Personalizing therapy with costumes and decorated shoes

Molly Mathistad, physical therapist at UCHealth Anschutz Medical Campus, was working with a young, developmentally delayed patient who had a spinal cord injury and had been hospitalized for an extended period.

Mathistad invests time in getting to know her patients. She learned her patient was feeling sad about spending Halloween in the hospital. The patient wanted to dress up as a princess for the holiday, so Mathistad created a moment of joy and connection by bringing Halloween to the patient.

She brought in a princess costume, complete with a rainbow colored tutu and matching flower crown.

“She loved it,” Mathistad said. “She wanted to put it on right away.”

Mathistad took the celebration a step further and organized a trick-or-treating event in the unit. She helped her patient into a wheelchair and the two went around the unit, greeting everyone and handing out Halloween candy.

Her patient cherished the memorable moment, and Mathistad believed that trick-or-treating would boost the unit’s morale too. Emily Hagburg, rehab therapy supervisor, echoed those thoughts in a Celebrating You recognition for Mathistad.

“Molly not only made her patient feel celebrated but also created a memorable experience that lifted the spirits of staff and other patients alike,” Hagburg wrote in the recognition.

Through collaboration and insight with the IDD Sunflower Program team, Mathistad learned of several of the patients interests and incorporated many of those into therapy sessions.

“We tried to make a lot of her interventions play-based and fun, with dancing and music and anything colorful, because she loved all that,” said Mathistad. “She was a lot of fun to work with because we got to get really creative [with interventions].”

Due to nerve pain, Mathistad’s patient needed shoes to help her mobilize and Mathistad decorated them with purple flowers, the patient’s favorite color, to encourage participation in therapy.

“I made them [flowers] out of construction paper to try to make them a little more enticing … she was really excited to try them,” said Mathistad.

Mathistad enjoys meeting patients where they are and celebrating their wins.

“It was a huge team effort of a lot of dedicated people that got her rehabilitated to the point where she could go home safely,” Mathistad said.

“By putting her patients’ happiness and motivation at the center of her care, Molly enhances the overall patient experience and ensures her patients feel valued and supported,” Hagburg wrote. “Her thoughtful, innovative care is a shining example of UCHealth’s mission to improve lives, one meaningful interaction at a time.”

“Anytime I’m able to give any amount of relief or any amount of autonomy to any patient, or make them smile or help with their mental health tolerance of their hospital stay, is huge for me,” Mathistad said.