was confusing for me as well. We went back to his room so we could hang out before we said our tearful goodbyes around 6. Just as I was leaving, his physical therapist was coming to get him for a session. Phew, long day.

Overall, I’m very impressed by Northeast. Of course Lance is still in the adjustment phase and they are still getting used to him but the facility is very pro-active and everybody seems to have a great sense of compassion and enthusiasm for their jobs. Lance definitely has plenty to do during the week, and there is a nice sense of community there. The weekends are less structured and meant for family and friends so please use the calendar below to schedule a visit. There are several lounges and cafés and atriums to hang out in but check the activities board (by the elevator) or pick up a schedule at the reception desk or any nurses’ station to see if there’s something interesting going on. I actually had a lot of fun and am looking forward to coming back.