Original Story By David Schuman
Edited By The Mystic Gambler
7:08 PM, Mar 14, 2017
HENDERSON (KTNV) – Gamblers have talked about the benefits of playing video poker since it was first introduced in the ’70’s but this is really a new twist.
A Henderson hospital is re-imagining what physical therapy can be and making it fun. And what better fun than a good session of video poker?
Video poker machines have become an integral tool at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Henderson, Nevada. It’s part of the staff’s strategy to bring the real world into the rehab equation. And the patients are loving it!
Angela Ingerson, a pneumonia patient that suffered respiratory failure, says the games became motivation for her to get out of bed as she recovered from her illness. That’s not surprising as we’ve all seen gamblers dragging their oxygen tanks through the casino to get to their favorite games.
Employees say that playing video poker can help patients with their strength, balance and endurance. It probably helps their blood circulation as well. But one has to wonder if they allow heart patients go for the royal flush.
“You try to have [patients] stand at a table and lift weights and they won’t want to do it,” said Sandy McGinnis, an occupational therapist at HealthSouth. “But you distract them with video poker, they can stand for 15 minutes and not even think about it.”
Many of us video poker players also have very strong wrists and fingers. It just comes with the territory.
Patients don’t gamble real money. They “bet” imaginary credits. That’s kind of a bummer but practice makes perfect.
Sarah Tempest, the hospital’s outpatient team leader, says the video poker has proved helpful for patients with head injuries. She says gambling stimulates the part of the brain that deals with memory, focus, reasoning and attention span. That’s true for video poker but most gambling is a fairly brainless activity. How much brain power does it take to push the button on a slot machine?
Real-life simulations like the game machines are a theme of the hospital’s physical therapy. There’s a Skeeball game, an air hockey table and a supermarket stocked with fake food and drinks.
Tempest says shopping forces patients to memorize a grocery list and maintain a budget. It also helps with mobility as they maneuver the shopping cart.
The video poker has been a part of HealthSouth’s rehabilitation since November.
