A lifelong athlete, mother of five and grandmother of 11, Fort Lauderdale resident Rita Williams Powers is full of upbeat energy that defies her 81years of age.

Rita has always loved being active. She swam competitively in high school, began running when she was a young mother, became an assistant coach for the women’s high school cross country team and started a women’s running group that traveled across the country racing together.

“I’ve always been physically active, and I’m used to using my muscles whether playing sports or working as an interior designer, moving furniture and hanging artwork,” Rita says. “Until recently, I never broke anything my whole life.”

A few months after her husband passed away in December 2024, Rita’s daughters planned a trip to New York City to lift their mom’s spirits. During their visit, Rita tripped over an uneven curb and into a construction pole, fracturing her hip. She needed surgery to place a rod in her hip to allow the fracture to heal, which was done in New York.

Back home a few months later, Rita had finished physical therapy and was feeling great until she hurt herself again.

“I jumped to move quickly, and I went down on my left leg, which is the side with my hip injury,” Rita said. “As I fell, I hit the corner of the wall with my shoulder and dislocated it.”

Rita was taken by ambulance to Broward Health Medical Center’s Emergency Department. Even though it was a busy Saturday night, she was cared for right away.

“The emergency doctors were fabulous. I was in terrible pain, and they wanted to make sure I was comfortable. The injury was so bad that they knocked me out to put my shoulder back in place,” she remembered. “My daughters watched and said it was amazing. Then they wrapped my shoulder, stabilized it and referred me to one of the most fabulous young men I've ever met – Dr. Jason Walters.”

When Jason Walters, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with the Broward Health Physician Group, evaluated Rita’s shoulder, he recommended a reverse shoulder replacement.

“The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint,” said Dr. Walters. “In a reverse shoulder replacement, we switch the position of the ball and the socket when we place the implants. It’s often the best option for patients with arthritis and significant muscle or tendon damage.”

Rita says Dr. Walters took time to calmly explain the X-rays and how her accident shattered several parts of her shoulder and caused nerve damage. “He told us that a reverse shoulder replacement was probably the best choice so I wouldn't need several surgeries and could get well faster.”

Dr. Walters performed Rita’s successful surgery at Broward Health Imperial Point.

“It’s a wonderful hospital, and everyone there was great,” said Rita. “Because I’m a little bit older and they used anesthesia, Dr. Walters had me stay overnight.”

At her follow-up appointment, Dr. Walters discussed physical therapy, showed Rita what she would be working on and set realistic expectations that her recovery would take six months to a year. Before the surgery, she could not lift her dominant arm at all and had to do everything with her left arm. Six months after surgery, Rita was thrilled.

“I can do everything I want with my right arm, from styling my hair to eating and dancing,” Rita said. “I’m doing my exercises every day.”

Looking back at her experiences at both hospitals, Rita says the kindness of the Broward Health teams made all the difference.

“Everyone greeted me with a smile. They gave 100% and more, and they didn't quit till they made me smile,” said Rita. “And Dr. Walters, he’s very motivational. He was the perfect surgeon for me and did a perfect job. Perfect hospital, perfect doctors, perfect nurses.”

Rita is also grateful to be surrounded by family.

“One of the reasons my husband and I moved down here was that most of our family was here. I’m so glad we did,” she said. “And I'm so glad that when I had to have this terrible thing happen to my shoulder, I was here in Fort Lauderdale, and I found Broward Health.”

What’s her secret to aging well? Keep moving.

“I’m so grateful Dr. Walters didn't tell me to sit down and stop doing everything,” said Rita. “He made sure I had great physical therapy, and he gave them good instructions to help me get better. And, you know, I'm just a happy granny and mom again.”

Learn More About Orthopedic Care

Back to 'Well Into Your Future'