UAB Medicine Outpatient Rehab Services has partnered with UAB Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as other departments and community groups to help individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury enjoy better health and independence as they return home from a hospital stay and inpatient rehabilitation services.
This program, Empowered Care, connects patients and their caregivers with the resources and support they need to achieve better overall wellness. One component of this focuses on social activity and connection.
The Empowered Care Program encourages social activity through low-cost events aimed at encouraging community involvement to strengthen independence and build confidence. Organizers say the initiative helps foster both social and emotional wellbeing by giving individuals opportunities to try new experiences or revisit familiar ones in a supportive environment.
While the scope of the Empowered Care program, which recently entered year two of a three-year pilot, focuses on supporting individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury after discharge from Spain Rehabilitation Center, the social events also extend an invitation to all former patients of Spain Rehab, clinic patients, and their families regardless of disability or diagnosis type.
In December 2025, the program hosted a bowling social that brought participants, care partners, and family members together for a relaxed, fun outing. By keeping the cost at just $3.50 per game, the event remained accessible while still providing a meaningful opportunity to connect. For some, it was their first time bowling; for others, it marked a return to an activity they had not attempted since leaving rehab.
Program coordinators thoughtfully plan activities to appeal to a variety of interests and abilities. For more information or a schedule of social activities contact Darryl Walker, Post Rehab Peer Navigators, at