Last fall, Renown Rehabilitation Hospital unveiled the Rehabilitation Therapy Garden, supported by theEstelle J. Kelsey Foundation, a space designed to support rehabilitation patients on their path to recovery. Made possible through the generosity of donors, this innovative garden provides therapeutic tools to help individuals regain independence and improve their quality of life.
"If a patient is recovering from a spinal cord injury, stroke, or brain injury, they might face challenges like stairs, ramps, and uneven surfaces for the first time. Without training, these obstacles can be hard to navigate. The Rehabilitation Therapy Garden gives patients and their families the chance to practice and gain the skills they need to move confidently in the community and become more independent,” said Shawn Morris, Renown Rehabilitation Hospital Director of Rehab Operations.
One of the garden’s highlights is a wheelchair course with ramps of varying difficulty, allowing patients to practice navigating different terrains. This hands-on therapy is essential for those recovering from strokes, brain injuries, orthopedic injuries, or trauma. It builds strength, mobility, and confidence by simulating real-world challenges in a safe and supportive environment. “The garden is great, it’s all set up to practice things like stairs and ramps, plus it’s nice to look at,” said a patient at Renown Rehabilitation Hospital.
Key Features of the Rehabilitation Therapy Garden:
A wheelchair course to simulate diverse terrains that patients may encounter in the community.
ADA-regulated ramp with bilateral railings, like those found in public spaces.
Outdoor seating areas for therapeutic and recreational use.
Raised garden beds for accessible gardening activities.
Lush landscaping that promotes a calming atmosphere.
Tools and stations designed for physical therapy exercises.
A calming fountain that enhances the garden’s peaceful atmosphere, providing a soothing environment.
A putting green that promotes balance and durability and is a patient favorite.
Pathways for walking, offering a safe and scenic environment for patients to practice mobility.
View photos of the Rehabilitation Therapy Garden here.
Renown Health Foundation
We build financial support through fundraising efforts that provide critical revenue for innovation, top quality care services, technology, programs and equipment, to meet the growing needs of the communities we serve.
As the region’s only CARF-accredited hospital, Renown Rehabilitation Hospital provides exceptional, patient-centered care for those recovering from strokes, trauma, or neurological disorders. With services like physical, occupational, and speech therapy, we tailor treatments to help patients return to an active, independent lifestyle. Thanks to our specialists, patient outcomes exceed national benchmarks. This means shorter hospital stays and higher levels of functionality and independence.
"The rehab garden offers patients and families a calming and healing environment with the training and confidence to be successful in the community as their journey continues,” said Shawn.
The Rehabilitation Therapy Garden reflects our commitment to innovation and the power of philanthropy. Support from generous donors like the Estelle J. Kelsey Foundation allows us to create spaces like this which directly enhance patient care. Every donation helps expand access to advanced therapies, enabling patients to regain their independence and lead active lives.
As a not-for-profit health system, Renown reinvests every dollar into patient care, staff development, and facilities like the therapy garden. This ensures we remain a vital resource for our community, offering innovative care and compassionate support. Renown Health Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of our health system, helping to fund these transformative initiatives through the generosity of our donors.
To learn more about how donations make a difference or to support projects like the Rehabilitation Therapy Garden, visit renown.org/donate, call 775-982-5545 or email foundation@renown.org.
August is National Make-a-Will month. We talked to Renown Health Foundation Planned Giving Officer, Abbey Stephenson, to learn more about wills, trusts and estate plans and why you should feel motivated this month to get started.
Did you know that 2/3 of Americans don't have a will or trust? If this is you, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Although there are laws in place to determine who inherits your assets if you die without a will or trust, having a will or trust ensures your assets go where you want them to go after you are gone. They can also help minimize disputes between family members and heirs about who gets what. In Nevada, the laws that govern who gets what if you die without a will or trust can be found in Chapter 134 of the Nevada Revised Statutes.
There are other documents that people often prepare at the same time as their will or trust – like an advance health care directive and durable power of attorney for assets. These documents all together are called an estate plan.
Although they have other purposes too (like nominating a guardian for a child, planning for disability or avoiding probate, which is a court process), wills and trusts are documents that say who will receive your assets after you are gone. The most common type of trust is often called a revocable living trust or a family trust. People who have a trust usually still have a will, although it is a shorter form of will called a pour-over will. It’s a good idea to talk to an estate planning attorney about whether or not a trust makes sense for your family or circumstances.
Now that you’re ready to get started, here are some mistakes to avoid:
Pelvic Floor Therapy: Relief and Recovery for All Ages
Pelvic floor dysfunction affects millions across the U.S., yet many people remain undiagnosed for years due to limited awareness and access to treatment.
Injuries. Pain. Loss of speech or voice. Trauma. Muscle weakness. For the average person, these issues are often thought of as setbacks – and when you experience these setbacks, basic tasks of daily life can become a struggle.
Think of it this way: what if you could no longer pick something up off the floor without intense back pain? What if your joints start getting stiff and you can’t move your knees the same way? What if you suffer a brain injury and need to re-learn how to swallow?
All of these hypothetical situations can happen to anyone. But at Renown Health, there is one team dedicated to intervening at the right time, in the right place.
That team is Renown's Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy department, where setbacks become breakthroughs.
