Litchfield Park resident Joan La Manna said it best: "You're doing therapy, but you don't think you are."
by Rich Ott, Asst. Editor, West Valley View
The La Loma Village resident was referring to her time using a new virtual reality machine - OmniVR - as an in-patient at La Loma Care Center, 14260 Denny Blvd. in Litchfield Park.
After a two-week hospital stay, La Manna was sent to the care center as an in-patient and needed to work on her balance and endurance while standing before being allowed to move back to her home.
After six weeks of therapy, including two in which the OmniVR was used, La Manna is living on her own…
OmniVR
The OmniVR system uses a 3D camera and software to capture the patient's image on a television screen and convert it to an avatar that is used in game-like environments, ranging from playing volleyball to catching falling fruit or digging up flowers.
The OmniVR system at La Loma Care Center is the only one in the West Valley, said Ken Reinstein, spokesman for Sun Health. In fact, Reinstein only knows of one other OmniVR machine in use in the Valley and that is in Scottsdale, he said.
La Loma Care Center has been using the system for about four months now, said Cheryl Knupp, the care center's administrator.
"The biggest benefit we've seen, patients actually enjoy therapy, so they are willing to spend all the time in the session," Knupp said… The machine has added something else that has been missing in the therapy room, too…"Since we've had it, we've had more laughter out there," Knupp said.
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