Upper Extremity Lab

Generous donors in the QEII’s Leadership Giving group have fully funded the Upper Extremity Lab at the QEII’s Nova Scotia Rehabilitation and Arthritis Centre. This space will change how patients receive rehabilitation therapy following a devastating arm, hand or shoulder injury caused by a stroke, fall or serious medical event.

WHAT DONORS ARE MAKING POSSIBLE

A life-changing rehabilitation space

Thanks to the generosity of 15 donors in the QEII’s Leadership Giving group, this project is now fully funded. The collective gifts from this group were generously matched by the J & W Murphy Foundation for a total impact of $150,000!

An open space where patients are working towards common goals, the Upper Extremity Lab is designed as a collaborative environment for patients and therapists working on recovering and strengthening hand, arm and shoulder skills. The lab helps patients regain the skills that they need for the activities of daily living — like eating, brushing their teeth, preparing meals and more.

Donor support is helping to deliver more personalized therapy customized to each patient through modernized technology and equipment. The lab will have a direct impact on the approximately 80 patients who will use this space weekly. And many more patients for years to come.

The Upper Extremity Lab at the QEII’s Nova Scotia Rehabilitation and Arthritis Centre will change how patients receive rehabilitation therapy.

The clinical care at the Rehab Centre is exceptional, but access to modern technology that helps patients improve their outcomes is lagging. Funds from the QEII's Leadership Giving group will ensure patients have access to the most advanced tools and equipment to support their care.

Here are some ways donors are helping patients and therapists leverage new technology to meet their recovery goals:

Real-life simulated tasks customized to each patient, meaning they can practice movements relevant to their daily life and the activities they engage in like grocery shopping, gardening, cooking and more.

Wearable technology for outpatients means they can practice their therapy at home with the support and guidance of a therapist who is monitoring their progress virtually. This helps patients stay motivated and engaged once they’ve left the Rehab Centre.

Remote technology will allow therapists to communicate with outpatients, assess their progress and make adaptions as needed. Knowing what patients are accomplishing at home optimizes in-person therapy sessions, keeping a patient’s goals on-track.

Advanced technology provides live data on a patient’s speed, endurance, coordination, range of motion, strength and cognitive demand. These insights help therapists make adjustments in real-time, leading to greater progress for patients and an increased sense of accomplishment.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP GIVING GROUP

If you're ready to make a life-changing impact on patients during their healthcare journey, contact Natalie Longmire, Leadership Giving Officer, to get started. Reach Natalie by phone at (902) 223-3150 or email Natalie.Longmire@QE2Foundation.ca.

Email Natalie

WHAT QEII FOUNDATION DONORS MAKE POSSIBLE

Over the years, QEII Foundation donors have played a critical role in patient care and outcomes at the Rehab Centre. In 2016, the Grace Hansen Therapeutic Pool opened thanks to donor funding, impacting more than 20,000 patients to date. In 2018, two modernized donor-funded Independent Living Simulation Suites opened — providing a safe space for patients to practice everyday skills as part of their recovery, and in preparation to return to the community.

Philanthropy in action...

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QEII’s Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre celebrates therapeutic pool

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