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Patient Programs
Rancho Los Amigos Foundation provides private funding for more than 30 innovative Rancho
patient programs, many of which are directed by former patients. Some of these programs
include:
This program provides hands-on experience in The Arts for both inpatient and outpatient
youth. Modules include visual arts, music and photography. Rancho graduate artists are
instructors in the program, which raises self-esteem and opens a window to creativity for each
of the young artists.
Rancho inpatients and outpatients share their singing, dancing, comedy and dramatic talents
with members of the community and their fellow patients in a series of performances
throughout the year. The Performing Arts program is directed by Rancho graduate Jay Cramer.
This highly innovative program provides an enhanced level of outpatient therapy so that
Rancho patients who return to the community after their hospital stay continue to progress
in regaining as much independence as possible. More than 20,000 patients are seen in the
Day Rehabilitation Program each year. The Wellness Center provides a wide-ranging variety
of innovative wellness experiences, from nutrition counseling to a resource center and garden plaza
to tai chi to dance to full-gym workouts, so that patients can maintain and improve their health.
KnowBarriers offers life experience balanced with clinical expertise, to assist persons with disabilities,
in developing the confidence and skills they need to move forward in their lives and
achieve their life goals. Programs include Life Coaching, Peer Mentoring, Information and Referral,
Violence Prevention Outreach and Substance Abuse Recovery. KnowBarriers has made
a tremendous impact on the lives of patients at Rancho.
Rancho’s Las Floristas Wheelchair Sports Program currently involves more than 40 patients in
success-oriented, competitive wheelchair sports activities geared to patients with all degrees
of disabilities. The program includes basketball, tennis, hockey, arena football, over-the-line,
soccer, junior rugby and handcycling. The program has built a legacy and scholarship for more than
two decades, with athletes graduating from college at more than three times the rate
of other individuals with disabilities throughout the nation.
This program helps Rancho patients to improve their balance and self-esteem by riding specially
trained horses. This highly successful program provides therapeutic benefits that cannot
be achieved in the gym.
Rancho patients learn to ski and snowboard, which improves balance, provides an outstanding
athletic and nature experience and increases self-esteem.
The Center for Applied Rehabilitation Technology (CART) serves the technology needs of
persons with disabilities. CART’s interdisciplinary team assists children and adults with physical
disabilities in leading more independent lives through the use of assistive technology. The
experienced CART staff work together with clients and caregivers to ensure that those technologies
recommended are compatible and provide optimal function.
Rancho is at the forefront of applying robotic technology in research and treatment of individuals
with disabilities. Rancho established the first robotic program for children with Cerebral
Palsy on the West Coast. The hospital is also part of a national study on the impact of robotic
therapy using a shoulder robot developed by the world-renowned MIT scientist Dr. Hermano
Igo Krebs. Rancho was the first hospital in the Western U.S. to have the ReWalk Exoskeleton robot
technology which helps patients with paralysis to walk again. Rancho’s goal is to expand this state-of-the art robotic therapy program to include
everyone from children with neuromuscular diseases and disabilities to adults with stroke.
The Center provides translations, interpreting services and diversity training to ensure
provision of linguistically and culturally sensitive healthcare services to Rancho’s patients and
to help maximize positive patient outcomes.
For information on how to give to Rancho, please click here.
Page last updated March 5, 2013
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