CTV News link

Thank you to all who chose to write us a note or called to say you saw the piece about us at the end of last Monday’s CTV news. The link we posted last week will no longer work as they post news news programs each week on the same site.

However, thanks also to a great supporter who made a copy for us to keep.

We will be posting the clip in a more permanent format in the near future.

Newsletter

Our first newsletter for Abilities Neurological Rehabilitation will be coming out this week.

If you wish to receive a copy, you can send us an e-mail at abilitiesrehab at gmail dot com.

We are looking to make this as informative as possible, so if you have any ideas for additions please feel free to drop us a line as well.

We will be printing a few copies to have in the office but the main distribution will be by e-mail in order to save trees. 

Frequently Asked Question #4

My child (or I) have different abilities than the people I have seen using the suit.  Will it still work? 

At the core, the suit and this method of therapy is a tool. As a tool, I am constantly using it and adapting it for the individual needs of the client. Therefore, how I use it will be different for each person, although the overall framework is the same.

What is the same for people with neurological disabilities is that both they all have brains that are sending different messages to the muscles due to an injury of some kind.

The TheraSuit helps to counteract those messages by providing a different input to the body. This allows the body to experience what more normal movement feels like.

How that will help overall depends on your goals. This is an intense session, and the results are always better if we have one or two specific goals in mind.

So the question is, if you had more normal movement, what would you do with it? How would that change his life?

The answers to those questions gives us the focus and the motivation to use the TheraSuit method as a tool in the most productive way. If it the goals are worth the effort to you, then we are much more likely to be successful.

Frequently Asked Question #3

My child is (blank) years old.  Are they too old to have this method work?

Answer:

This type of therapy is suitable for children (and adults) who are 3 and older.  Why 3 years?  This is due to the skeletal maturity that is required to participate in the program.

There is no age limit, if you have the motivation, there is almost always the potential to improve.

If you have a child who is 3 or younger, there are lots of opportunities to participate in a modified program of play based activities with some strengthening exercises based on individual needs.  This would not be an intensive program.  Please contact us for more details.

CTV News Story….The Link

I think the link will only be on for the next week. but if you go to CTV news and go to the Monday archive at 51:28, you will see the story.

Anyone know how we can record that? I guess I have a week to figure it out. 

Frequently Asked Question #1

Someone just asked me a great question via e-mail and I thought I would share the question and my answer.

Question:

How long after an injury can the TheraSuit still be beneficial?

My Answer: 

The TheraSuit method, and therapy in general, does not depend on how long its been since the initial injury.  We used to think that for a lot of neurological injuries that the first 2 years were important and after that, progress would taper off.  The research is now telling us that there is almost ALWAYS potential for improvement.

One of the important things in any kind of therapy is having meaningful goals. 

So the question I would then pose to you, is, what are one or two goals you and your child would have in terms of gross motor progress would make the child’s life better?  It could be something like better head control, to walk longer, to stand etc. 

And then, my next question what could the child participate in by using this skill that would be meaningful to him or yourself?  For example, more head control so he/she could watch the X games, or he/she can walk longer so he can walk into WalMart with a walker instead of being pushed in a wheelchair.

It is my experience that having a meaningful goal will influence the progress much more than how long it has been since the initial injury.

It makes sense, even for us.  If I have a goal to get up at 5am every morning to run 45 minutes, unless I have a good reason WHY I am doing it ( for example to prepare for a marathon on a certain date, or to meet my friend to go running with her), I will most likely sleep in instead of run.

Motivation is a huge factor, and that motivation is not affected greatly by cognitive ability, it affected most by a desire to do something.

Hope that helps!

Our Clinic in the News

Several people have asked to to forward the links to the news stories about TheraSuit we have had recently.

I thought I would post them here for future reference:

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=27f352bc-01fb-4d4e-b7bc-866063620041 (Province Newspaper)

http://www.canada.com/abbotsfordtimes/news/story.html?id=a320874b-b913-4b39-8aa5-acac834bd01b (Abbotsford Times)

Abbotsford News (link is now broken, let me know if you want a copy and I will forward one to you).

A New Rehabilitation Assistant

We are so very lucky to have Stefanie Pemble join us as a Rehabilitation Assistant.  Stefanie grew up in Abbotsford and enjoys kayaking in her spare time. She has recently graduated from CDI college and has lots of great knowledge. 

Even better is that she is great at working with both children and adults to help them reach their potential.

Stefanie’s role will be to assist Heather with the rehabilitation programs within the clinic as well as a bunch of “behind the scenes” work.

Be sure to say “hi” to her next time you are in.

CTV news

The kind folks at CTV news came Tuesday to film us at work and talk to one of the clients who has used the TheraSuit program.  They have told me its going to be airing Thursday, October 18th as the last story of the 6 o’clock news.

I don’t think I’m going to watch…only because I hate seeing myself on TV. 

Whether or not parents  or clients choose to do the TheraSuit program (which I still think is awesome by the way), I hope this story gives people and caregivers of people with neurological disabilities HOPE that there is almost always potential for improvement.

Never give up!

As always, if you want more information about the TheraSuit program, you can visit my website at www.therasuit.ca or call me at 778-552-3177.

Cascade Orthotics

I went to a two day course hosted by Cascade orthotics over the weekend.  It was a great course. What I really like about Cascade orthotics is that:

1. They value (and then choose the bracing for)the child in the context of where they are functionally, not just for what their feet look like.

2.  They see the value of a team approach to care.

3.  They have great customer service.

4. They have created a system that helps choose the most appropriate brace for the child. You can see it here.

They have some of the best braces I have seen.  Thanks for the great course!