Exercise Roulette

Intervention Summary

Goals: Leg strengthening, Arm strengthening
Patient task: Do the exercise on each card
Dog task: Pick up card to bring to patient
Scale: Resistance, exercise difficulty
Equipment needed: Exercise cards, squigz

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Intervention Overview

We have loved this activity for group therapy sessions! Our custom facility dog exercise cards feature various arm, leg, and core exercises that can be done in the sitting or standing position (depending on patient ability), as well as some transfer training and walking. Place a few cards on the floor and have your facility dog pick a card, bring it to a patient, and have the whole group perform the exercise!

Patient Instructions

• Patient in sitting position

• Reach for card from facility dog and read exercise aloud - then perform whatever the card says!

Dog’s Role

• Dog retrieves cards from floor and brings them to each patient

• Attach a squig to the card to help your dog pick it up, if needed

• Interaction level: active

Scaling

Make it easier:

• Perform all exercises in sitting

• Choose cards that have less reps or are less difficult for the group

Make it harder:

• Perform exercises in standing

• Add ankle weights and/or dumbbells

• Use high level cards for walking, balance, etc.

Additional Notes

• Equipment: custom facility dog exercise cards (template coming soon), squigz