Tag Archives: games

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

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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! 💪👟📈

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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

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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 fracture → Our games support functional mobility, range of motion, coordination, balance, & activity tolerance
  • Increased risk for skin breakdown & pressure sores → FUNctional 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. 

eCap Summit 2020: The ReCap!

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Every conference feels like a marathon, and eCap Summit 2020 was no exception! The RESTORE team had a fantastic time networking, connecting with operators, and showcasing our cutting-edge platform to industry leaders. As our Founder & CEO, Eran Arden said of this year’s energetic and impactful event, “we met more potential partners and clients in two days than in the past six months combined! What an amazing experience! Thank you, Hersch Krohner, Joe Stefansky, Norman Rokeach, and Barry Munk for making this happen.” 

Friendly Competition

It was exciting to bring the fun and energy of the RESTORE experience to eCap this year! It was awesome to see operators and leaders enjoying the next-generation patient experience as much as our players do every day in our partner centers. eCap goers enjoyed an amped-up version of our game Ski Saga complete with a Miami theme & increased difficulty for our participants as they competed to be on the top of the leaderboard. 🌴 We also hosted a raffle for those who participated in the ski challenge and were able to give one lucky winner a 2-night ski trip in Vermont. Most noteworthy was seeing so many attendees have fun and push themselves to try an innovative tool!

Emerging Technologies Startup Tank

One final stand out moment from eCap was the Emerging Technologies Startup Tank competition. Organized by the Israel-American Aging Technology Association Founder Eran Arden & eCap leaders, the startup tank offered a great opportunity to all who participated. “With RESTORE, it took me a year in the U.S. to understand what I didn’t know and how different the market is here.” For that reason, Eran told the audience, “I founded IAATA to help Israeli startup leaders shortcut their learning curve.”

The competition had three leaders from innovative Israel startups participate in the pitch: Keren Etkin (Clanz), Iftach Cohen (Zero Energy), and our own Eran Arden (RESTORE-Skills). Weighing in with questions, tips, and expertise were the four amazing “sharks”! Big thanks to Barry Munk (Marquis Health Services), Vincent Fedele (Zimmet Healthcare Services Group), Ben Shibe (Cascade Capital), and Seth Gribetz (Walnut Court Capital). Each participant showcased an exciting technology and walked away, thankful for the invaluable insights into the industry and American market given by the judges. 

Another incredible event put on by the eCap Summit this year! The hosts created a great atmosphere for networking and hard work, along with entertainment and the chance to enjoy games, meals, and presentations.

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!

McKnight's Long-Term News logo

RESTORE in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News

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We're honored & excited to be featured on McKnight's Long-Term Care News today. McKnight’s is a business news magazine serving the institutional long-term care field. They especially focus on news in the high-acuity skilled nursing setting. Below, is an excerpt from the article:

“RESTORE Skills has launched an interactive software product for adult rehabilitation patients that uses any webcam-equipped, Wi-Fi-enabled device as a therapy tool in the gym, at the bedside or at home post-discharge.

Our technology — the first to offer this level of mobility — provides a scalable platform to help skilled nursing organizations and therapy practitioners deliver positive rehab,” said Eran Arden, RESTORE’s founder and CEO. “At a time when therapy protocols are shifting, RESTORE enables the creation of more practice opportunities, the collection of meaningful data, and the design of therapy protocols according to a patient’s progress”

Long-term care patients & staff enjoy RESTORE

Follow the link to McKnight's to read the article and learn how we're bringing the power of gamification to skill-building in therapy and beyond. 🚀 We're happy to see the news of our technology spreading throughout the industry. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to share it with a colleague or friend!

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!

Who is a Good Candidate for RESTORE?

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When first starting RESTORE people often ask "who's a good candidate?" or "who can play?" We want residents of all levels to play our games, move more, and have fun! If you can successfully facilitate the session, you can play with anyone. So in this post, you'll learn who can benefit from playing and get tips on how to get started. We'll also look at examples of how others are incorporating RESTORE into their routines.

Players can engage in any position. Sitting, standing, supported by a therapist, or lying down.

Play More, Reach for More, Achieve More

The most important thing to know before setting a patient in front of RESTORE is what skills you will target. Our therapeutic activities focus on the following skills areas:

  • Mobility - balance, weight shifting, sit to stand, lateral, forward/backward, dynamic
  • Upper/Lower Extremity - ROM, coordination, isolated/integrated movements, activity tolerance
  • Cognition - attention, concentration, memory, problem-solving, judgment, sequencing, decision making, following directions

When you first introduce the platform to your patients, begin by explaining how the tech works and how playing can help them achieve goals in a fun yet beneficial way. Then discuss the skills to be addressed and help the player choose a game and an object to use as a controller. Regardless of the goal, players will stay engaged in therapeutic activities longer and have fun!

Who Can Play?  

Our platform is accessible and adaptable. With a simple object and a webcam, residents can interact with games in any position: standing at parallel bars, seated at a desk or in a wheelchair, supported by a walker or therapist, or lying in bed. The following stories are great examples of the different types of players who've succeeded with RESTORE!

Long Term Patients

First is the story of a patient we'll call 'Sarah' who was recovering from carotid surgery when she first played. During her initial session, the therapist had 'Sarah' play the game Ski Saga to work her range of motion. She started by using her right arm to reach outside the base of support in seated and standing positions. Next, she played the time using her full body. With assistance from her therapist, 'Sarah' shifted from side to side and squatted for the bridges on screen. Even though she hit almost every obstacle, with the skier yelling "oomph" each time, 'Sarah' was cracking up! Her friends were visiting during therapy, and they were all laughing together. When 'Sarah' sat down, she was short of breath from the session. We asked what she thought, and she responded, "That was tough and made me work hard! I almost said the "f" word!"

At a different center, the recreation team often brings long term residents to the gym to play RESTORE games. One of their patients, Tina, enjoys playing the game Jackpot to work on her active range of motion, crossing midline, and functional reach. Every time we played and scored the jackpot, she got so excited and yelled out her winnings to everyone in the gym. As Jen, the center's Recreation Assistant, shared, "the residents caught on fast and were remembering fun times in Atlantic City. So, we weren't only exercising but playing and reminiscing too!"

Short Term Patients 

One of the most enthusiastic players we met was Tamie in Cleveland, Ohio. Tamie was a short-term patient who recently had surgery on a torn rotator cuff in her right shoulder. Her OT, Liz, knew Tami was a great candidate and explained how RESTORE can help her have fun while she develops her skills! Liz was working with Tamie to increase her range of motion and activity tolerance so that she can soon independently manage dressing, bathing, and other self-care needs. Tamie played the game Ancient Temple using both arms to reach the top! When we asked her what she thought of playing, she said, "I forgot about the pain, I forgot everything! I forgot that this was therapy. It allowed me more mobility & I had fun."

Elsewhere therapists set up a mobile platform in front of a patient while she was sitting on a mat. They asked her favorite color and placed a green RESTORE controller (ball) in her right hand. She played games to challenge her core control and dynamic sitting balance while working on functional reaching with the right UE. The player had the most beautiful smile and felt empowered being in control of her movements while interacting with the games. The session ended up being 45 minutes, although the patient didn't want to stop! She stayed engaged the entire time, and it was clear this was the best she had ever performed. The multiple skill goals of the session were realized, thus accelerating her outcomes.

The RESTORE Difference

Each of these players went into their session not knowing what to expect but they left feeling excited and accomplished. Because when patients smile, laugh, and have fun, they push harder, practice longer, and move more. In this post, we learned who's the right candidate for RESTORE, reviewed practical tips to get started, and saw the magic of therapeutic gamification in each story. We can't wait to see how you create a better day for your patients!

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!

meet the team

Meet the Team: Jayne

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In this series, you heard from our team members about their favorite moments over the last year! If you missed Guy's post about his trip to the US, you can find that here. In this post, Jayne, our National Director of Partnerships, tells us about one of her favorite RESTORE experiences from 2019. 

I've been a member of the RESTORE family since the company moved from Israel to the US. I have many great memories and favorite moments from over the years. As we shifted from the kids' platform to the adult platform and I started to work closely with therapists and patients in centers, I quickly realized there was a similar trend: a lack of time for creativity and limited utilization of technology. Luckily, I knew this was a problem we could help solve!

It never fails to warm my soul to see how a simple, portable tool can change an entire center. The slight shift in attitude and incorporation of fun, interactive technology makes a world of difference for everyone involved. It can take a therapist from one who does the same things every day to one who boldly embraces a new approach. And whose patients reap the benefits!

Getting Started

The best part of my job, by far, is witnessing players experience our games for the first time! Patients push harder and longer than they have before because they're having fun. They smile, laugh, and cheer one another on, creating memorable experiences for everyone. A great example of this is from a recent visit I had with a center in Maryland. A woman in a wheelchair came for therapy to work on core and lower body strengthening. I was excited for her to play because we have some great options for targeting these areas! 

We explained how to play, and it was clear she was ready for some fun. The therapist attached a controller to her chest, customized the range of motion, and played Ski Saga to start. Guided by her therapist, she shifted from side to side and played for over 30 seconds. She flew down the slopes avoiding obstacles to the best of her ability, smiling the entire time! All of us had so much fun and she asked to play another game. This time, her therapist wanted her to play using her legs.

The RESTORE Difference

We placed a controller on her toes and played another game with her extending her leg straight out. The first time she heard the Ladybugs go "Yippee" as she helped them cross the bridge, she laughed audibly, and her face lit up! After playing for about a minute, the therapist mentioned that she was able to extend her leg more than she has before. This made the patient feel very accomplished and proud of her hard work. Then, I showed them how to access the data to view duration (time played) and the movement map, which affirmed what the therapist said. 

In my opinion, RESTORE is much more than just a therapy tool. It is often-needed defibrillation, restarting the heart of therapy departments and reminding them of why they wake up every morning. Working closely with therapists and patients to ensure that they have the best experience while they are in therapy is why I continue to love what we do here at RESTORE! 

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!

restorative nursing

Getting More from RESTORE: Supporting Restorative Nursing

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We’re back to discuss how nurses, caretakers, and family members can come together to support a patient’s recovery. We want to help teams connect as they advance patient goals, whether they’re in short term rehab, long term, community, or home care! In the first post of this series, we looked at the ways Activities Directors have put RESTORE to use with their long term patients. In this post, we’ll first talk about the benefit to nursing and restorative teams before finally covering tips for utilization!  

Restorative Nursing 

We’ve all heard the phrase, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” Restorative services provide hope and independence to residents by working with them to improve functionality. RESTORE activities brings interactive, skill-based fun to your nursing tool kit! For patients, daily practice is critical. And practicing outside of the therapy gym will help to prevent functional decline. Using RESTORE in conjunction with traditional treatment is ideal because it allows the resident to focus on what they can do rather than what they can’t. Take Mrs. Vanessa Cummings, a resident at Elmhurst Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, for example. Vanessa was experiencing pain in bilateral LE and had difficulty standing. But, after playing & standing for 5 minutes she said, “I know this serves a purpose, it helps me forget about the pain when I focus on the fun of the game.”

Put it Into Practice

To support the interdisciplinary collaboration between rehab and nursing services, patients no longer on therapy caseload can include RESTORE as part of a maintenance program. For example, a therapist can assign sessions to a care partner (nursing or restorative care) for supported play with the patient 2-3 times per week. Working on medication management with a patient? Play Pill Skill using hand over hand guidance to ensure your patient locates the correct medication bottle. Then help facilitate movement to appropriate pillbox location. The game allows players to practice this task repeatedly in a fun, positive environment. It also builds their confidence as they move onto replicating the task in real life. 

medication management for restorative nursing
Screenshot of the RESTORE game Pill Skill

I hope this post provides some tangible ways to use and implement RESTORE both in and out of the gym. If you’re a non-therapy professional, we want to hear from you! Share a favorite experience, patient progress story, or photo by emailing amanda@restoreksills.com. We can’t wait to hear from you! 

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!

group and concurrent therapy

Getting More from RESTORE: Collaborating with Activities

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From our work with our facility partners, we know that RESTORE can be a pathway for collaboration. Our mission is to help teams within facilities connect so that they can advance patient goals together! In this next series of blog posts, we’ll talk about how different departments can use RESTORE to create fun, engaging, and meaningful experiences in support of patient goals.

Activities & Recreation

Whether it’s a group outing or afternoon social, Activities brings a sense of community, joy, and excitement to residents, helping them get the most out of their day! They create meaningful experiences to keep residents engaged and healthy while providing valued support to other departments. Working in tandem with the therapy department, for example, to increase residents’ function and physical movement, elevate their mood, and decrease any adverse events like falls and readmission. 

One way buildings can get the most out of the RESTORE platform is to utilize games as a part of a group/community activity! For example, play our Thanksgiving-themed games during your building’s Thanksgiving celebration. Have fun laughing and reminiscing with your patients and their families about their favorite holiday stories, recipes, and traditions! Activities staff can then follow up with therapy if a specific patient/resident expresses interest for more frequent use of RESTORE. 

support patient goals

The RESTORE Difference 

As we heard from the New Eastwood Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, residents of all levels love to engage with the platform. Their Activities team will often bring long term residents to visit the gym to play RESTORE games. For example, Tina played Jackpot, focusing on AROM, crossing midline, and functional reach. Every time she scored a jackpot, she yelled out her winnings, she was so excited! She told the OT in the gym that she wants to come down to the gym more often and play more games. Vicki, another long term resident in the group, said Ski Saga was her favorite, “it had me squatting and moving, but if I hit the hit the trees or bridges, the skier would make a noise!”  

Therapists at Crest Pointe Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center also take advantage of RESTORE! Recreation Director Barbara S. told us, “I’ve noticed how much fun our residents are having, and it’s a great resource for them to use coordination.” Jen C, the recreation assistant, told us that she usually worked evening in the sensory program and noticed that “the residents caught on quickly! When playing Jackpot, they remembered times in Atlantic City. So, we were not only exercising but playing and reminiscing too!” 

What Our Users Have to Say!

residents enjoy RESTORE with activities

 

“The RESTORE program has added a whole new level to our Activities Program. Residents who were not interested in anything else,
are participating & enjoying the games, & at the same time, they are receiving the valuable benefits of exercise. Residents are pairing up to do the group games, working as teams & socializing more.

We had one resident that had lost a loved one, and the RESTORE games helped her past her depression. As an Activities Director, I am excited to be able to employ this new technology, to bring enjoyment & increased quality of life to our Residents.”  – Erin McCorry, Director of Activities, Coral Harbor Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center

Put It Into Practice

These are the kind of experiences we want to help create, both in and out of the gym! I hope this post showed how RESTORE could be played by any therapist, Activities director, nurse, or family member supporting a player’s (patient) goals. If you’re a non-therapy professional who uses RESTORE, we want to hear from you! Share a favorite experience, patient progress story, or photo by emailing amanda@restoreksills.com. We can’t wait for our tribe to hear from you! 

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!

Thankful for more RESTORE!

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Beans, greens, potatoes, stuffing, pie…yum! We can’t wait to eat & celebrate with our families next week. Luckily, your players can start their festivities early with these Thanksgiving-themed games! Have fun with the following activities while you reminisce with your patients and families about their favorite holiday stories. They’ll be grateful you did!

Turkey Hunt 

What’s Thanksgiving without the turkey?! In this game, players aim the target at a turkey & dwell on shooting. After playing, a patient said, “I like that it makes you competitive with yourself, and it’s fun to compete with the other patients. I love it! It exercised my arms and mind while having fun!” Launch this game to work on bilateral coordination, accuracy, and range of motion. After all this turkey, you might need a nap!

Fall Feast

It’s time to set the table for your big family dinner! Control the pilgrim by moving side to side to catch the fall feast items shown (listed from bottom to top) while avoiding the incorrect items. When playing this game, a speech therapist in the Marquis network said: “This is great for working memory!” You’ll have your plate full with options, like playing with a controller attached to the hand, head, chest, or finger. Be sure to adjust the range of motion based on the amount of movement desired for your player.

Throwing a Thanksgiving meal for your residents and looking to add some fun?!  These games will have them laughing, reminiscing, and returning for seconds. Log in today to satisfy your appetite! 🍽🦃

Follow  RESTOREskills on Facebook & LinkedIn for updates on our platform, new game announcements, testimonials, tips, and much much more! To have your story featured on our blog, please contact our social media manager via email amanda@restoreskills.com or call (330) 968-2879. We look forward to supporting your goals