Noteboom The Law Firm

Arts And Crafts Help Veterans in Rehabilitative Environments

April 1, 2011 - There is no "right" therapy program. Different patients are going to respond to different stimuli depending on their environment and their physical and/or mental health injury. Therapy works when there is a positive mix of the patient, the therapist, and the right program. Not new to the physical therapy recovery process is the use of arts and crafts in rehabilitative settings. Arts and crafts have been shown to have a very positive influence on patients over the years. 

The success of such therapy has lead to the development of the Help Hospitalized Veterans' (HHV) arts and crafts program. The program has positive benefits on patients even if the ultimate effects are not the same. Results from HHV's crafts kits vary because not every patient requires the same therapy. Some patients' rehabilitation will focus on improving their fine motor skills. Patients having suffered strokes, on the other hand, will use HHV kits to re-develop their hand coordination so they can get back to taking part in daily activities. Many patients with dementia respond favorably to the HHV kits because they are reminiscent of earlier times in their lives. Veterans struggling with substance abuse find the HHV kits a healthy distraction and something that fills the time while in rehabilitation.

Since 1971, HHV has donated almost 27,000,000 free art and craft kits to rehabilitating veterans throughout the world. As rehabilitative programs grow and evolve, HHV kits will undoubtedly continue to remain a stable positive influence on veterans while they heal.