Its July 15, 1968. A young Eunice Rochelle walks through the doors of a Montgomery nursing home for her first day on the job. Shes a recent graduate of Trenholm State Technical College and ready to make a difference as a Licensed Practical Nurse. However, Rochelle doesnt know shes taking the first steps in a lifelong journey of service at the same nursing home.Rochelle experiences a lot of changes. Paper charts give way to computers. Nursing home residents and patients have increasingly complex medical needs. Starched nursing uniforms are replaced by comfortable scrubs. Even the nursing homes name has changed. Its now known as Crowne Health Care of Montgomery. Through all the changes, Eunice Rochelle adapts and continues to serve.When I first went to work in a nursing home, I felt like my heart was softened to the people living there, Rochelle recalled. You have to have this in your heart. It takes a special kind of person to work in a nursing home.  Rochelle is a special person to her co-workers at Crowne Health Care of Montgomery. On May 7, 2019 a large crowd celebrated her almost 51 years of service with a luncheon and awards ceremony. As part of the event, 23 employees were honored for reaching service milestones ranging from five to 40 years at Crowne of Montgomery. The celebration is part of National Nurses Week activities.State Representative Kirk Hatcher of Montgomery, whose aunt served as a nurse for 50 years, presented Rochelle with a resolution from the Alabama House of Representatives. He told stories of visiting Crowne Health Care of Montgomery when he was a child and of relatives who lived at the nursing home. "This is incredible that you would have the opportunity, and please let me take this moment and acknowledge you, Rep. Hatcher said. You are highly commended for your steadfast service as a Licensed Practical Nurse. We extend to you best wishes for happiness and success.Speaking on behalf of Rochelles co-workers at Crowne Health Care of Montgomery, Activity Director Bruce MacPherson recounted funny moments and offered heartfelt tributes. "Fifty years takes a lot of dedication, loyalty and commitment, MacPherson said. It involves loving what you do and being good at it. Ms. Rochelle, we love you, we respect you and we admire you. Thank you so much for all you have done and continue to do.Rochelle doesnt plan to retire. She makes her daily rounds to provide nursing care and touch the lives of the people she serves.When you come in to work at the nursing home, you have to leave your feelings behind you and look to take care of these people, Rochelle said. They (nursing home residents) are depending on you.Editor's Note:  This article was submitted by Crowne Healthcare that is family-owned healthcare network throughout Alabama.  Visit their website for locations: crownehealthcare.com or 251-743-3609.

Are You Needing Physical Rehabilitation Services in Alabama?Crowne Health Care has facilities across Alabama.Whether youre recovering from surgery, an injury or a stroke, Crowne Health Care can help restore function and confidence to your daily routine. Our highly skilled and dedicated team of therapists will also work with you to regain your independence and peace of mind. Your recovery is our top priority, and were with you every step of the way.For over twenty years, Restore Therapy has partnered with our skilled nursing staff to provide rehabilitative services to our residents. Whether you need rehabilitation to bridge the gap between a hospital stay and returning home or need comprehensive therapy as a long-term resident, our professional rehabilitation department is here to strengthen and increase your mobility. Sometimes, a patient is too ill for home care but no longer needs to remain in the hospital or in a surgical bed. When that is the case, physicians order short-term rehabilitation or transitional care in a skilled nursing facility.Your rehabilitation team, guided by your physician, will decide which of the following therapies would be beneficial to you:Physical TherapyPhysical therapy is a branch of rehabilitative medicine that uses specially designed techniques and equipment to help patients recover or improve their physical abilities, including loss of movement, strength, balance, motion, and more. Physical therapy also helps speed up recovery and prevents impairments in patients. At Crowne Health Care, our therapists use state-of-the-art wound-care protocols and pressure-relief techniques to restore skin integrity and treat advanced bed sores.Occupational TherapyOccupational therapy is another branch of rehabilitative medicine that helps people of all ages with physical, sensory, or cognitive issues relearn how to perform daily activities. Through the use of assessment, exercises, and intervention, our occupational therapists help our patients develop or recover meaningful activities for everyday living, such as grooming, bathing, dressing, and more. Occupational therapy helps many of our patients restore their independence.Speech TherapySpeech therapy at Crowne Health Care is a sector of our rehabilitation services that focuses on improving the patients ability to communicate after speech impairments caused by an injury or illness, like a stroke or a brain injury. Speech therapy techniques are performed by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and include articulation therapy, language intervention activities, and other methods.If you qualify for short-term therapy, Medicare may cover 100 percent of your first 20 days in our skilled nursing facility. We also accept private pay residents, some HMOs, most private insurance policies, and supplemental or long-term care insurance.Medical conditions that frequently require transitional care may include: Stroke Tube feeding Wound care Pain management Diabetes Tracheostomy care Respite care  If you receive short-term rehabilitative therapy from us, Medicare may cover the first 20 days of your stay in our skilled nursing facility at no cost to you. We also accept other insurance, including private pay, some HMOs, most private insurance policies, and supplemental or long-term care policies.Contact Our Rehabilitation Department TodayBeing injured and losing function in your body can be a challenge. At Crowne Health Care, our goal is to help our residents overcome those challenges by helping them achieve the highest level of function and movement through comprehensive rehabilitation services. Contact us today at one of our facilities across Alabama to learn more. Contact Crowne Health Care at crownehealthcare.com