For Betty Bruce, her final registered nurse’s visit through JFS Richmond’s and Beth Sholom’s CAPABLE program was about more than checking off another appointment. It was a chance to reflect on how far she had come and to look ahead at what she could continue accomplishing on her own.
Betty’s CAPABLE journey has centered on building strength, independence and confidence.
“We talk
ed about weight loss, so we tied exercises into that,” her Registered Nurse Belinda Hensley said. “We also talked about walking.”
OT Tomeeker Gary brainstormed with Betty, and together they decided to purchase a pedal exerciser to help strengthen her upper and lower extremities. She will also have a grab bar installed in her bathroom, making it safer and easier for her to transfer independently.
Belinda encouraged Betty to keep her goals manageable by focusing on one or two things each day, whether that means doing the dishes, making her bed or riding her bike. She also wrote Betty’s goals in a book and added a box next to each one for Betty to check off as she accomplishes them, prioritizing her chores and focusing on one to two tasks each day to make them feel more manageable.
Through CAPABLE, Betty said she has found a renewed sense of possibility.
“CAPABLE got me full of hope, and positivity,” she said. “I can do things that I didn’t think I could do. Everybody from CAPABLE is so nice. They’ve been so nice to me.”
As Betty looks beyond her final RN visit, she knows that continuing her progress will depend on taking things one step at a time.
“I’m at a point where I have to get self-motivated and I have to get clear-headed and think about what’s the best thing to do next because ever since I’ve lived here, I thought my life was such a wreck,” she said. “I didn’t know how to fix it, but now I say just one day at a time.”
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