St. Patrick's School Students Make Handmade Blankets for Patients

Arroyo Grande Community Hospital (AGCH), which along with French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC) and Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC), are Dignity Health's Central Coast hospitals, is pleased to announce that 23 eighth grade students from St. Patrick's School brought handmade lap blankets for patients in the Acute Rehabilitation Center of the hospital.

The handmade blankets were the eighth grader’s community service project. This is the second year the Acute Rehabilitation Center has been the recipient of this type of generous gift from the students of St. Patrick’s School.

Patients in the Acute Rehabilitation Center have suffered a life-threatening illness or trauma such as: stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, orthopedic dysfunction, or degenerative neurological disorders. Treatment teams include: a Physiatrist (a physician who specializes in physical medicine), Rehabilitation Nurses and Social Workers along with Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, Registered Dietitians, Respiratory Therapists, and Orthotic/Prosthetic Specialists, ensuring an optimum level of recovery. While patients are receiving rehabilitation treatments, they are also often receiving, medical treatments for acute medical illnesses, including stroke, respiratory, or heart disease. While patients are ill, the patients at the Acute Rehabilitation Center must be capable of at least three hours of therapy every day. The treatment time for patients can be demanding. The result for many patients is a miraculous transformation, such as learning to walk and talk again.

Kerry Nau, Center Director explains to the students “Our Center is the only one of its kind on the Central Coast. We are grateful to offer a unique service to patients in need,” Nau continues to share information about the Center with the students and thanks everyone for bringing the home made gifts “These blankets will provide patients with a taste of home while they’re in the hospital.”

For more information about the Acute Rehabilitation Center at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, please call (805) 473-7663.

About Arroyo Grande Community Hospital

Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, located in Arroyo Grande, California, is rated a top Joint Replacement Center by Blue Shield and is the exclusive provider of joint replacement care for CalPERS on the Central Coast.  The Emergency Department is one of the busiest in the County and nationally recognized for superior patient satisfaction.  The hospital also provides the only comprehensive hospital-based Acute Rehabilitation Center on the Central Coast.  Arroyo is a Dignity Health member of the Central Coast which also includes French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, CA. Dignity Health of the Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services including primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories and imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service.  Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities.