Woodworking in healthcare: the unsung hero of occupational therapy

Karl Burger finishing his latest tabletop arm skate which helps patients with feeding themselves. (Courtesy photo)

DOWNEY — In a world of increasing dependence on plastic, 3D printing, and mass produced items, it’s easy to forget that custom, bespoke pieces of woodworking still hold a place in healthcare.

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center serves patients who have suffered a life-altering injury or illness (spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury, or other neurological disorders). As such, each patient faces unique mobility challenges in their recovery and it is often left to their occupational therapist to find the tools and resources that best fit their needs.

Many specialized or custom fit items a therapist might use to assist a patient might be difficult to find commercially or be cost prohibitive. For this reason, the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation proudly funds a volunteer woodworking program to assist with the needs of Rancho’s patients.

Karl Burger, an 85 year old Downey local and Bell Gardens Lions Club member, is the current volunteer in a long line of talented woodworkers that have taken it upon themselves to create, design, and build these resources for the occupational therapy department and the patients at Rancho.

Karl visits the Rancho campus several times each week to meet with occupational therapists to discuss their current patient’s needs. He then returns to his home garage that has been fully converted to woodworking projects for Rancho. The items he creates range from book/tablet holders, custom backrests, wheelchair modifications, arm mobility skates, or anything else that best accommodates a patient’s disability.

While some of the items Karl creates stay with Rancho’s occupational therapy department to aide in general therapy, many custom items go home with the patient to help in their journey to independence.

Karl Burger’s custom made motor skill training board and arm skate used by occupational therapists. (Courtesy photo)

Michele Berro, Rancho’s Occupational Therapy (OT) Supervisor, shared, “Not even the Pandemic has slowed Karl down. Instead of visiting us in the OT department, he now pulls up in his truck so that the staff can meet him outside and exchange the projects he’s completed for a new list of items that need to be made. He’ll stay and brainstorm with the staff to come up with creative solutions if it’s something they’ve never requested before. The entire OT department feels that Karl is part of our family and take it upon themselves to check in with him frequently.” 

Karl is a true philanthropist and the embodiment of the American dream. Having been born in Yugoslavia, his family relocated to America during WW2 and settled here in Southern California. He and his wife Adele ran a successful auto mechanic shop in Downey for more than 35 years and gave back whenever they could to the Downey community. When asked why he still continues to donate his time and energy in retirement, Karl replied, “I grew up in a communist regime and I know what it’s like to have very little. So my wife and I promised that for all the good this country did for our family over the last 60 years, we’d pay it back by doing as much as we can to help those in need.”

For more information about the programs and services funded by the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation or to make a donation, please call (562) 385-7053 or visit www.RanchoFoundation.org

Zachary Deere is manager of the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation.