HHH Volunteer Corp Presents Over 40k in Grants to Hospital Services

The HHH Volunteer Corp provides invaluable support to the Hospital, both through generously giving of their time and efforts in multiple departments and through raising funds that support numerous rehabilitation services and programs. These funds are raised through the HHH Gift Shop and other fundraising initiatives. This year, the Volunteers have selected several major hospital initiatives to fund, donating over $40,000 to various departments within the hospital for the purchase of rehabilitation technology and the expansion of adaptive sports and rehabilitation programming. Following is information on the recent programs which the Volunteer Corps has made possible.

• MusicGlove: Outpatient Neurology received funding to purchase Flint Rehabilitation Devices’s MusicGlove. This item is designed to increase fine motor skills and strengthen the hands of individuals who have suffered a stroke or other condition that affects hand movement. The MusicGlove has sensors that detect finger movement and is synced to a game similar to GuitarHero. The user must move specific fingers in time with the music on-screen.

• The C.A.R.E. Channel: The Volunteer Corp awarded a grant to the HHH Nursing Department to bring The C.A.R.E. Channel to our patient rooms. This channel provides 24 hours of patient programing designed to promote relaxation, improve restlessness, reduce anxiety, and enhance pain management protocols, while offering support and comfort during a 24 hour cycle. This channel can be found now at HHH on channel 60.

• Adaptive Sports & Recreation: The Adapted Sports and Recreation Program at HHH provides patients and community members with the opportunity to experience a vast array of adapted sports and recreational activities, including adapted skiing, baseball, rowing, rock climbing, gardening, handcyling and more. These activities not only benefit participants physically, but boost confidence and provide social opportunities. The Volunteer Corp presented the Adapted Sports and Recreation Program with a generous grant to offset the cost of their various adapted sports clinics.

• Spinal Cord Injury and Amputee Support Groups: HHH offers several monthly support groups for individuals living with a certain injury or diagnosis. The Spinal Cord Injury and Amputee Support Groups received funding to provide participants with special refreshments and holiday events.

• HHH Music Program: Provided to our Therapeutic Recreation Department Performing Arts Series, this grant funds performances by musicians, singers, dancers, and other entertainers as well as quarterly tuning of the HHH piano. This funding makes it possible to provide high-quality, live entertainment for our patients and their visitors.

• Learning Curve Software & Switch Adapted Telephones with Remote Controls: The Volunteer Corp has presented our Center for Rehabilitation Technology with grants to purchase two important pieces of adaptive technology:

1) The Learning Curve Software is a training progression designed to teach children with disabilities to use eye tracking technology for communication. This software program is used for the evaluation of children with very severe motor and cognitive impairments.

2) Three switch adapted telephones with remote controls will allow paralyzed inpatients to place phone calls independently. These phones will replace older accessible phones within the hospital, increasing patient independence.

• Apple iPads: Two apple iPads will be purchased for the Spinal Cord Injury and Amputee Service and the Subacute Service. These iPads will be used during occupational and physical therapy, speech, and recreational therapy treatment sessions to help facilitate cognition and fine motor strengthening and will also be used as an educational resource about disability and rehabilitation. In addition, the iPads can assist our patients with maintaining prior relationships and roles with regards to communication with their family/friends/caregivers.

We thank the Volunteer Corp for their dedication and tireless support of the hospital and its rehabilitation services!

Nancy Barbuto

Director of Patient Relations and Volunteer Corp.