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“I Just Can’t Get My Socks On” - By Evelyn McComb
Mary is an energetic 86 year-old woman who has met many mobility challenges this fall.
While picking a beautiful  red tomato in her garden, she fell and broke her hip, sustaining a right inter-trochanteric hip fracture and receiving an inter-medullary rod. Her independence was taken from her very suddenly and, although standing produced a lot of pain, she was determined to walk again.
I met Mary while working as the homecare physiotherapist in her retirement home. At the end of September, when I first met her, she was convalescing with the goal of returning to her own home.
Mary impressed me with her upbeat attitude and optimistic determination. She was also dealing with ongoing severe degeneration of her shoulder joints, as well as progressive deterioration of her eyesight, which meant I literally became a blur to her. She was improving very consistently by adhering to a comprehensive exercise program tailored to increasing her range of motion and strength, as well as optimizing her independent mobility.
Confident that she had accomplished much, now walking with a rollator walker to and from meals independently, Mary was still bothered by one thing: "I just can't get my socks on", she said.  I thought 'outside the box' and realized a sock aid would solve this dilemma. So I went to work and made her a homemade version out of a fabric softener bottle (see attachments). With some practice, she has mastered this as well. Even though the support staff at the home would be happy to help, she refused to give up yet another piece of her independence. Way to go Mary!
Mary has decided to stay put for the winter months, but I have no doubt she'll be back happily hoeing next spring. Mary is continuing to get stronger by the day and I feel privileged as her physiotherapist to help her along the way.
Physiotherapy makes you stronger in so many ways!
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