The men and women fighting overseas and on American soil to defend our country and keep us free sacrifice so much. They spend long periods of time away from family and friends, miss holidays, birthdays, and births of loved ones. And unfortunately, they often times sacrifice their physical abilities, their mental health, their limbs. For the brave military members we get to welcome back home with a vast array of options for rehabilitation for their wounds. Unfortunately, Veterans who need wheelchairs, walkers and artificial limbs could wait for months before receiving the essential equipment they need from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Thankfully, there are several organizations and business that have set in place programs to more quickly assist our nation’s finest men and women.
Wounded Warrior Project
A pretty popular program, the Wounded Warrior Project, has set forth to help veterans in need of more immediate support. Their website’s mission states, “More than 52,000 servicemen and women physically injured in recent military conflicts. 500,000 living with invisible wounds, from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder. 320,000 experiencing debilitating brain trauma. Advancements in technology and medicine save lives – but the quality of those lives might be profoundly altered. With the support of our community of donors and team members, we give a voice to those needs and empower our warriors to begin the journey to recovery.” They offer help with physical therapy, combat stress recovery, assistance with getting employment once their deployment has ended, family support and much more.
Technological Advancements
Technology has come so far, in what seems, such little time. The advancements have taken a turn for helping veterans with getting the therapy they need, even if it is long distance. The University of Texas has developed a way to virtually connect wounded veterans with physical therapist even though they may be far from treatment facilities. They have developed a rehabilitation system using real-time video, 3-D computer-generated worlds and force-feedback “haptic” devices to re-create a physical therapy session between a patient and a therapist, all with the assistance of high-speed networks.
Recreational Therapy
The PGA (professional Golf League) has gotten in on giving back to the troops as well. They aim to provide physical and emotional therapy to veterans through the sport of golf. They have teamed up with physical therapists to introduce participants to the sport with instruction, playing opportunities and social events.
Durable Medical Supplies
Durable medical equipment can do a lot of good while waiting for therapy and can also be used as a part of a soldier’s physical therapy regimen. As stated before, if a soldier is waiting on the VA for assistance, it may take a while. In that event, you can visit a medical supply store for deals on equipment that is pertinent to your needs. AvaCare Medical has assisted millions of people nationwide in their search for the right supplies. They offer buying and pricing guides and offer a year round 5% discount to veterans and their families. There are so many people and organizations who are eager to lend a hand to our troops. The future of their care is bright.
