Carol.Wheatley@p0.f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Carol Wheatley) (08/09/90)
Index Number: 9619
[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]
I am an Occupational Therapist working in an rehabilitation
center. We are trying to start a Community Living Skills program,
and would like to include as much realistic information as
possible. My question to you all is: what should you have known
before you left the rehab center to return home? What would have
helped you in your transition? Do you feel that this info would
have been of value while you were preparing to leave the Center, or
do you think that you would have had to learn it yourself once you
were out? I quess that's enough for starters. I would really
appreciate everyone's input - it'll help us set up a better
program. Thanks alot.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!1000.0!Carol.Wheatley
Internet: Carol.Wheatley@p0.f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.orgJoe.Chamberlain@f140.n150.z1.fidonet.org (Joe Chamberlain) (08/09/90)
Index Number: 9631
CW> I am an Occupational Therapist working in an rehabilitation center. We
CW> are trying to start a Community Living Skills program, and would like to
Transportation. Driving. Getting around the mall. Using
driveways when no curb cuts are available. Restraunts. Forget
public bathrooms. McDonalds has the most accessible bathrooms.
Apartment living. That what the O.T. department thinks is
necessary will cost a fortune. Cheaper alternatives. Talking
books free from the library for the blind and physically
handicapped. Snow clogging up the spokes of you chair. Learn to
do your own w/c repair.
That should keep you busy for awhile.
-=joe=-
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!150!140!Joe.Chamberlain
Internet: Joe.Chamberlain@f140.n150.z1.fidonet.orgJerry.Pickup@p33.f1.n360.z1.fidonet.org (Jerry Pickup) (08/10/90)
Index Number: 9672
[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]
In a message to Anyone With An Opinion <28 Jul 90 13:40:00> Carol Wheatley wrote:
CW> I am an Occupational Therapist working in an rehabilitation center.
Hi! I am a C-1 & 2 incomplete quad since 7/10/84.
CW> We are trying to start a Community Living Skills program, and would
CW> like to include as much realistic information as possible. My
CW> question to you all is: what should you have known before you left
CW> the rehab center to return home? What would have helped you in your
I did my rehab at Shepard Spinal Center (Atlanta, Ga) and later
participated in the independant living program at the Roosevelt
Warm Springs Institute at Warm Springs, Ga. I learned alot from
both and both were necessary to prepare me to come home and face
the real world.
If there was any one thing that has helped me most in being able to
go and to do, it is the definition of the word independant. When
someone is first injured, they usually think of independance as
being able to do everything for ones self, or being physically able
bodied. If I retain that as my definition of independance, I'll be
sitting at home for a long time.
On the other hand, if I learn to do what I can for myself and then
concentrate on ways to get the other stuff done, I can really be
independant. For example, if I want to live alone independance does
not have to mean I can get myself in and out of bed and do my own
showers, etc. It can mean learning to hire and manage personal
care attendants or learning how to ask for help in public when I
can't open a door or can't reach the high shelf in the grocery
store, etc.
CW> transition? Do you feel that this info would have been of value
CW> while you were preparing to leave the Center, or do you think that
CW> you would have had to learn it yourself once you were out? I quess
Alot of it has to be learned through trial and error but one of the
best things that Shepard did was to take us on frequent outings to
malls, restaraunts, movies, etc and we were able to get a taste of
what the real world is like to someone with a disability before
they actually sent us home.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!360!1.33!Jerry.Pickup
Internet: Jerry.Pickup@p33.f1.n360.z1.fidonet.orgNadine.Thomas@p59.f1.n360.z1.fidonet.org (Nadine Thomas) (08/10/90)
Index Number: 9685
In a message to Anyone With An Opinion <27 Jul 90 13:55:00> Carol Wheatley wrote:
CW> My
CW> question to you all is: what should you have known before you left
CW> the rehab center to return home? What would have helped you in your
CW> transition? Do you feel that this info would have been of value
CW> while you were preparing to leave the Center, or do you think that
CW> you would have had to learn it yourself once you were out? I quess
When I left rehab. I felt very vulnerable and did not know how to
keep my parents from taking control of my business etc. without
allowing me the dignity of making my own decisions. I would have
liked to know that this was a possibility and how to handle the
situation. My self-worth was pretty precarious and did not need
them to shove me off of it. Learning to deal with it would help in
that department.
Thank you for asking.
Nadine
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!360!1.59!Nadine.Thomas
Internet: Nadine.Thomas@p59.f1.n360.z1.fidonet.org