care & love
Maria Gonzalez, a 52-year-old former high school teacher and avid gardener, never imagined her life would take such a drastic turn. In April 2023, a sudden ischemic stroke left her with right-sided weakness, slurred speech, and near-total loss of mobility in her legs. "I went from planting roses in my backyard to needing help to roll over in bed," she recalls, her voice still tinged with the frustration of those early days. "The worst part? I couldn't even feed myself without spilling food. I felt like a shadow of who I was."
Upon admission to Sunrise Rehab six weeks post-stroke, Maria relied entirely on a manual wheelchair for mobility. Transfers—from bed to chair, chair to toilet—required two staff members and a patient lift to avoid injury. "Every time they used that lift, I felt more helpless," she says. "I'd cry when I thought no one was looking. I missed my students, my garden, and most of all, feeling like I had control over my own body." Traditional gait training, which involved therapists manually supporting her legs to practice walking, left her exhausted after just 10 minutes, with little progress to show after weeks of effort.
Maria's case was not unique. According to Sarah Chen, Sunrise's lead physical therapist, "We were seeing more stroke patients like Maria—individuals with severe lower limb weakness who couldn't engage effectively with traditional therapy. Manual gait training is labor-intensive for therapists and often demoralizing for patients when progress is slow. We knew we needed a better approach."
After months of research and staff input, Sunrise made a pivotal decision: invest in a state-of-the-art gait rehabilitation robot. Unlike traditional methods, this device uses motorized leg braces and a bodyweight support system to guide patients through repetitive, controlled walking motions—mirroring the natural gait pattern. "Robotic gait training allows us to target specific muscle groups and adjust resistance in real time," explains Chen. "For patients like Maria, who lack the strength to initiate steps on their own, it provides the structure and feedback needed to retrain the brain-muscle connection."
While robotic gait training focused on restoring walking ability, the hospital recognized that many patients would still need reliable mobility aids post-discharge. Manual wheelchairs, though common, often proved too strenuous for stroke survivors with upper limb weakness. Sunrise expanded its fleet of electric wheelchairs, prioritizing lightweight, user-friendly models with intuitive controls. "An electric wheelchair isn't just a 'scooter'—it's a lifeline," says Chen. "It lets patients move independently, run errands, and stay engaged with their communities while they continue therapy. That sense of freedom is crucial for mental health, which in turn speeds up physical recovery."
Even with new technology, safe patient handling remained a top priority. Sunrise upgraded its patient lift systems to include ceiling-mounted lifts in all therapy rooms and electric portable lifts for bedside transfers. "Before, therapists were at risk of back injuries from manually lifting patients," notes David Kim, the hospital's operations manager. "These lifts reduce strain on staff and give patients more dignity during transfers. Maria, for example, went from dreading lift sessions to feeling secure—knowing she wouldn't fall gave her the confidence to focus on her therapy."
Maria's first session with the gait rehabilitation robot was nerve-wracking. "I sat in that chair, and they strapped my legs into these metal braces. I thought, 'What if I fall?'" she remembers. But Chen, her therapist, stayed by her side, adjusting the settings and offering encouragement. "Take a deep breath, Maria. The robot's got you. Let's start with 10 minutes—just feel the movement."
At first, Maria's legs felt heavy, unresponsive. But as the robot guided her through slow, steady steps, something shifted. "After five minutes, I realized: my right foot was moving with the robot, not against it. I wasn't just being dragged—I was participating ." By the end of the session, she'd walked 50 feet—more than she had in months. "I cried again that day, but this time, they were happy tears," she says.
Over the next 12 weeks, Maria's therapy plan combined three weekly sessions of robot-assisted gait training with strength exercises, balance drills, and practice using her new electric wheelchair. The progress was gradual but undeniable:
| Metric | Week 1 (Before Intervention) | Week 12 (After Intervention) |
|---|---|---|
| Independent Steps (Unassisted) | 0 | 52 (with walker) |
| Time Spent in Therapy (Daily) | 30 minutes (limited by fatigue) | 45 minutes (able to sustain effort) |
| Transfer Independence | Requires 2 staff + patient lift | Independent with grab bars (occasional assist for uneven surfaces) |
| Community Mobility | Unable to leave home | Uses electric wheelchair to visit grocery store, church |
"By week 8, Maria was asking to extend her robot sessions," Chen says with a smile. "She'd come into therapy singing, which was a far cry from the quiet, withdrawn woman we met in April. One day, she told me, 'I dreamed I walked to my garden yesterday.' That's when I knew we were onto something."
Maria's progress was not an isolated case. In the year following the integration of robotic gait training, electric wheelchairs, and advanced patient lifts, Sunrise saw remarkable results across its stroke rehabilitation program:
For Maria, the outcomes were even more personal. In August 2023, she was discharged home with an electric wheelchair and a home exercise plan. "Last month, I walked to my mailbox—slowly, with my walker—but I did it alone," she says, beaming. "And I've been gardening again, too. I can't kneel yet, but I sit on my electric wheelchair and plant flowers in pots. It's not perfect, but it's mine . Sunrise didn't just give me back my legs—they gave me back my life."