Rehabilitating significant injuries can be repetitive and draining. Finding new and engaging ways to help people through their recovery can be difficult, especially when budgets don’t always allow for the purchase of new and expensive equipment.

The Dynavision D2 is a visual-motor reaction training system in Providence Care’s Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Clinic. It was generously funded by donors Margaret and Maria Zakos in memory of their brother, James. It is an exciting addition to the rehabilitation tools that Providence Care’s health-care teams can use to help their patients and clients.
 
“We believe Providence Care Hospital provides excellent care and have supported it for many years, initially at the St. Mary’s of the Lake site,” says Margaret. “We are very happy to know that this new equipment will aid staff in their important work and help the rehabilitation of patients and clients for years to come.”
 
By using lights that can be struck by the user, the Dynavision D2 was originally developed for improving hand-eye coordination, visual awareness and reaction time in athletes. However, it is now also used therapeutically. At Providence Care, it is mainly utilized to help individuals rehabilitating from acquired brain injuries and other neurological conditions.
 
“The Dynavision D2 is a programmable and flexible tool that allows us to test, treat and track the improvements of various physical and cognitive-per-ceptual functions,” says Teresa Broers, Occupational Therapist at Providence Care. “Every day, I see the benefits it brings in each of my clients and the satisfaction they get from the competitive aspect of using it.”
 
“It can function on many different levels and be used for various purposes across different patients and impairments,” says Dr. Jessica Trier, Medical Director of the Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program at Providence Care. “And when some patients find rehab tasks a little mundane, using the Dynavision D2 improves physical and neurological conditions in a way that is enjoyable and motivational.”
 
This gift is a wonderful example of how the thoughtfulness and generosity of donors enhance the care offered by our health-care institutions, impacting both the morale of staff and the care received by patients and clients.
 
“It’s super meaningful to have this equipment donated. It speaks volumes about the quality of care that our teams can provide,” says Dr. Trier. “But it’s also recognition that we need to have the best tools possible to do good work and to be creative with how we engage patients in their rehab. We are so grateful for this equipment!”