Tag Archives: Therapy Technology

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!

Tis’ the Season for Gamified FUN!

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Are you looking for a fun way to warm up the residents at your next holiday event? Look no further! To celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, we’re launching holiday renditions of your favorite games. Time to serve up some cocoa, put on some music and spread cheer with a RESTORE Holiday party. Below, you’ll learn all about the three (3) seasonal games launched this week, along with tips for best use. Be sure to log in and play before the holiday magic is gone! 

Elf on the Slope

Elves are so busy running around for Santa in the days leading up to Christmas. In this game, patients navigate through candy cane arches and collect presents for Christmas. See who can receive the most gifts with the Elf on the Slope today! This is an excellent game for players working on lateral mobility as they’ll practice weight shifting, balancing, and squatting. When asked what her favorite game is one patient said, “I loved the skiing game! I didn’t think I was going to be able to do it. I was surprised when I was good at it. I’m going to tell my sister I skied in therapy today!”

 

Holly Jolly Slots

Embrace the excitement of the holidays with Holly Jolly Slots. Players will pull the slots to collect three  (3) matching Hanukkah or Christmas items to win the round! A perfect activity for patients working on activity tolerance or UE range of motion and players love engaging with the virtual slot machine!  When asked why it was their favorite, one player said, “I have to concentrate on it. It makes me change hands too. It’s a great fun game. I love it!” Reminder: If a player pulls a rare “Triple WILD” jackpot, let us know, and we’ll send them a special gift! 

 

Tis the Season for Gamified Fun

Santa’s Sleigh

Santa needs to deliver his gifts on time! Your player will guide Old St. Nick’s sleigh through the night sky by moving their controller either up & down or left & right. Either gifts or coal will drop into the chimneys as you fly by, but be careful not to crash! If you observe a player struggling, use tactile cues to help them complete the desired movements correctly. A great game for testing reaction time, activity tolerance, and functional reach. Players can have fun tallying how many children were “Naughty” or “Nice” based on their delivery! 

 

 

These games are so great; you’ll want to grab an ornament or pull on some mittens and play right away! Set up two or more stations where residents can play individually, as a team, or compete in a group simultaneously. They’ll love the nostalgia of the games and have a great time sharing their favorite holiday memories and traditions. 

 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!

power of therapeutic gamification

The Power of Therapeutic Gamification

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We know it’s not always easy to engage a patient, especially when they’ve had a tough day. We also know that creating fun, interactive experiences can help lead to a better day. This week, we’ll look at another facility to learn about the power of therapeutic gamification and how it can help provide an enhanced patient experience.  

During a therapy visit to New Eastwood Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, we were so excited to see the impact of the therapeutic activities on patients throughout the gym. The first patient to play during our visit was Mike, who recently returned to the facility from being in the hospital. With his therapist, Mike focused on AROM and activity tolerance while seated. As he played he it was clear he was having a lot of fun! He told us that playing worked out his arms and shoulders and that he was impressed that it made him short of breath! 

The RESTORE Effect

As they progressed through the session, another patient asked to join Mike and play the game Bull’s Eye so they could have a “shootout” competition. So, she set up both players on the same device, selected “Group Play,” and started the contest! The players loved the activity, the second saying, “it’s fun to compete with other patients, but it also makes you competitive with yourself because you want to get better. It exercises your body and mind while having fun!” 

In addition to Mike’s shootout partner joining in on the fun, another patient asked to play! She watched the two men enjoying the friendly and asked if she could play. Although seated during her prior dowel exercise, the therapist referred the patient to stand when playing. So, the therapist placed a ball in the middle of the same dowel turning it into a controller.  The patient stood for 10 minutes and completed too many interactive repetitions to keep track of visually. At the end of the session, the patient expressed how much FUN she had and that she enjoyed not thinking about it being exercise. 

The RESTORE Difference 

Later on, the therapist pulled up the data from the session to show the patient. They reviewed her movement pattern and the heat map of the bilateral movements completed during her entire session. The therapist expressed that this session was far more productive in working towards the patient’s goals than the short dowel sessions alone. The patient added that the 10 minutes of standing flew by because she was having fun!

What started as a single patient playing games quickly turned into additional patients engaging in group play or asking to play on their own. The smiles and laughter generated from the gaming experience caught the attention of other patients working on their personal goals throughout the gym.  From Mike to the final patient, we were able to see first hand the ripple effect therapeutic gamification had on everyone present. 

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!

overcoming patient refusals

Overcoming Patient Refusals

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Have you ever tried to get a patient down to the therapy gym for their session without success? If so, you know how difficult it is to overcome patient refusals. The reasons given are many: “I’m too tired; My family is visiting soon; I’m afraid I’ll fall; It’s too hard; I just don’t want to.” So what can you do to handle these situations? In this post, I’m going to share a story about a therapist who adjusted her approach to beat this challenge. I hope it encourages you to try something new when overcoming patient refusals.

The RESTORE Difference 

At a recent facility visit, an SLP shared that the patient she was scheduled to see refused to come to the gym. Simply put, he didn’t want to do therapy that afternoon. The therapist shared videos of other patients playing RESTORE games to encourage him to come down to the gym. But, the patient still didn’t want to leave and said he would only be interested in playing if he could play in his room. As long as you have an internet connection and a webcam supported device, you can quickly load games. So, the therapist quickly grabbed a laptop and started a session right in her patient’s room! 

They played games to address sequencing and Pill Skill for medication management.  At the end of the session, the patient expressed how much FUN he had and that he enjoyed not thinking about it being exercise. It was wonderful because we did not have to disrupt the treatment session in the gym in order to bring the technology to another patient bedside. When the therapist decided to think outside of the box by reaching for a new tool, she completed a meaningful 30-minute session with her patient that they both enjoyed!

Let Us Know Your Success Story!

I hope this post illustrates how you can step out of the box to overcome daily challenges. Do you have any stories about RESTORE helping with patient independence? Tell me about it by sending me an email amanda@restoreskills.com. We want to share your smiles, tips, and ideas with all our users.

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

fun group therapy

Can You Participate in 2 Group Sessions at the Same Time?

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To wrap up this series of posts, I’m happy to share one more joyful moment from my trip to our MA facilities last month. If you have yet to read my other posts about great customer experiences, you can find them here, but now I am thrilled to share a fun group therapy story with you.

Meeting Diane

This time, we’re back to Cedar View Rehab! On this day, the therapy team had every patient participate in some epic group play. Here I met Diane, RESTORE’s #1 fan, who blew me away when she participated in two group sessions back-to-back! It was truly a delight to see her so eager to engage.

For their group session, the therapists split people into two playing groups. Each station was set up to play Ski Saga where players worked on weight shifting, trunk rotation, squatting, strengthening, and standing tolerance. It was great to see the variety of exercises and controllers used to enhance the session. The whole room was full of excitement players took turns “skiing” to reach their therapy goals.

The RESTORE Difference

In her first session, Diane used a dowel rod to work on standing trunk rotation and upper extremity strengthening. Still energized after soaring through her first session, she joined my group where she practiced weight-shifting, squatting, and balance. Even when a therapist told Diane, “you can take a break and sit down if you’d like” she continued to play, pushing herself to complete each task. 

When she finally agreed to take a break, I showed Diane her playing time.  The smile on her face was undeniable when she realized she played for over 20 minutes! “I feel great,” she said, “I was having so much fun, I didn’t even realize I was playing so long!” The room buzzed with happiness from the fun and everyone seemed to have a better day because of it.

Do you have any fun stories from a RESTORE group play session? Tell me about it by sending an email with your story and a few of your favorite pictures. We can’t wait to share the smiles from all our users! 

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!

 

increasing patient independence

“I’ve got this, I don’t need help!”

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Thank you for following these posts as I share another happy moment from my trip to our MA Marquis facilities. If you haven’t had the chance to read my first blog post about Maria or the second post about Joe, you can find them here. But now, I am thrilled to share Madeline’s story about patient independence!

Meeting Madeline

Elmhurst Rehab was the first facility I visited during my trip, talk about a perfect way to begin the week. Their therapy team was so excited to get started, and that energy spread to everyone who played that afternoon. During our session, one of the OTs brought in a patient “who was already in love” with RESTORE. Now, if I had one word to describe Madeline, it would be fierce! As she told us, this wasn’t her first time playing, and she was ready to show off! 

The RESTORE Difference

During her session, Madeline worked on a targeted range of motion and strengthening her upper extremities. I was very impressed when she picked one of the toughest games, Ancient Temple, for her session. Now, I’ve played this game myself, and I can tell you that after a few minutes, your shoulders and arms will feel the burn! But with each level, Madeline kept climbing higher and higher. Even when met with a challenge, she pushed through until the level was complete. Having fun helped her independence and pushed her to play unassisted. Even when our Clinical Director, Ian, tried to guide her with a task, Madeline said, “I’ve got this, I don’t need help”!

With all it’s levels, Ancient Temple is a game that can last for over 12 minutes! And Madeline, being the independent person she is, reached the final one! What was even more incredible was the fact that this was only one of the games she played that afternoon. I was amazed by Madeline’s efforts and loved getting to know her fierce personality.

Do you have any stories about RESTORE helping with patient independence? Tell me about it by sending me an email. We want to share your smiles, tips, and ideas with all our users.  

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!