McKay-Dee Hospital is giving patients new hope as they recover from serious medical setbacks by using adaptive cycling and bringing in volunteers who’ve faced similar challenges. The volunteers help patients envision new possibilities as they recover.
It’s all happening in the Neuro Specialty Rehab Unit at the hospital. Cara Greenwald, McKay-Dee NSRU therapy manager, says the program helps people better understand the recovery options available to them.
“We’re also helping caregivers to understand inpatient rehab is more than just getting patients stronger and home safely,” says Cara, who’s a physical therapist. “This connects patients with community resources to promote healthy living.”
Ogden Valley Adaptive Sports is a local non-profit that’s part of the effort. The hope is once a patient has experienced what they can do with an adaptive bicycle, they may be more interested in seeking out community resources that help them find new ways to engage in activities they love, Cara says.
“We find connecting people to the things they love helps drive motivation and neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to modify and adapt,” she says. “This helps them recover while they’re in the inpatient setting. The other piece is that we’re trying to help our patients not just get better enough to go home, but help them stay home and thrive in their community. So that helps them connect with community resources, like adaptive cycling, so they can get out and stay active doing the things they love in whatever way they can.”
One recent patient says the adaptive cycling is the best part of the program. Another says the cycling made them feel young again.
“We’re working on connecting patients with other adaptive sports and wellness activities such as yoga, skiing, kayaking, and more within our local community,” Lauren says.
Cara offered an example.
“Patients may not be able to go through all of the positions you’d traditionally think of as part of yoga,” Cara says. “Patients who have a complete spinal cord injury, for example, can’t do a downward dog. But adaptive yoga is typically done in a seated position and the yoga positions are modified to meet individual’s needs.”
Intermountain’s Rehab Advocates Mindset Mentoring Program, or RAMMP, utilizes former patient volunteers to help with the rehab approach. The program is a unique peer-mentoring approach that connects patients who’ve had a serious medical setback with peers who’ve experienced similar setbacks.
The program includes several components including peer mentoring, support group, adaptive sports, and community reintegration. The same program is already in place at Intermountain Medical Center and Utah Valley Hospital. Lauren Lundstrom is the program’s coordinator for the McKay-Dee rehab unit.
“This program gives people hope they can do more than they can currently see,” Lauren says.
Lauren says the work they do is very rewarding because they can see how it helps their patients grow.
“Seeing patients who are still struggling to do the basics during therapy, successfully, out riding a bike with a huge smile on their face is an indescribable feeling,” Lauren says.
“Offering patients opportunities in their communities to be active, regardless of their abilities, is really about our mission to help promote living the healthiest lives possible,” Cara says.