Recognizing the need to address vision limitations after brain injury, Special Tree screens for vision problems with every patient.

After three separate eye surgeries to repair detached retinas, resulting in 75 days total spent face-down to recover fully, Special Tree CEO Joseph Richert knows first-hand how powerful vision can be in everyday functioning.

That’s one reason he is passionate about evaluating all patients with brain injury for vision challenges when they first come to Special Tree. Another is simply the good sense it makes to screen patients for impaired vision at the outset; something that is often overlooked and which can have a tremendous impact on rehabilitation and recovery.

“About 70 percent of your sensory nerve fibers are vision, just vision,” says Dr. Danna Haba,...

Virtual Reality isn’t just for gamers. For therapists like Courtney Fankhauser, Certified Recreational Specialist at Special Tree, it’s a fantastic tool to motivate patients recovering from traumatic brain injury.

“We appreciate the immersive experience VR offers patients,” shares Fankhauser, “And that it allows us to follow their progress.”

In virtual reality, or “VR”, patients interact with 3-D, computer-generated environments to experience activities like baseball, travel, mountain climbing and more. Therapists are able to watch what patients are doing in real time via monitor, then store data from their sessions to track trends over time.

At Special Tree, virtual reality has provided a powerful method to engage patients in the rehabilitation process.

“One of our patients, Josh, uses vir...

On Friday March 8th, Special Tree Day Treatment Services (DTS) clients and staff teamed up with Fusion Medical for another great therapeutic basketball event. This is the 4th time Special Tree and Fusion Medical have paired up to conduct an adaptive basketball clinic for clients. Fusion Medical hosted the workshop at Romulus Athletic Club, where clients were able to shoot some hoops and test out specialized basketball wheelchairs that allowed them to step their game up!

Following the clinic, clients picked sides and cheered on the Wayne “Warriors” and Troy “Titans” as the staff went head to head in a competitive basketball game. The Troy Titans took the winning title with a final score of 32 to 17. This annual event is highly anticipated, with such a fun atmosphere and a little cross county rivalry. Many thanks to...

March is Social Worker Appreciation Month and a great time to recognize Special Tree's social workers for all they do to improve the lives and well-being of our clients and their families.  Our Social workers provide a wide range of important supports and services throughout the entire rehabilitation process including case management; individual, family, and group counseling; community support; discharge planning, and more.  We appreciate all their hard work, dedication, compassion, and kindness in helping our clients through recovery.  

Get to know one member of this fabulous team! Angela Haas provides social work services at Special Tree’s Midland Neuro Skills Center. We caught up with Angela to learn more about who she is and the meaning she finds in her work. 

Q: What makes you unique; not just a...