Patient Programs

Our Care Extends Beyond Our Walls

At Shriners Children's Portland, our team is committed to caring for the overall health and well-being of our patients. This includes their minds as well as their bodies. In that spirit, we offer a wide variety of programs.

Our extensive patient programs give children the opportunity to participate in enjoyable activities to brighten their stay and in camps that can help them return to their communities more active and confident.

Shriners Children's Portland partners with a number of community organizations to provide opportunities for children to explore and grow their overall potential inside and outside the hospital. Your nurse or care coordinator can direct you to opportunities in the community.

Camps

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Camp

The annual AAC Camp is a week-long camp held at our facility in a multipurpose room. The camp focuses on providing patients with the opportunity to engage in social communication with other peers in a fun and interactive setting. The children who participate use various forms of AAC, including laminated picture symbols, battery-operated communication tools, as well as high-tech communication devices. Activities are adapted to provide the children with a way to independently engage in play, shared reading and arts and crafts. The experience provides a unique opportunity for children who use AAC to interact with other children who do the same.

Shriners Children's Portland patients who utilize AAC tools/devices and who meet the criteria for attending camp are invited by their treating clinician to attend. Ages range from 2-21 years old.

Constraint Induced Movement Therapy Camp (CIMT)

This camp is for children who have unilateral cerebral palsy, also called hemiplegia, which affects muscle control and function on one side of the body. Children who participate should have some use of their affected arm and enjoy group activities. This two-week camp runs five days a week for two hours a day on our grounds and is offered to children whose care teams determine they would benefit from the program.

Programs

Annual Assistive Technology Resource Fair

Our annual Assistive Technology Resource Fair provides opportunities for hands-on exploration of assistive technology (AT) for young children to young adults. AT users and self-advocates, community partners, local organizations and resources feature AT to support play, literacy, gaming, mobility and communication for people at all stages of their lives. This community event is open to the general public and typically takes place at our facility. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be hosted on a virtual platform until further notice. View the AT Guide, a website that was created to supplement our virtual AT Resource Fair. For questions regarding the AT Resource Fair, please contact ATUserGroup@shrinenet.org.

Child Life

Our certified child life specialists have training in child development and are available to help reduce the stresses associated with staying in the hospital and to teach children coping skills through offering opportunities to play, learn and interact with others in an emotionally and socially safe environment. Play experiences help children express fears and misconceptions of hospitalization and medical procedures. Services include procedural support, pain management techniques, pre-operative teaching prior to surgery, group activities and education about upcoming procedures/hospital visits. Learn more. 

Library Services

Located in the first floor waiting room, the library includes specialized books, journals, audio-visual resources, fliers about upcoming events, and internet resources about you/your child’s condition. In addition to resources on medical topics, there are resources about careers, healthy relationships, independent living, recreation, support and transition

Limb Difference Support Group

The Limb Differences Support Group provides opportunities for social and active engagement for youth with limb differences. Through positive peer support, individuals can improve self-confidence and independence, identify and build on strengths, and have fun in a safe and accommodating environment. This group also provides a space for families and caregivers to participate and connect with the staff and other families to share resources and support. This is a support network for patients who experience limb differences and their families. The group meets quarterly.

MD Family Night Support Group

The MD Family Night Support Group is an open, casual meeting of individuals with neuromuscular disease, along with their families and caregivers. It is a time to get to know other families impacted by muscular and neuromuscular disease, and to get support from the Shriners Children's Portland staff and guest speakers. In the support group setting, families can share tears and laughter, medical and financial tips, and travel stories and recipes. More importantly, there is a sense of fellowship and a personal connection that strengthens everyone involved. 

Music Therapy

Music isn't just fun to listen to – it also offers physical and mental benefits as well, including improving respiration and lowering stress. Sessions include concerts, individual performances and one-on-one sessions, and are conducted at our facility twice a week. Learn more about our Music Therapy Program.

Onsite Public School

Learning never stops. Children keep up with their schoolwork through a joint project between Shriners Children’s Portland and the Multnomah Education Service District. Located onsite, the school provides bilingual education for preschoolers through 12th-graders. Special programs include vocational education and school re-entry programs.

Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC)

PFAC was established to foster successful collaboration among patients, families and staff members so we can provide innovative, compassionate care. Parents and families work collaboratively with the staff to identify opportunities for enhancements, brainstorm solutions, and implement changes to improve the patient and family experience.

Pet Therapy

Dogs, cats and rabbits registered as Shriners Children’s pet therapy volunteers provide comfort and affection. Contact the volunteer services department to see if there are furry friends in the lobby of our hospital today ready to pay a visit. Learn more about our Pet Therapy Program.

Therapeutic Recreation and Child Life

Therapeutic recreation and child life specialists come together in the central activity area to facilitate structured and unstructured play each day. To learn more, read about our Therapeutic Recreation & Child Life program.

Recreational Therapy

The recreational therapy program at Shriners Children’s Portland aims to promote an active and healthy lifestyle while increasing the quality of life for patients through outdoor adventure, sports, creative movement, art and social engagement. Our programs provide opportunities for families to recreate together and provide supportive environments for kids to foster friendships, such as adaptive biking, snowshoeing, kayaking and art therapy.

Shriners Children's Portland offers a wide variety of programs and services that cater to the overall health and well-being of our patients and their families. View all patient programs and services offered by Shriners Children's.