Craig’s Therapeutic Gaming program uses gaming—a popular mode of recreation—to address social, physical, and occupational therapy rehabilitation goals.
The goal of the program is to provide patients with access to gaming. Once access has been accomplished, therapists modify the experience to make it more challenging and help patients work on therapy goals of increasing balance, dexterity, strength, or endurance.
In fact, increasing upper extremity ability though gaming can help with eating, dressing, bathing, and other functional activities. In this sense, the game motivates patients to make progress towards independence.
Additionally, the gaming program has the potential to nurture relationships established between Craig patients and allows them to stay in contact by gaming online after discharge. This, in turn, serves as motivation to return to a full and active life.
It’s beyond entertainment. In a video game, you can be a race car driver or a hunter, expanding your experience and strengthening you emotionally. Once you’ve done it virtually, you might be motivated to try that experience in real life – something Craig can help you to achieve.
Patrick Wagner, Craig Rehabilitation Engineer
Empowering people to return home as independent and prepared for the future as possible
Abigail Howard
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Adam Driver
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Alan Payne
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Alex Goldmeier
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Alex Watters
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Andrea Briggs
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Andrew Hay
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Angie Schill
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Meet Cody, Adaptive Gaming Program Participant
From Skyrim to Call of Duty, Cody loves playing video games – and tinkering with controls to adapt gaming systems. Gaming even inspired him to pursue a certificate in computer technology.
But when Cody sustained a spinal cord injury in a rollover motor vehicle accident in Wyoming, he wasn’t sure that he would ever be able to return to his favorite hobby and his planned career in computer technology.
Only a few weeks into the rehabilitation process at Craig Hospital, Cody attended the weekly adaptive gaming night on his floor.
Multiple controllers were available for him to test what was most comfortable for him following his injury and which one he’d be able to play with most successfully.
Cody believes that this program is important for his time at Craig. Not only is he relearning to follow his passions and vocational path, he is motivated to complete his therapies. Cody is encouraged by his recent ability to have some movement in his fingers and is looking forward to working more with his occupational therapist, and adaptive gaming, to test his dexterity and motor skills.