Volunteers with Carpenter's Hands line up posts on the wheelchair ramp for Springville resident Andy Muglach. 

St. Vincent’s East, which is part of Ascension, has launched a new program, Aging in Place, that will serve its military veteran patients who need accommodations like wheelchair ramps before they are discharged from the hospital.

One of those veterans is Lewis “Andy” Muglach, a Springville resident, a veteran of the Army National Guard. Muglach suffered a stroke on Dec. 22, which limited his mobility. He was at UAB in the intensive care unit for 17 days and was then transferred to St. Vincent’s East for their in-patient rehabilitation unit, which is unique to St. Vincent’s East.

“I’m recovering, but I’m not where I need to be,” said Muglach. “I have no balance.” He is currently using a wheelchair to get around, but his home did not have wheelchair access. 

Muglach continues to go to doctor for follow-up visits once a week and has a nurse, Steve Aultman, which visits three times a week. Muglach’s son, Mike and his daughter-in-law have been helping Muglach to get to the doctor’s visits, helping him into and out of the home, which only had stairs to access it. 

“With a six to eight month recovery period, this is a real blessing,” said Mike Muglach, who works at UAB.

Carpenter’s Hands, a ministry of Canterbury United Methodist Church, in collaboration with the Aging in Place program, built and installed a 60-70 foot access ramp for Muglach. The project is funded by St. Vincent’s Foundation and Carpenter’s Hands supplies volunteer labor.

“This is unbelievable. I never thought something like this could happen,” said Muglach. “It’s a real necessity, I’m landlocked and there are steps in my house so this is a lifeline for me.”

John Luther with Canterbury United Methodist Church has been a volunteer and organizer for Carpenter’s Hands for seven and a half years. With an all-volunteer crew, they have constructed hundreds of ramps, floors, and decks for those in need, the majority of which are seniors with a limited income.

“It gives me a lot of satisfaction, a chance to help someone, and get out from behind a desk,” said Luther. “St. Vincent’s called us up and said they’d like to sponsor a ramp or two or three and this was the next on the list.”

The experienced crew had been working on Muglach’s ramp for three days, traveling from Canterbury United Methodist Church, which is located in Mountain Brook.  They make sure that the ramp is up to code and meets ADA requirements for wheelchair access.

Susan Sellers, President of the St. Vincent’s Foundation, which sponsors the projects said, “St. Vincent’s has a holistic approach, we serve the mind, body and spirit. We help with initiatives, projects and programs to enhance care and identify needs the patients may have not only during their hospital stay but after they are discharged.”

The Aging in Place program was an initial outreach for patients at St. Vincent’s East who are veterans and would have physical limitations accessing their property after they were discharged from the hospital.

“We want to meet the needs of people that want to age in place and keep their options open,” said St. Vincent’s East President Andrew Gnann. “Their mobility condition after hospitalization could have changed. We want to know what needs they will have when they go home.” 

Gnann stated that needs are identified through case managers and a discharge plan to see what type of support system the patient has at home an if they will have any accessibility issues.

Working with Carpenter’s Hands has allowed the Aging in Place program to provide access for patients to return to their homes.

“It’s been wonderful!” said Susan Sellers. “Carpenter’s Hands can fit [a project] in their schedule within days, allowing the patient to get back into their home.”

For more information about the application process for Carpenter’s Hands, call Canterbury United Methodist Church at 205-874-1567.

For more information about St. Vincent’s East Aging in Place program, call the St. Vincent’s Foundation at 205-838-6151.