A Road to Recovery Paved in Love and Support

Sixteen years ago, Marjorie and Russell Kolmus moved to the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown. While it was initially Russell’s idea, Marjorie is grateful for his persistence, as the move helped in her recovery from a recent hardship. 

“I was paralyzed. I didn’t know if I’d walk or talk again,” she recalls. “It was a frightening experience.” 

While she was initially treated in a hospital, Marjorie credits staff and her neighbors at Masonic Village, as well as her husband, for her miraculous and quick recovery from polymyalgia rheumatica (known by many as PMR) in November. Following her hospitalization, she transferred to Masonic Village at Elizabethtown’s Transitional Care Unit for rehabilitation. 

Starting off each day with a singsong greeting, “Good morning, Ms. Marjorie,” courtesy of her nurse, Marjorie knew she was in good hands. 

“They treated me very well. I feel they really got to know me,” she said. “If anything was wrong, they fixed it. No matter what, everything was fine. I don’t even have the words to thank them for what they did.” 

Throughout her several week rehabilitation, Marjorie’s team of physical and occupational therapists pushed and encouraged her.  

Comfort and Care 

In the Transitional Care Unit, services include state-of-the-art rehabilitation equipment, therapy and technology. Staff provide mobility, self-care and community skills training. Before a patient returns home, they provide a home safety assessment, home exercise program and nutrition management.  

While treatment is intense, the accommodations are comfortable. Amenities include a large living room for gatherings and access to social and recreational opportunities. Fresh, served-to-order entrées are available in a country kitchen or an individual’s suite. Private and semi-private suites offer a flat-screen TV with cable, wireless internet access, refrigerator, electric lift chair and bed and emergency call system. 

Greetings from family, friends and neighbors also kept Marjorie’s spirits up. 

“We have a neighbor who was new. I had never even spoken to her,” Marjorie said. “That was the first card I received. She offered to help my husband with anything we needed. She was very nice. I met her for the first time in the dining room after my return home.” 

The right medicines, therapies and treatment are important to a healthy recovery, but you can’t put a price on receiving love and support from those around you. 

“That’s why we came to Masonic Village,” Marjorie said. “We feel as if we’re safe here. I have not met anyone who was unkind or unfriendly. I have five children, and they said they’d take care of me, but I don’t want that for them. We’ll be taken care of at Masonic Village.” 

The Transitional Care Unit for short-term rehabilitation is open for residents of Masonic Village and the local community. Visit https://masonicvillages.org/care-support/rehabilitation/ for more details or call 717-361-4552 or 800-422-1207.