LSC-Montgomery Students Cut Car In Half For Rehab Patients

CONROE, TX – Lone Star College-Conroe Center is helping patients at Kindred Rehabilitation Hospital Northeast Houston get on the road to recovery.

Automotive technology and welding technology students cut a Hyundai Elantra in half so rehab patients can practice entering and exiting vehicles inside the hospital.

“The car gives patients independence as well as confidence,” said John Pollard, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant at Kindred Rehabilitation Hospital Northeast Houston and LSC-Kingwood alumnus. “Patients can practice in a safe environment and once they can accomplish those skills here, they can transfer what they learned when they go home.”

The goal of the is to prepare patients for a return home independently or with assistance from family members or other care providers.

“This car will impact many patients,” said Zeni Cathey, Director of Therapy. “We practice transfers with all of our patients, some come to us healing from strokes, hip surgery or knee surgery. Inpatient Rehabilitation is the last stop on their journey to recovery before they get home.”

Even though it is a car, therapists can move the vehicle up and down to simulate the height of an SUV or truck the patients will be riding in.

Almost everything under the hood of the car is gone and the airbags have been removed. Automotive students had to carefully gut and preserve the interior of the car to allow the welding students the maximum room to cut the car in half.

“It is good practice for students to do this community project because it is also a learning experience,” said Bill Williams, automotive technology program director. “One of the important things you learn working with cars is if you are going to take something apart you need to mark everything to put it all back together.”

After the automotive students emptied the car, the welding students cut the car in half with a Sawzall®, smoothed out the rough edges, installed strengthening so the car would not collapse, and added small back wheels so the project could be moved around without a crane. Then the automotive students reassembled the seats, steering wheel, pedals and doors.

“I love encouraging learning that also provides a service to others,” said Dr. Rebecca Riley, President at LSC-Montgomery. “In fact, service learning is a big part of our student engagement. We are especially proud of these Mavericks for using their talents to build something so unique.”

Kindred Rehabilitation Hospital Northeast Houston is an inpatient rehabilitation hospital, offering intense inpatient programs that provide ongoing care.

The hospital is for individuals who have been impaired by an injury or illness and are considered by their physicians to be medically stable and physically able to begin a comprehensive rehabilitation program consisting of at least three hours of therapy a day, five days a week.

The teams of rehabilitation experts develop an individualized treatment plan for each patient and their family to maximize recovery and return to home. To learn more, visit khrehabnortheasthouston.com.

Image: Lone Star College-Conroe Center automotive students work on reassembling the half car they created for Kindred Rehabilitation Hospital Northeast Houston. (Courtesy: Kindred Staff)

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