National Nurses Day

Celebrating Nurses by Improving Patient Outcomes

On this day and every day, all of us at RESTORE-Skills honor nurses as the healthcare heroes that they are. I see firsthand in our work with senior care facilities the demands placed on nurses. They are always on the frontlines of every patients’ battle for the best outcome possible. Perhaps during no time since World War II has this been more apparent than in the middle of our current global pandemic of COVID-19. 

This National Nurses Day my team and I are celebrating long term care nurses by improving therapy outcomes for their patients.

I’ve seen firsthand that nurses in skilled nursing facilities are among the most dedicated in the field. They get to know patients in senior care facilities over a length of time and many consider the residents like family. It takes a special soul to nurse a patient back to health at a time when there are so many compounding issues that come with aging. Sometimes the job of the nurse is to simply hold a patients’ hands and provide comfort.

 

Other times, it’s the job of long term care nurses to motivate their patients to get up and get moving for therapy. While they are not the therapy providers, nurses and their assistants are key players in ensuring that patients are ready and in the best mindset possible for therapy sessions.

What if we made that part of nurses’ jobs a lot easier? And in the process, we improved the outcomes for patients these nurses have come to love?

My team and I are doing just that with RESTORE-Skills. Here’s how I am seeing our skilled nursing facility clients benefit from our therapy software tool:

  • Our award-winning gamification technology makes therapy fun and engaging so that patients actually ask to play. 
  • Skilled nursing patients are actually playing therapy games right in their rooms during COVID-19 while therapy gyms are closed.
  • Every team member of skilled nursing facilities becomes a therapy skill building superstar with just a laptop and webcam.
  • Patients are staying busy, active and engaged while reaching therapy goals, breaking up these long days isolated in their rooms while eating meals by the door.

 

This National Nurses Day, we’re honoring these healthcare heroes by working to advance their quiet daily goal of improving each patient’s outcome. I believe in the power of this software to create positive therapy outcomes on a massive scale because we see it happen in our clients’ facilities every day. The time is now to give nurses and all dedicated employees in skilled nursing facilities a game-changing tool in their arsenal.

 

We want to get RESTORE Skills in the hands of every long term care facility possible. Click here to learn about our COVID-19 special offer.

 

Skilled Nursing News

An Interview with Skilled Nursing News

We're thrilled to be featured on Skilled Nursing News today. Aaryn Crosby of Adaptive Rehab Services and our CEO, Eran Arden sat down with Skilled Nursing News to discuss the impact of RESTORE-Skills on therapy services and the unforeseen benefits in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Below, is an excerpt from the article:

By “gamifying” therapy via a hardware-agnostic platform, some providers are finding not only much greater engagement among patients and residents receiving therapy, but also the unforeseen benefit of engaging non-therapy residents and their family members under social distancing protocols set under the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Driving therapy engagement 

As a third-party therapy provider in multiple settings including post-acute and long-term care facilities, Adaptive Rehabilitation Services set out in 2019 to find a platform that would improve patient participation and garner more engagement in therapy as well as to measure functional skills and progress. Further, Adaptive wanted a solution that did not require a hardware purchase to host the platform. 

“There are a lot of products that require the user to have [a specific] device,” says Aaryn Crosby, Chief Operating Officer at Middleburg Heights, Ohio-based Adaptive Rehabilitation Services. “We were looking for something that can work on multiple systems and computers… something that could deliver functional room treatments. Many patients may not be able to come down or are nervous to come down to the gym.”

The company implemented RESTORE Skills in early 2020 and saw measured success in engagement. The platform, which can run on any web-enabled laptop with a display and a camera, provides a series of goal-oriented games that merge therapy with fun tasks that can be played with a single player or multiple players engaged on a single screen. 

With games to present to residents and patients, therapy teams soon reported that those not previously participating were increasingly using the platform and we're seeing increased functional outcomes. They were practicing more and were resisting less, which led to improved progress overall. 

“Having a truly fun and interactive therapy session versus a standard therapeutic exercise has increased engagement and mental well being by allowing patients to perform together and compete,” Crosby says. 

An unforeseen benefit: the platform serves as an activity for non-therapy residents as well. 

“We have had activity aides asking for us to train them on the program; residents’ roommates are telling them they want to try it out too,” he says.

Click here to read the full article. Interested in seeing gamification in action? Contact our team to schedule a demo and to learn how gamification can drive engagement and outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

moving and smiling

Get Residents Moving AND Smiling!

During the current COVID-19 outbreak, finding fun ways to keep residents moving and smiling can be a challenge. But, with just a laptop & a simple controller, you can have a dynamic therapy session anywhere! 

An Innovative Option

Contrived treatment approaches, like puzzles, pegboards, or batting balloons, lack the element of FUN, which can limit someone's ability to reach their goals. However, gamifying therapeutic exercise can improve engagement and enjoyment. Our online games keep residents active and happy, in the gym or their room. In fact, one of my favorite stories came from a speech therapist who was a RESTORE Champion for her center. She won over a resident after he expressed that he didn't want to leave his room or participate in therapy. After talking with him, she brought in her laptop and played a video of someone using RESTORE. She explained the functionality of games, how to play, and gain agreement. In the end, they completed a fun AND meaningful 30-minute session in his room.  The therapist thought out of the box and created an experience both they enjoyed. It was amazing to hear about!

Below are a few tips for how you can create a motivating and exciting therapy session right in the patient's room.

  • Become a RESTORE Rockstar: If you're not confident with RESTORE, it can become a barrier to patient engagement. Take a few minutes each day to explore the platform to learn the games & functionality. 
  • Tap Into Your Inner Coach (And Cheerleader): Demonstrate the actions & tasks you want your patient to achieve and assure them you are there for support!
  • Share the Fun with a Family Member: For added support, loved ones can use teleconferencing to join Fun of the RESTORE session.

moving and smiling

The RESTORE Difference

Whether you'd like to make activities more accessible or more challenging for your players, then the Settings button is full of fantastic customizability. Each game has unique settings options that you can adjust to meet the player's interests and needs. Our users are active in over 200 healthcare centers and nursing homes throughout the country. We've seen players of all cognitive and physical levels have fun, work towards their goals, and find success. A meaningful skill-building session can genuinely happen anywhere, anytime!

To get your residents moving and smiling now, click here & learn about our COVID-19 Special Offer!

Follow RESTOREskills on Facebook & LinkedIn for updates on our platform, new game announcements, testimonials, tips, and much much more! To schedule an obligation free demonstration of our on-demand therapy platform with our team, please contact us at info@:.com or call (330) 968-2879. We look forward to supporting your goals!

skill-building

Skill-Building with Anything Red, Green, or Blue 🔴🟢🔵

Now, more than ever, health professionals and providers are turning to technology to support patients. Skill-building can happen anywhere, anytime, while having fun! We can support you in keeping patients active, happy, and healthy. 

skill-building

Part of what makes RESTORE so unique and adaptable is how we can turn any round red, green, or blue object into a game controller. Our innovative technology uses color-tracking so you can assist, support, guide, and play alongside your patients without interrupting their experience! All you need to get started are a few ball-shaped objects that are red, green, or blue. We recommend using objects like Play-Doh, gloves, cups, socks, or a loofa. Larger objects, like an exercise or medicine ball, work best for focusing on gross motor skills. Use something small, like a dry erase marker, to target fine-motor skills such as grip and grasp. You can also attach wrist/ankle weights to the player or calibrate free weights as a controller for added resistance & strength training. The tips should help you & your patients have an excellent experience:

Playing Tips & Tricks!

  • Get close, but not too close: Set the player 1 to 3-feet away from the camera. If playing with a larger object, try positioning them 4-6 feet away.
  • Endless Possibilities: Stickers, stress balls, free weights, or therabands! The sky’s the limit when it comes to finding objects in your gym/center that can be used to play RESTORE games.
  • Show the Camera What You’ve Got: When playing, the color of your object must be pronounced & visible to the camera at all times in order to track. Avoid turning down your wrist or covering controllers with your hands.

We love to hear from our users, so send us a picture of your players or team with their most unique controllers. We’re excited for your creativity to start flowing and for you to discover the unlimited potential of the objects you can track with RESTORE!

To start now, click here & learn about our COVID-19 Special Offer!


Follow RESTOREskills on Facebook & LinkedIn for updates on our platform, new game announcements, testimonials, tips, and much much more! To schedule an obligation free demonstration of our on-demand therapy platform with our team, please contact us at info@:.com or call (330) 968-2879. We look forward to supporting your goals!

engage isolated residents

Engage Isolated Residents of All Levels

Engaging isolated residents with moderate to severe cognitive impairments during the current COVID-19 outbreak can be challenging. However, with just a laptop & a simple ball, you can have a fun and dynamic therapy session right at their bedside! RESTORE games can be enjoyed by players of any level. We find that therapists experience the most success when they match the game with the player’s history or hobbies. To help gain agreement and make your treatment approach meaningful, begin the RESTORE session with asking the player about their life and interests. Prioritize engagement, reminiscing, and communication over playing. 

RESTORE is meant to be a compliment to your treatment session and not by itself there to treat your patient. One challenge you might encounter is that a goal-directed player understands the activity they are to perform, but may not want to participate for fear of failure. Therapists can quell this fear by grading activities/settings to player ability so they can succeed and be challenged. Below are some tips to help you successfully engage a player with moderate to severe cognitive impairment:

Playing Tips & Tricks!

  • Give strong consideration to your environment: Identify an environment with limited distractions based on noise, congestion/traffic, lighting, etc.
  • Take the Time: Allow extra time for player to respond to directions/commands
  • Distinguish between limitations: Don’t allow a player’s physical limitations to interfere with your assessment of their cognitive function

engaging players of all levels

When playing your first session, to take time to see if the player can correct mistakes or improve after gaining understanding - but avoid the player getting discouraged or frustrated whenever possible! We hope this post encouraged you to try something new with your residents today. Our fun, engaging, and meaningful games are meant for everyone to enjoy, so open your laptop, grab a controller, and watch the magic of a RESTORE session unfold!

To start now, click here & learn about our COVID-19 Special Offer!


Follow RESTOREskills on Facebook & LinkedIn for updates on our platform, new game announcements, testimonials, tips, and much much more! To schedule an obligation free demonstration of our on-demand therapy platform with our team, please contact us at info@restoreskills.com or call (330) 968-2879. We look forward to supporting your goals!

motivate residents

Motivate Residents to be Active in Their Rooms!

Motivating resients isolated in their room can be a struggle. This fun upper body activity is a favorite among all of our players. Bring the excitement of the casino to your patient’s room to boost engagement AND practice UE strengthening! All you need is a laptop and a rounded object for the player to experience the fun of a virtual slot machine.

In the game "Jackpot", players pull the handle to try and win big! They can engage with the game while standing, seated, or even lying in their bed to target AROM, crossing midline, and functional reach. Below are some great tips to help you engage a player in the room with our #1 game "Jackpot"!

Playing Tips & Tricks!

  • Get the Most from the Capture Settings: Range of motion & camera capture options can be adjusted to a large, medium, or small semi-circle for players seated or lying in bed.
  • Increase the Challenge: Attach wrist weights to the player or calibrate free weights as a controller for added resistance & strength training!
  • Players Can Win...Really! If a player pulls a rare "Triple WILD" jackpot, let us know, and we'll send them RESTORE a t-shirt.

Engaging Activities Anywhere

With more therapy sessions happening in the room, motivate residents and offer a distraction from environmental barriers and psychosocial factors. Play "Jackpot" with a resident to help them forget about their discomfort, loneliness, or anxiety. We hope you’ll follow these tips for an exciting and innovative therapy session.

To start now, click here & learn about our COVID-19 Special Offer!


Follow RESTOREskills on Facebook & LinkedIn for updates on our platform, new game announcements, testimonials, tips, and much much more! To schedule an obligation free demonstration of our on-demand therapy platform with our team, please contact us at info@restoreskills.com or call (330) 968-2879. We look forward to supporting your goals!

Home Safety Scenarios

New “Safely Home” Game Supports Hazard Awareness

After several requests from therapists, we are so excited to launch our newest game designed to help players identify and resolve hazardous scenarios in & around their homes. "Safely Home" allows players to interact with different areas of the home in order to identify and reduce a variety of hazard risks in a fun, engaging, and meaningful way. 

Home SafetySafely Home 

Players work to recognize safety hazards they may encounter inside or outside of home. To play, move the controller to the hazard to activate solution options. Choose the best solution to resolve the safety hazard, until all hazards in the room are corrected. The player will use attention/concentration, safety recognition, problem-solving, judgment, and decision making skills to manage the hazards in the household.  The game addresses balance, activity tolerance/endurance and can be played seated, standing.

 

Home Safety

Adapting one’s home to accommodate the needs of seniors is vital for independence, happiness, and longevity. Therapists can launch "Safley Home" as a means to engage in important conversations with their patients, while players build upon the critical skills needed for a safe discharge. 

We love hearing from you!

We were built by therapists for therapists. In fact, our most popular game "Jackpot" was suggested to us by an OT in Colorado. Be sure to share your thoughts on the game "Safely Home", including any suggestions you have for additions to the game.

Our team is always looking to improve our existing games & create new ones to address the skills you target in your sessions. So, please don't be shy! Send your tips, fixes, or ideas to info@restoreskills.com!


Follow RESTOREskills on Facebook & LinkedIn for updates on our platform, new game announcements, testimonials, tips, and much much more! To schedule an obligation free demonstration of our on-demand therapy platform with our team, please contact us at info@restoreskills.com or call (330) 968-2879. We look forward to supporting your goals!

 

New “Stop the Spread” Game Promotes Awareness of Healthy Practices

Businesses, healthcare centers, and concerned individuals everywhere are looking for resources which reinforce the use of proper hand-washing & other health practices in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. 

In an effort to help promote awareness for patients & residents, we’ve launched a new game designed to educate in a fun, engaging, and non-threatening manner. "Stop the Spread" combines essential health education with cognitive skill-building for attention, concentration, memory, problem-solving, & safety awareness!

Stop the SpreadStop the Spread

In this game, players work to identify and match the health tip on each card. Move the controller over the cards to flip over and reveal the healthy practice on the card. Test your memory by finding all of the matches as fast as you can!  Therapists & Care Partners can change from the memory to matching setting to directly match a card to the image in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. A wonderful game to target recall, scanning, problem-solving, functional reach, and crossing the midline.

Stop the Spread

 

Play anytime, anywhere! 

With 90% of therapy treatment sessions being delivered in resident rooms, now is the time to take advantage of RESTORE's portability.

Team members can simply bring their laptops to the resident's room to address functional skills and review best health practices by playing Stop the Spread. Use the games cards as prompts for conversation to help with health education. 

  • Tip: Devices can be used on a bedside table or stand to accommodate patients whether they’re lying in bed, sitting on the edge of the bed, sitting in a chair, or standing. 

Be sure to follow our blog for more tips & examples of how you can set up a meaningful skill-building session right in the resident’s room! 


Follow RESTOREskills on Facebook & LinkedIn for updates on our platform, new game announcements, testimonials, tips, and much much more! To schedule an obligation free demonstration of our on-demand therapy platform with our team, please contact us at info@restoreskills.com or call (330) 968-2879. We look forward to supporting your goals!

in room therapy

Keep Patients Active with an In-Room Session! 💪👟📈

Our customers are reporting 90% of therapy treatment sessions are now being delivered in patients’ rooms. A major shift from 95% of therapy sessions occurring in the gym prior to the pandemic. Now is the time to enhance your own devices! Take advantage of RESTORE’s portability to keep residents active, happy, and healthy in their rooms.

Take advantage of RESTORE portability, engagement, and FUN

  • Laptops/Tablets access RESTORE through internet connection and webcam
  • Follow center guidelines for cleaning if planning to remove from the room once brought in - but consider dedicating a device to an isolation room for the duration of isolation precautions
  • Using RESTORE on one device does not limit simultaneous use of RESTORE on other devices

Build Skills Anytime, Anywhere!

RESTORE offers a full skill-building platform to address mobility, range of motion, coordination, cognition, activity tolerance, life-skill readiness, & much more!

Therapists can simply bring their laptops to the patient room to stay on track with a treatment plan, address functional skills, & teleconference patients’ families for encouragement and education. Devices can be used on a bedside table or stand to accommodate patients whether they’re lying in bed, sitting on the edge of the bed, sitting in a chair, or standing.   

 

The RESTORE Difference

RESTORE games/activities promote player engagement and are a great distraction from environmental barriers and psychosocial factors (such as discomfort, loneliness, anxiety, etc.) Therapists can simply bring their laptops to the patient room to stay on track with a treatment plan, address functional skills, & teleconference patients’ families for encouragement and education. "We had a flu lock down, so people could not come to the gym. We were stuck doing in-room treatments & residents were very bored. RESTORE was an incredible tool for us to have for in-room treatments!" - Elisabeth Gardner, DOR at Elmhurst Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center 

 

Be sure to follow our blog for more tips & examples of how you can set up a meaningful skill-building session right in your patient’s room! 


Follow  RESTOREskills on Facebook & LinkedIn for updates on our platform, new game announcements, testimonials, tips, and much much more! To schedule an obligation free demonstration of our on-demand therapy platform with our team, please contact us at info@restoreskills.com or call (330) 968-2879. We look forward to supporting your goals!

COVID-19

AVOID the Health Risks of COVID-19 Isolation

Now, more than ever, it is imperative to keep your residents active, happy, and healthy! In this series of posts, we will discuss the challenges & health risks that may arise due to patient isolation and restricted visitation in the wake of COVID-19

We know your first priority is the health, safety, and well-being of everyone in your community. During this time, we want you to know we’re here for you! RESTORE can help mitigate the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial risks involved with social isolation.

 

Physical Health Risks COVID-19Physical Risks

  • Skeletal muscle strength can decrease up to 1.5% per day of bed rest → Skill-building with RESTORE can occur bedside in the patients’ room (and may be used by multiple team members simultaneously)
  • Heightened risk of falls with fractureOur games support functional mobility, range of motion, coordination, balance, & activity tolerance
  • Increased risk for skin breakdown & pressure soresFUNctional games turn every patients’ room into a skill-building gym 

 

Cognitive Health Risks COVID-19Cognitive Risks

  • Seniors who suffer from social isolation have a 64% higher risk of dementia → RESTORE helps dementia patients reach their best abilities
  • Potential for a shortened attention span → Games promote cognitive skill-building with attention, concentration, memory, problem-solving, & safety awareness
  • Loss of trust and self-confidence or decreased safety awareness → Players succeed with patient-centered activities individualized to their cognitive level

 

Cognitive Health Risks COVID-19

Psychosocial Risks

  • Increased prevalence of anxiety, depression, & unwanted behaviors → Features include leaderboards so players can compare their game scores with others
  • Heightened sense of loneliness, social isolation → Friends & family can be included during a RESTORE session via video conference with screen sharing
  • Increased thoughts of mortality → RESTORE creates an opportunity for meaningful interaction, encouragement, & education

 

How We Can Help! 

Players can experience the FUN of virtually pulling a slot machine handle to win a jackpot, skiing down the slopes of a world cup race, or controlling the flight path of a plane from the comfort and safety of their room. Enhance your own devices and take advantage of RESTORE’s portability to keep residents active, happy, and healthy from the comfort of their room. 

To help you overcome these challenges, we’ve decided to dramatically reduce the cost of our platform. Now your residents and team members can enjoy RESTORE and connect family members at a special monthly cost.

3-MONTH SPECIAL OFFER*: $199/month (MSRP $495)

*Special offer grants three-month access to a limited version of RESTORE-Skills. Valid until 03/31/2020.

For more details click here or if you have any questions or would like to learn more about our special offer, please email us at info@restoreskills.com.