One ordinary morning changed everything for 86-year-old Colleen Preszler.
Living independently in her own home, Colleen had built a life around familiar routines and the comfort of doing things for herself. But after a fall in her bathroom left her unable to move or call for help, she spent nearly five hours waiting to be rescued. By the time help arrived, she had suffered serious injuries and severe burns that required emergency air transport, multiple surgeries, and months of hospitalization and rehabilitation.
The physical recovery was long, but the emotional recovery proved just as difficult.
As Colleen regained her strength, it became clear to both her and her daughter, Sue, who had been closely involved throughout her hospitalization and rehabilitation, that returning home alone was no longer a safe option. The home she loved had once represented independence. Now it represented uncertainty, and the family faced one of the hardest decisions many adult children encounter: how do you keep someone safe without asking them to give up who they are?
Schedule a TourSue toured several senior living communities throughout Fargo, hoping to find somewhere that felt less like an institution and more like home.
“The minute I walked in, it felt warm,” Sue said. “It felt like home.”
That feeling mattered.
After months spent moving between hospitals and rehabilitation facilities, Colleen wasn’t simply looking for another place to receive care. She needed a place where she could begin living again.
Edgewood Fargo offered something different. Instead of focusing only on recovery after an injury, the community could provide the daily support, consistency, and relationships needed to help Colleen rebuild her life while preserving as much independence as possible.
A Team That Works Together
Recovery didn’t end when Colleen left rehabilitation.
Today, she benefits from a coordinated team that continues to support her health every day. Michelle Rexine, Nurse Practitioner with Legacy Medical, provides in-home primary care visits so many of Colleen’s medical needs can be addressed where she lives. CaringEdge Outpatient Therapy helps her continue building strength, mobility, and confidence through ongoing physical and occupational therapy.
At the same time, the Edgewood Fargo team supports her daily routines, assists when needed, and communicates with her healthcare providers so everyone remains working toward the same goals. For Colleen and her family, that coordination means fewer gaps in care and greater confidence that someone always understands the full picture of her health.
She left the home she'd lived in for years and went through so much medically, she said. But she continues to show strength every day.
After such a sudden and life-changing event, recovery doesn’t return all at once.
It grows through familiar routines, encouraging caregivers, neighbors who become friends, and knowing help is available whenever it’s needed.
For Colleen, each day has become an opportunity to regain pieces of independence she feared she had lost. Instead of worrying about what could happen if she were alone, she can focus on enjoying her morning routines with familiar caregivers, shared meals where conversation comes easily, and quiet afternoons surrounded by people she now recognizes and trusts.
Sue, who has been by her mother’s side throughout the recovery journey, has watched that transformation happen over time.
While Colleen was slowly rebuilding her independence, Sue found something just as meaningful: reassurance.
“I feel confident in her care,” Sue said. “I honestly feel like I could go on vacation and not have to worry.”
That reassurance comes from knowing her mother isn’t navigating recovery alone. Instead, she has a team working together, people who know her personally, and a community focused not only on keeping her safe but also helping her continue living a meaningful life.
When asked what Edgewood means to their family, Sue didn’t hesitate.
Everything Mom needs is here. The care is wonderful, the people genuinely care, and I know she's safe. After everything we've been through, that's the greatest comfort I could ask for.
Finding Home Again
Today, Colleen’s life looks different from how it once did, but it is no longer defined by the day she fell.
Instead, it is defined by the life she has rebuilt. Through coordinated healthcare, ongoing therapy, meaningful relationships, and the support of a community she now calls home, Colleen has found stability again in her days, supported by routine, connection, and a care team that knows her well.
For families facing difficult decisions after a hospitalization or serious injury, Edgewood offers more than a place to recover. It offers a place to move forward. To learn more, contact us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com.
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