Back Home and Thriving: A Successful Rehabilitation Story

On the day that his wife’s rehabilitation stay at St. John’s Rehabilitation Center was set to end, Bill Crandall was shocked to learn that bringing her back home had become a viable option. This sudden reversal—due in large part to both the hard work his wife put into her rehab and the dedication and support provided by the St. John’s team—was a welcome surprise after weeks of uncertainty and setbacks.

By the middle of March, Crandall had been anticipating his wife Joyce’s discharge after 10 days at St. John’s Home. “I really just wanted to bring her home,” says Crandall. He explains that in the days leading up to discharge, instead of readying their Penfield home for her return, he had been researching assisted living options where she could continue her recovery.

While it was a pleasant surprise that Joyce Crandall—a retired Registered Nurse who worked in several communities across New York State (including Rochester) throughout her career—would qualify for her family’s preferred option to return home on the day of her discharge, her husband Bill says there were still mixed emotions. “You hated leaving, really. It is a really well-run facility from top to bottom,” said Bill Crandall about St. John’s Rehabilitation Center. “The staff gave her outstanding care.”

The Crandall family gives St. John’s Rehabilitation “5 stars” based on their experience earlier this year and has made it a point to recognize a few of the staff members who made her rehab stay such a positive one. Social worker Morgan Campbell, nurse Ashley Grant, certified nursing assistant Heidi Miller, and physical therapist assistant Sean Cignarale were all mentioned by name for their meaningful contributions to Joyce’s recovery.

“She came out so much stronger,” says Bill Crandall, of Joyce, who has now been home a few weeks. “I think she has flourished.”