Areas to support

Pediatric rehabilitation department: The Gilly Art TheraTree

The Gilly Art TheraTree, created by Minnesota artist Hans Gilsdorf, features 14 physical and occupational games cleverly hidden within its trunk and located below the height of 4 feet, thereby clearly accessible to a child who is sitting in a wheelchair or standing.

The tree stands 10 feet in height with a branch span of 20 feet. It will be erected within our pediatric rehab gymnasium.

The TheraTree will be used to improved skills critical in developing the highest level of independence possible in children with cerebral palsy or related disorders. Sanford Health provides services to 599 children with such a diagnosis.

To fully understand the therapy-related value of the tree, these are descriptions of a few of the tree’s elements:

	The baby robin: The baby robin in his nest is hungry and wants to be fed. Above the baby robin are two worms. One weighs 2 ounces and the second one weighs 4 ounces. They are attached to a cable system that, when pulled down and successfully placed into the baby robin’s mouth, will stay there with the help of a magnet hidden in his mouth.
	Gopher holding a blueberry: Pull on the cabinet drawer located just below Mrs. Slimesy’s apartment and out pops a cute gopher munching on a blueberry. When the child pushes the drawer back in, the gopher goes into hiding mode. No matter how many times the child tries to catch the gopher, he’s too quick.
	Three fish: The fish are attached by cables to weights of 2, 3 and 4 pounds. The goal is to lift the fish and place them on the hooks. Once all the fish have been caught, the child needs to take each fish off the hook and return it to the basket.
	The monarch butterfly: At the base of the tree trunk is a crank that can be turned in either direction. Above the child's head is a Monarch butterfly with a 3-foot wing span. When the child turns the crank, the butterfly’s wings flutter.
	The baby woodpecker: Below the butterfly, Whicket, a baby woodpecker, peers out from a hole in the tree’s trunk. A drawer-like handle is positioned just under Whicket. To open the drawer the child has to learn to turn his hand up while pulling out. When mastered, Wicket pops out.

Drawer pulls, window latches, padlocks and ladders are incorporated into the 14 different stations as are little woodland creatures. There is even a giant tongue and a set of pearly white teeth that pops out when a child opens a window latch. Some of the skills sharpened through the 45-minute therapy exercise include hand-eye coordination, gripping, holding, hand-rotation, rolling, shaking, bending, climbing, balancing, squatting and just plain having fun. The Gilly Art TheraTree would be the only one in North Dakota and the second in the nation. It is a unique, creative and interactive tree sculpture that engages children in a fun, purposeful and functional series of activities designed to improve their level of independence in daily activities. The games hidden within the trunk are designed to provide a mode of entertainment while awaking a child’s curiosity. Because the activities incorporate an element of surprise, the patients work to repeat the tasks with enthusiasm. Repetition is the key to mastery of each station. With your support, nearly 600 children, representing communities within 27 central and western North Dakota counties, will have a better chance at mastering those everyday skills that are so critical to living a life of independence.

LodgeNet: Encouraging active minds while bodies heal

Deemed critically important to the overall patient experience, LodgeNet Healthcare’s patient education, entertainment and engagement system, eSuite, will facilitate the dissemination of healthcare information in a consistent, factual, and up-to-date manner through the use of standardized videos and provide a broad base of entertainment options.

Conveniently delivers information

Timing is often a problem within the hospital setting. It is difficult to know when a patient might be awake, alert and ready to learn. This system allows Sanford Health associates the option to assign educational videos, as deemed appropriate, for viewing at the patient’s convenience. In addition, the material is available system-wide so if a patient needs to move to a different room in the hospital, that patient can still access the material.

Reduces readmission rates

Statistics show that informed, educated patients are more likely to continue in their recovery once discharged from the hospital. The eSUITE system will reduce the likeliness of patients having to be readmitted to the hospital.

Entertainment

The ability to access familiar music or entertainment can help our patients on their journey to recovery. Many studies have shown that music has the ability to calm patients including slowing their heartbeat and diminishing their need for pain medications. LodgeNet’s eSUITE system offers 30 movies, edited to be family-friendly. The movies are updated quarterly. Patients who are hospitalized frequently or those who are here for an extended period of time will enjoy having different titles to choose from. Movies in the system come with playback controls, which are similar to the pausing, rewinding and fast-forwarding functions found on a DVD player. As in the educational component, patients transferred from one room to another will still be able to resume the watching of their chosen movie. Nintendo GameCube games, computerstyle strategy and skill games, such as solitaire, and a variety of commercial-free XM Music channels that offer classical, country, oldies and more are options available through this system.

Additional features

Similar to systems seen in motels and hotels nationwide, the eSUITE system will open when the TV in the patient’s room is turned on. The welcome channel will offer information specifically for the patient and family along with information on Sanford Health amenities, such as the cafeteria, Koffee Korner, Gift Shoppe and valet parking. Customized surveys can be incorporated into the welcome channel thereby facilitating continuous improvements and real-time feedback.

Costs

LodgeNet’s eSUITE system: $1,000—$1,400 per patient room not including Sanford Birth Center. The total cost will be between $190,000 and $266,000. The Sanford Health Foundation is aiming to raise $250,000 for eSUITE.

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