Still Independent: Margaret “Bernie” Collette

“I’m not running any marathons, but I’m back home, taking care of myself and the house,” said Margaret “Bernie” Collette. “The physical therapy team at Parke Wellness did me a wonderful, wonderful thing.”

Collette is 93 years old. In 2023, she fell and broke her femur. Twice. Such injuries are notoriously difficult to recover from at her age, but with in-hospital physical therapy followed by twice-weekly outpatient PT, she was able to return to life in the large house she shares with her husband.

“The staff at Parke Wellness has been very patient with me,” she said. “They pushed me just enough. They had me lifting weights and stepping up and down from a low platform. I walked sideways on a bar. Brittany said I was much stronger after a couple of months of PT than I was when I started.”

Now Collette gets around with a walker and a cane. She manages the stairs in her home just fine, and she handles the cooking and housework. She visits the senior center twice a week. In the afternoons, you might find her playing pinochle and enjoying coffee and a sweet snack with her lady friends.

“PT really gets you back on your feet,” Collette said. “Without it, I would never have done all the work to regain my mobility. I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing today.”