UNITE4CRT: DYNAMIC VIRTUAL MONTHLY MEETUPS Written by ROSA WALSTON LATIMER
Jenny Siegle, host of Unite4CRT “Conversations.”
Whether you use technology or an old-school paper planner to manage your schedule, you’ll want to add this entry for the third Tuesday each month in 2022: Unite4CRT virtual meeting, 7:00 p.m. EST. Whether you are a Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) user, family, caregiver, supplier or clinician, you will find this monthly, one-hour meeting informative, intentional and enlightening.
Unite4CRT is an informal forum organized by NRRTS that provides an opportunity for meaningful, energetic conversations about the reality of living with a disability. Each Chris Collin, participant in Unite4CRT meetups meetup includes the presentation of and member of the event planning committee. information, a Q-and-A session and an open discussion. “The participants in the group are always cheerful and even though we may talk about serious issues, we usually end up joking and having fun while doing it,” said Chris Collin, sales representative with Motion Composites and a Unite4CRT Annette Hodges, NRRTS participant. Collin considers the group Director of Education. a unique, personal resource and an excellent way to connect with like-minded individuals. “As a wheelchair user and adaptive sports participant, I appreciate the opportunity to have conversations about a variety of subjects that support users of mobility devices and products.” The original idea for this group grew from a desire by participants in the annual NRRTS/NCART CRT conference to stay connected and continue advocacy
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efforts. “The community wanted to continue with education about issues and policies that impact our industry and CRT users,” Annette Hodges, NRRTS director of education, said. “We also wanted to involve those who might not attend the conference in the conversation.” What began spring 2019 as a virtual town hall evolved organically into a more informal coming together. “Early on we focused on legislation, continuing to touch base with members of Congress. However, as we continued to meet, we realized that wheelchair users, of course, face many issues that are different from an industry wide focus,” Hodges said. “The group began to consider topics for deeper consideration based on the conversation during meetings. As we moved toward more personal topics, we changed the name to ‘Conversations.’” When Unite4CRT comes together, the conversation might be about service dogs or caregiver issues. Advocacy continues to be important to the group. “We have someone we consider an expert to speak on a topic and then the audience weighs in,” Hodges said. “Participants feel comfortable discussing personal issues they are facing and the ‘experts’ aren’t limited to the leader of the discussion. Our participants are very knowledgeable about many topics, because they are living it day-to-day.” Some past discussion subjects include smart home devices at an affordable price, how to approach business owners about ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance, travel and accessibility, and surviving the holidays. “If a hot topic comes up that affects many, we’ll make time to discuss it. NRRTS provides the platform for the virtual meetings, but the group manages itself.” Advocacy has remained a fundamental pursuit as the group evolved, but Hodges notes she’s seen participants become bolder when discussing complex issues. “We’ve created a situation where personal connection and support are not restricted by geography. Unite4CRT is a safe place, and participants are comfortable sharing ideas or suggesting a different approach to a problem. Everyone who wants to have a voice, has that opportunity. However, if a participant simply wants to listen, that’s okay too. I often sit back, listen and take notes. I learn something every time we meet.”
