Nancy Van Lente Takes Advantage of the On-Site Medical and Fitness Centers to Get Out of the Wheelchair and Back on Her Feet

When Nancy Van Lente moved to Eagle’s Trace in the fall of 2005, she was walking with a cane, primarily to help ease her ongoing balance problems. Then she fell and hurt her hip.

“Things got pretty bad. I went to a walker and then wound up in a wheelchair. Everything started to go downhill, and I felt pretty bad about the whole mess,” she remembers.

A lifelong exerciser, Nancy instinctively turned back to what she believed in. With the guidance of Dr. Raina Patel in the Eagle’s Trace Medical Center, some physical therapy, and the trainers in the Fitness Center, she worked her way back on her feet.

“Ms. Van Lente was one of our earliest patients, and this injury was very upsetting for her,” says Patel. “Here she was, ready to start her new life, and she was pretty severely injured and in a wheelchair.

“But she put a lot of trust in us, got into therapy, and transitioned to the Fitness Center,” Patel continues. “And, perhaps most importantly, she kept her upbeat spirit and continued to lead a very active life, which I believe has contributed to her well-being.”

Weighty Workouts
After physical therapy, Nancy started with Silver Express, an aerobic-cardiovascular workout done from a chair. “I found I actually did improve, and I felt better mentally. It was a great encouragement,” Nancy says. “I thought I was Wonder Woman.”

Optimistic with this initial success, she joined Strength and Stretch, a more advanced, seated exercise regimen that works with weights and bands.