Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley

Hospital Happenings

Parkinson’s Awareness month is in full bloom here at Encompass Health Nittany Valley! Throughout the month of April, our employees came up with ways to celebrate Parkinson’s Awareness month. The Parkinson’s disease team organized a “Dress Down for a Cause Day” to raise money for the Parkinson’s Foundation. Encompass Health Nittany Valley employees who donated were able to dress casually and wear gray T-shirts and jeans. Occupational Therapist Molly Gomez got our patients involved with tulip planting during therapy their sessions. Red tulips are the symbol of Parkinson’s disease and look beautiful is our planters!

- Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley

Hospital Happenings

​We were able to bring extra cheer to our patients as the holidays approach. Thank you Sue Harpster, HIMS clerk; Vicki Harpster, coder; and Juanita Corman, environmental services aide/housekeeping; for coordinating this.

- Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley

Hospital Happenings

Encompass Health Nittany Valley wrapped up National Rehabilitation Awareness Week with a visit from our friends Rising Hope Therapeutic Riding Center who brought 3 mini horses: Rosey, Maddie and Misty. Together we provided equine-assisted therapy to just shy of 30 patients, and several staff members joined in the fun as well!

- Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley

Hospital Happenings

This morning we held a Ribbon Dancing Tai Chi class in lieu of our traditional strength training program. To make things feel fresh for National Rehabilitation Week, we added silky ribbons! Seeing the colorful streams helped to emphasize the movements that Tai Chi incorporates. It brought a fun visual component to an otherwise Zen strength program!

- Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley

Hospital Happenings

Today brought an awesome opportunity to “Discover the Possibilities of Rehabilitation” through art therapy with special guest Bob Ross! In two sessions, we led 15 patients in an exercise to unleash their creativity. Many had said they never painted before, or they hadn’t picked up a paint brush in decades. Some patients chose to paint a sunflower with the group, and others expressed themselves through their own unique creations and shared a little about what their painting meant to them.

- Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley

Hospital Happenings

Physical and occupational therapists brought their patients outside to enjoy the many therapeutic benefits of including horses in their group therapy. About 20 patients were able to experience the therapeutic effects of these special animals, and at least three patients had stated that it was their first time ever touching a horse! Thank you to the team from Rising Hope Therapeutic Riding Center: mini horses Rosy and Maddie and their handlers Yvonne, Lisa and Sherri.

- Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley

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Hospital Happenings

Despite visitor restrictions, our team is coming up with ways to help keep our patients connected with their support systems. Our staff placed room number identifiers on patient windows to make it easy for loved ones to be able to find each other and visit through the window.This group of girlfriends didn't let restricted visitation keep them from supporting one of their own. Friends for years, they showed up to encourage our patient while all wearing shirts from their most recent girls trip to Panama City.

- Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley

Hospital Happenings

Just four doors down from our hospital is family owned Rony's Place Restaurant and Pizzeria. They’ve created “Stir Crazy Pizza Kits” to lessen the burden on local families. These kits contain all the fixings for a pizza and are available for pick-up. They also have supplied our employees with individually packaged pizza slices for lunch. We wanted to share our appreciation for their community service and creativity with an employee-signed thank you message and goodie bag filled with Encompass Health swag. Thank you again for all you have done for our local community and our hospital in these times.

- Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley