Therapy Courtyard Helps Rehabilitation Program Grow

Thanks to a $543,000 gift from the Salem Hospital Foundation, the therapy courtyard, which includes benches, planting boxes, a water feature and various types of surfaces, was unveiled earlier this year.

Sometimes their first step is only a tentative shuffle. Soon enough, however, patients recovering from conditions such as strokes or brain or spinal cord injuries begin to gain strength, mobility and confidence. And the new therapy courtyard at Salem Hospital’s inpatient rehabilitation unit, is just the place where people can begin to regain their stride after a serious illness or injury.

Thanks to a $543,000 gift from the Salem Hospital Foundation, the therapy courtyard, which includes benches, planting boxes, a water feature and various types of surfaces, was unveiled earlier this year.

The unit, which until January was located at the hospital’s Center street site, also includes 24 patient rooms, a therapy gym, dining room and an activities of daily living (ADL) apartment, where patients practice tasks such as cooking and laundry.

“We just can’t thank the foundation and the donors who believe in our work, for their generous support of the hospital’s rehabilitation programs,” said physical therapist Laura Aspinwall.

According to Laura, the steps, handrails, concrete ramps, curbs, sidewalks, grass, gravel and uneven surfaces in the courtyard all play a part in what makes it so beneficial to patients.