Lincoln Memorial Hospital “Swing Bed” Unit Renews Hope for Springfield Couple

When Jim Lopinski got in a hurry and fell down his basement stairs last May, he had no idea that accident would lead doctors to discover a serious infection in his hip. It was just the latest in a long list of health complications that had plagued Jim since 2021.

By 2024, the 73-year-old retired accountant from Springfield had recovered from back and knee surgeries, infections and COVID-19. In November, he underwent a planned hip replacement surgery, but his recovery became longer and more complicated than expected because of the condition of the hip socket. Plus, the surgeon found a crack in Jim’s femur.

“The report the next morning was pretty gloom and doom,” said Sara, Jim’s wife. “We felt discouraged.”

After recovering from that surgery at Springfield Memorial Hospital, Jim was transferred for rehabilitation to Acute Care at Lincoln Memorial Hospital (LMH),  also called a Swing Bed unit.

From the moment they stepped inside LMH, the Lopinskis were struck by the positive attitude of everyone – from the registration specialist to the nurses and techs to environmental services and rehabilitation teams. Jim was impressed by his bright modern room with a new bed outfitted with the latest technology.

“The oldest thing in my room was a recliner, and the foot stool wouldn’t go up,” Jim said. “I joked that I had a new bed, what could they do about the recliner. Next thing I knew, the nurse manager, Lydia, came back with a different recliner!”

While the amenities were comfortable, LMH’s rehabilitation team helped Jim move from requiring significant help with everyday tasks to growing stronger and more confident in his physical abilities. He worked with rehab twice a day and once on weekends.

Roxanne Stelle, chief nursing officer for LMH, knew it was important for Jim to master the movements required for returning home and for both he and Sara to gain confidence in his abilities.

“The rehab team worked with him on how to manage his weight during transfer techniques so he wouldn’t compromise the new surgery,” she said. “It was a long recovery, but we reminded them that slow and steady wins the race.”

Sara was grateful to have an entire team helping Jim.

“I didn’t feel alone,” she said. “He needed lots of help, but I was so pumped by what I was seeing, I felt like I could go home and rest. The beauty was that I didn’t have to be here every minute of every day to advocate for his needs.”

And that half an hour drive to Lincoln from Springfield? “Distance doesn’t matter when the care exceeds all expectations,” Sara added.

Today, Jim continues outpatient rehab and is moving closer to walking normally. He hopes to resume a full schedule of cheering on his grandkids at their music and sporting events this year. He also has travel on the radar with Sara, maybe a fall trip to New England, and of course, fishing trips with the guys.

Both he and Sara are quick to sing the praises of the entire team at LMH.

“If you need this kind of care, Lincoln Memorial Hospital is definitely the place to go,” Jim said. “They are very attentive and provide customized care at a high level. We arrived without a lot of hope prognosis wise, and we were met with a ‘You can do it!’ attitude by rehab and the nursing staff.”

Sara agrees. “This was the very best place for him to go to get much needed therapy.”