Patient to Participant: Through the Eyes of a Paralympic Athlete By Katie Holloway

 To provide the opportunity for all children and adults with physical disabilities to find happiness through leisure pursuits.  To assist community adaptive recreation programs in reaching out to their medical community so each child with a physical disability is aware of adaptive recreation early on.

 Identify three new strategies to gain participants from the clinical community.  Identify three barriers to participation for people with physical disabilities in adaptive programs.  Use a sample community reintegration tool with a patient/participant.

 My Story  Prosthetic Education  Building the Clinical Path and Network  Develop Relationship with Patient  Barriers of Patients/Participants  Solutions to Barriers  Community Reintegration Tools

MY STORY #1 Rural area/ Limited resources

#3 Did not identify with disability #2 No knowledge of adaptive recreation

#4 Prosthetic Education

 Above the Knee (AK)/Below the Knee (BK) ◦ BK Ideal- Symes Amputation  Healing ◦ 6 months-1 year for proper size ◦ Proper Fit  Weight Management/ Body Mass ◦ Socks

 Systems ◦ Pin ◦ Suction  Nutrition  Resources ◦ Vocational Rehab ◦ CAF

Patient Community Organization (CTRS) Medical Personnel *from Cindy Burkhour, CTRS, USP

Where to look for potential athletes?  Research local facilities: Children’s, Universities ◦ Look into their specific clinics or programs which serve your target population  Limb Deficiency Clinic  Spinal Cord Injury Clinic  Spina Bifida- Urology Clinic ◦ Sports Therapy Department, Outpatient PT ◦ Prosthetic Companies  Who are the medical professionals most likely to get involved?  TR, Orthopedic Surgeons  Vocational Rehab, Case Managers, Social Workers

 Create a “Top Down Culture” ◦ Buy-In  Pick one Clinical Setting per month ◦ Clinics, Support Group, etc. ◦ Follow-Up  Be Contagious  Be Available

 Learn the mission of the company/owner ◦ Are they creating an able-bodied mindset?  If so, encourage staff to volunteer for your events  Discuss the opportunities adaptive sports creates ◦ Travel ◦ Higher Education ◦ Equipment ◦ Leadership Skills ◦ Social Interaction  Athlete Peer Mentor  Emphasize the marketing opportunity to other amputees

Patient Community Organization (CTRS) Medical Personnel *from Cindy Burkhour, CTRS, USP

 Trust  Create Opportunity they can’t refuse  Find solutions to his/her barriers  What patient likes to do- choice in activity  Appeal to Support System ◦ Inclusion ◦ Cost

 Rural Area/Limited resources  No knowledge of adaptive recreation  Did not identify with disability  Prosthetic Education

#1.You are visiting a friend that lives about 4 hours away. While out at dinner, you notice there is a family waiting to be seated that has a child in a wheelchair. You know for a fact there are no programs in the area.

#2.You are working out at your local gym and you see a man with a prosthetic that is in his late 30s on the elliptical.

#3.After approaching the 30- something male, you begin talking about programming for disabled sports and invite him to come try wheelchair basketball. The man looks at you like you’re crazy and says, “No thank you. I play basketball with normal people.”

#4.You have just met with the owner/manager of the lead prosthetic company in your area about supporting your next fundraiser and the possibility of gaining participants. He is very interested and states he has many patients that are perfect for your programs. As you are walking out of the office you see a 14 year old girl with a below the knee prosthetic waiting with her mother in the lobby. You turn to the prosthetist and ask if this girl would be interested in one of your programs. He responds, “Oh no, she plays all able-bodied sports and does just fine.”

 Goal-Oriented Programming  Assist staff in knowledge of participants ◦ Organization & Efficiency  Risk Management ◦ Safety Orientation ◦ Knowledge of participant’s precautions  Retain participants ◦ Clinicians can give form to patients  Therapeutic Recreation Process ◦ Helps bridge clinical-community gap ◦ Legitimize field of Community TR

Katie Holloway