Thread by thread, helping a patient move forward

Patients within inpatient rehabilitation units are often relearning how to move through daily life after a stroke, brain injury or spinal cord injury. Even simple activities like carrying belongings can require new strategies and steady practice.

When a patient on UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital’s inpatient rehabilitation unit began relying on a front-wheeled walker, they quickly learned that they would need help carrying items around the house while their hands were on the walker. When insurance would not cover the costs of a walker bag, speech-language pathologist Sam Persinger stepped in with a creative solution: designing a custom-sewn bag to help restore the patient’s independence.

Outside of work, Persinger had recently begun learning to sew, starting with simple projects like hemming pants before advancing to more complex pieces. Using that growing skill, she purchased fabric and designed a walker bag tailored specifically to the patient’s equipment.

After spending hours putting the custom bag together, she brought it into the patient’s therapy sessions and helped them attach it to the walker. The patient was immensely grateful, and together, they worked through real-world tasks such as placing items in the bag, turning the walker and navigating movements they would use at home.

By discharge, the walker bag had become part of the patient’s daily routine, offering a practical tool that built confidence.

Although sewing falls outside of a traditional speech-language pathology role, the gesture reflects something fundamental about rehabilitation at UCHealth. It shows what it means to meet patients where they are and remove barriers that stand in the way of returning home safely.

Persinger has worked on the rehab unit for nearly four years, collaborating with physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses and physicians to help patients prepare for that transition.

“No one discipline can do this alone,” Persinger said. “Recovery is built through collaboration and creativity, pulling together our skills to support what matters most to each patient.”

That team-based philosophy drew Persinger to the profession early on. Growing up, she often accompanied her mother, a physical therapist, on home visits and saw how thoughtful, individualized care could shape recovery.

In this case, the solution was simple but impactful: time, attention to a specific need and a willingness to act beyond the expected. With a few hours and a sewing machine, Persinger helped a patient leave the unit with a small tool that made a meaningful difference.