Sheltering Arms Institute Adds Voice Assistants to Patient Rooms

RICHMOND, Va. (December 6, 2024) — Sheltering Arms Institute, a local physical rehabilitation hospital and network of outpatient centers, is deploying Amazon’s voice-controlled devices to provide greater independence to patients like 22-year-old Jaiden Picot who have limited mobility.

In August, Picot was hit by a truck while riding an e-scooter on his way to work causing him to sustain a C4 spinal cord injury which paralyzed him from the chest down. “I try to stay grounded and smiling,” Picot said. “My family and friends really help me with mental support and support in general. I just plan to stay positive while I get through this phase in my life.”

He is currently participating in inpatient rehabilitation at Sheltering Arms Institute, practicing self-care tasks, walking with robotic exoskeletons, and driving his power wheelchair in addition to learning how smart–room technology can assist with daily tasks. “Alexa can help me with a number of different tasks in my room, so I don’t always have to call my nurse to do small things for me. I really think it’s important to give people the feeling of being able to do something by themselves,” Picot said.

Patients can ask their new voice assistant a variety of commands, including turning the TV on and off, changing the channel, setting alarms or reminders, playing music, games, or sleep sounds, and answering frequently asked questions about the facility. The devices also provide greater efficiency to hospital team members by allowing voice control of some tasks.

And because Alexa is always listening, the voice-activated devices are equipped with some very important upgrades and modifications to ensure conversations and interactions that take place in patient rooms remain private and secure in accordance with patient confidentiality laws.

“We are pleased to work with a company called Aiva Health on this project to provide a safe and accessible way for patients to preview and learn technology that they could use in their own homes,” said Amber Walter, PT, DPT, NCS, director of clinical science at Sheltering Arms Institute. “We are the first physical rehabilitation hospital in the area to have this feature in patient rooms.”

Sheltering Arms Institute currently has the voice-activated technology in all 30 patient rooms on its spinal cord injury and complex care unit—the Dallas Disbro Ability Center—thanks to generous funding from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation and hopes to expand its use throughout the hospital more in the future.

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About Sheltering Arms Institute

Sheltering Arms Institute is a non-profit and donor-supported state-of-the-science physical rehabilitation hospital and network of outpatient centers that brings together the brand and clinical reputation of Sheltering Arms and the nationally ranked programs and research of VCU Health through a joint venture. Ranked the #1 physical rehabilitation hospital in Virginia and #19 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the Institute blends advanced technology, research, and evidence-based clinical treatment to create an innovative, transdisciplinary model of rehabilitative care that facilitates superior outcomes for patients. For more information, please visit ShelteringArmsInstitute.com.