Kentucky Colonels gift funds advanced therapy capability at HMH

Fall prevention system new tool at HMH Therapy and Sports Medicine Center

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. – Thanks to a gift from the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels (HOKC) to the Hardin Memorial Health Foundation (HMHF), HMH Elizabethtown Therapy and Sports Medicine Center is now home to the Solo-Step Fall Prevention System, the only one of its kind in the 10-county region that HMH serves.

The new system includes a harness suspended from the ceiling and installed over a portion of the Therapy and Sports Medicine Center’s walking track in addition to parallel bars provided for additional therapy.

Suitable for children and adults, the Solo-Step provides standing balance, prevents falls and helps in step training. It can improve therapy results for patients after a stroke, amputation or spinal cord injury or those with a neurological disorder. 

Dan Martin, HMH’s Director of Rehab Services, says the Solo-Step can give patients greater confidence and a sense of security as they work to regain balance and mobility. 

“To help patients make improvements, we often have to push their boundaries,” Martin said. “This system means patients do not have to worry about falling and can completely focus on getting better.”

HMHF Board Chairman Joe Prather expressed his gratitude to the HOKC. 

“Thanks to this investment from the Honorable Order of the Kentucky Colonels, HMH can take better care of patients here at home,” said Prather. “That’s what our Foundation is all about, strengthening HMH.”

HOKC is a charitable organization of men and women appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth for their service to Kentucky. The HMHF board includes seven Kentucky Colonels.

Last year HOKC provided a grant to HMHF for the purchase of critical equipment in the HMH Level II NICU.