4 minute read
DIRECTIONS CANADA
KATIE
Written by: STEFANIE SUKSTORF LAURENCE, OT REG. (ONT)
I received an invitation to a birthday party a while ago. At the time, the young woman, Katie, was turning 30. Now that in of itself may not seem like anything remarkable, but I realized I had known her since she was less than a year old when her mom brought her for the first time to the Easter Seals Camp where I was working for a few summers. Over the passing years, I have been part of her care team, on and off, in some capacity or other. I have watched as her body changed, her life blossomed and the symphony of people in her life learned to move in harmony around her.
The invitation to the party gave me pause to think about what has been remarkable to bring her this far. There certainly have been jarring elements, times of crisis and conflict, but these have been tempered by passion, dedication, patience and love by the team members that support her. Her most successful seating and mobility systems occurred when the team members working with her maintained clear and transparent communication with her key family members and caregivers. Differences of opinion were an opportunity to weigh options, rethink approaches and move forward. The consistency of team members and vendors enabled trusting relationships to be established. At times, new eyes were able to provide fresh input and creativity, and this continues to this day.
In the current climate of cost containment, outsourcing of services and the quest for the lowest bottom line, it may be wise to take a moment and recognize the infinite value that an efficient team (client, therapist, vendor, caregiver) brings to the table.
Thirty years for you and I may not seem all that daunting. But for someone with a severe disability, the coordination of care, the plethora of people involved and the feats that are accomplished are remarkable.
Every client we see provides us with an opportunity to reflect and learn from. Working with Katie and her family reinforced for me the importance of clear communication. One of the roles of a supplier of Complex Rehabilitation Technology is to suggest options, to outline the pros and cons for the options, and support the client or caregiver to make decisions that best meet their needs and situation.
As Katie now approaches her late thirties and her medical complexity complicates her aging process, the respect and clarity that have become the backbone of the relationship with her and her family has made prescriptions and decisions smoother.
Katie, regardless of what life has in store for you, know that we’ve got your back … and your cushion, and your headrest, and your mobility base, too.
CONTACT THE AUTHOR Stefanie may be reached at SLAURENCE@MOTIONSPECIALTIES.COM
Stefanie Sukstorf Laurence is an occupational therapist who has worked with people with special needs in a variety of settings and roles for over 40 years, the last 34 as an occupational therapist. While the terms wheelchair lady, commode queen, seating specialist and equipment geek have all been used as worthy descriptors, she is the clinical educator for Motion across Canada. When she’s not on her soapbox at colleges, universities, group homes, hospitals and conferences across North America and even as far as Europe, you can find her with her arms wrapped around a client helping to create a custom seating system or elbows deep with a team to sort out a challenge. Laurence is a NRRTS Registrant and NRRTS board member.
