Hospital’s New Occupational Therapy Room Helps Patients Relearn Daily Living Skills

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - March 20, 2013 - PRLog -- PALM COAST – Florida Hospital Flagler’s Rehabilitation Department now has a fully-equipped room for occupational therapists to treat a variety of diagnosis. It is the only one of its kind in Flagler County.

The occupational therapists help patients affected by a stroke or traumatic brain injury, or who have other physical cognitive disabilities, fully engage back into their daily routines, such as simply getting up in the morning, going to work, or walking the dog. The new facility at Florida Hospital Flagler is designed to mirror the interior of a home, so patients can relearn the skills of daily living such as such as cooking or ironing clothes.

“We really want our patients to be able to function normally within their own homes,” said Deana Garner, Florida Hospital Flagler Occupational Therapist. “The great thing about our new space is that it is a home-like setting. This allows the patient to fully engage in an activity, whereas before, we were just simulating the activity. For example, a patient may come in now and tell us they are having a problem unloading the dishwasher. Now we can physically see what the problem is.”

Located in the former pediatric rehab room at the hospital, the new treatment area allows the rehab staff to better fulfill their mission to teach and assist patients in learning the skills they need to return to their highest possible quality of life at home.

“As an occupational therapist, our main goal is helping patients improve their quality of life and reintegrate back into their daily lives,” said Garner. “Through our new home-like facility, we are able to achieve that.”

About Florida Hospital Flagler
Florida Hospital Flagler is a part of Adventist Health System, the nation’s largest not-for-profit Protestant healthcare provider with a mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ. Florida Hospital Flagler has 99-licensed beds and employs nearly 1,000 caregivers, of which nearly 75 percent live in Flagler County. Florida Hospital Flagler continues to grow with the community and is now comprised of the hospital’s main campus; Town Center Surgery, a freestanding outpatient center; and the Parkway Medical Plaza which includes a walk-in clinic, laboratory, imaging and women’s center and physician offices. For more information, please call (386) 586-2000 or visit www.FloridaHospitalFlagler.com.

Photo Caption:
Deana Garner, Florida Hospital Flagler Occupational Therapist, assists Palm Coast resident Rohini Singh in the kitchen of the hospital’s new fully-equipped occupational therapy room. Singh had a stroke and began rehabilitation at the Palm Coast hospital with little-to-no movement. While she has fully-reengaged back into her life, she still has some residual deficits on her right side. Here, she’s working with Garner on kitchen tasks to continue her improvements.