Rebuilding Lives After Brain Injury
WINTER 2018
Message From The President......2 Programs Coming Soon..............3 NeuroRestorative Gives Back......4 NeuroRestorative Participates in 2018 Run To Home Base............4 NeuroRestorative Heroes.............5 NeuroRestorative Florida Pioneers The Enrichment Project.6 Neuro Institute Educational Offerings......................................7 Success Through Perseverance..8 Specialized Rehabilitation Services Group Employees Recognized wit Ripple of Hope Award..........................................9
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Neuro News A newsletter from NeuroRestorative NeuroRestorative Participant Works to Prevent Brain Injury Vicki Boyles of Georgetown, Kentucky, suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2004 as a result of a motor vehicle accident. “I was driving home in Missouri after volunteering at an auction and I was stopped at a light when an impaired driver slammed into the back of my car,” Boyles said. She was 46 at the time of the accident and not wearing a seat belt. Prior to her accident, Vicki was working for a local newspaper in Independence, MO and actively participating in multiple volunteer projects. Vicki’s brain injury left her struggling with visual deficits, emotional instability and impulsivity. In May, 2011, she entered the NeuroRestorative Kentucky residential program to address these challenges. While attending the program, Vicki rediscovered her love for volunteering. With help from her treatment team, Vicki volunteered at the Kentucky Wildlife Center for 5 years. She has since moved into her own apartment, and continues to access outpatient services from NeuroRestorative.
“I had been trying to find a way to do something to give back,” Vicki said. “Who better to talk to people about brain injury prevention than a person who has been through it?”
Vicki Boyles completes a helmet fitting at The Festival of the Horse
Vicki recently became the Community Relations Officer for TJ’s Warriors–a volunteer organization dedicated to providing bicycle helmets to children. Although the organization only recently started, they are already making an impact. At the Festival of the Horse in September, Vicki and her colleagues teamed up with the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky to distribute nearly 100 helmets to children in the Georgetown, Kentucky community.
“The mission of TJ’s Warriors is to protect children one helmet at a time,” said Boyles. According to their website, “TJ’s Warriors was inspired by TJ Floyd and his fight back after Traumatic Brain Injury. On April 21, 2010, at age 7, TJ was riding his bicycle when he flipped over the handlebars and hit his head. TJ was not wearing a helmet.” Vicki is also a recent recipient of the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky’s (BIAK) AIM Award for volunteer service. She has since joined the Board of Directors for the Lexington, Kentucky Chapter of BIAK and plans to advocate for rehabilitation services funding at upcoming Medicaid forums. To learn more about TJ’s Warriors and BIAK, visit tjswarriors.org and biak.us
Message from the President Dear Friends, Over the past forty years, NeuroRestorative has grown to be America’s largest and most experienced provider of community-based rehabilitation programs and support services for people of all ages with brain and spinal cord injury and other neurological challenges. In a variety of settings, we are honored to help people regain a productive life and a future full of promise using our individualized service approach that is focused on providing quality care and supports. Our flexible and effective continuum of care specializes in empowering individuals by offering them the support they need to improve their quality of life while also working to increase their independence. In this newsletter, you’ll read the story of Donte Baltimore, a participant in NeuroRestorative’s neurorehabilitation program in North Carolina who is working toward his goal of regaining his abilities and living independently after suffering a traumatic injury. You will also have the opportunity to read about how the NeuroRestorative Florida program in Clearwater partnered with a local rescue, rehabilitation and release aquarium to provide a therapeutic approach to animal enrichment. This unique program offers participants the opportunity to give back to animals who have also endured a traumatic experience. On the topic of giving back, NeuroRestorative was delighted to participate in The MENTOR Network’s sixth annual National Volunteer Day in April. More than 2,000 volunteers joined together to complete 80 services projects across the country. Learn more about the event on page 4. Lastly, The MENTOR Network’s Specialty Rehabilitation Services (SRS) group–comprised of NeuroRestorative, Mentis Neuro Health and CareMeridian–is honored to have two employees, Brandy Fortner, Team Lead, Mentis Neuro Health Texas and Eduardo Hernandez, Nursing Assistant, CareMeridian California recognized with The MENTOR Network’s 2018 Ripple of Hope Award. Learn more about the importance of this award and the outstanding contributions made by these exceptional individuals on page 9. As always, I welcome your feedback on what you’d like to see in Neuro News. Please email your suggestions to neuronews@neurorestorative.com. Sincerely,
Bill Duffy President Specialty Rehabilitation Services 2
New & Expanded Programs At NeuroRestorative, we understand how important it is for participants to have the support of their loved ones during rehabilitation. That’s why we continue to expand our programs to ensure that more people have access to the rehabilitation they need close to home. The programs listed below will offer new services within the next six months.
New Hampshire
Maine
Massachusetts Michigan
Rhode Island Pennsylvania
Iowa
New Jersey
Ohio
Nevada
Illinois
Utah
Maryland
Colorado
California
Virginia Kentucky North Carolina
Tennessee Arizona
Arkansas Georgia
NeuroRestorative CareMerdian
Texas
Mentis Neuro Health
Louisiana
Coming Soon
Coming Soon Location
NeuroRestorative Kentucky—Union Day treatment services
NeuroRestorative Massachusetts— Chelmsford Residential services
NeuroRestorative Massachusetts— Southborough Residential services
NeuroRestorative Massachusetts— Holliston Residential services
NeuroRestorative Massachusetts— Sandwich Residential services
Florida
NeuroRestorative Massachusetts— Fall River Residential
NeuroRestorative Massachusetts— Dartmouth Residential services
NeuroRestorative Maine—Gorham Residential services
NeuroRestorative Maine—Westbrook Residential services
NeuroRestorative Illinois—Carbondale Expanded Residential and Day Treatment services
NeuroRestorative Illinois— Mount Prospect Expanded Residential services
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NeuroRestorative Gives Back On Saturday, April 28, NeuroRestorative, a partner of The MENTOR Network, participated in The Network’s sixth annual National Volunteer Day. This event featured more than 2,000 volunteers completing 80 service projects across the country. This year’s volunteers included employees in 32 states as well as individuals served, families, friends and foster parents of The Network. “I would like to thank everyone who helped make our sixth annual National Volunteer Day a success,” said Bruce Nardella, President and CEO of The MENTOR Network. “The Network was founded by people who believed that strong communities enable people of all abilities to thrive. Year after year, it is inspiring to see so many who share that belief coming together to lend a hand.” As in the past, this year’s participants embraced Volunteer Day with a passion for cleaning up, beautify and making a difference in their home communities. Projects included: • • • • • •
Sorting donations at food banks Lending a hand at shelters for those experiencing homelessness Serving meals to people in need Filling backpacks with food for youth at risk Cleaning up and assisting customers at non-profit thrift stores Preparing community gardens for spring planting
NeuroRestorative Louisiana Participants and Staff Clean Up a Local Park
2018
For the eighth year, NeuroRestorative participated in the Run-Walk to Home Base on July 28 in Boston. Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, is dedicated to healing the invisible wounds for Post-9/11 Veterans, Service Members and their families through world-class clinical care, wellness, education and research. Employees from NeuroRestorative participated in the race and provided information about our specialized services for Veterans at an exhibition booth. The unique event takes place through Boston and culminates by crossing home plate at historic Fenway Park. “My favorite moments occur while walking the course. Cheering on survivors, families of survivors and the fallen is at the top of my list. A close second is when bystanders ask ‘what is this walk for?’ For me, these are sparks! The moments where events like this can result in a profound appreciation from the general public for the “invisible wounds” that this event aims to support, such as TBI, anxiety, depression, and co-occurring substance use disorders,” said Scott Kruczek, Director of Training and Employee Engagement, NeuroRestorative. 4
NeuroRestorative’s Run to Home Base team
NeuroRestorative Heroes NeuroRestorative Heroes is an employee recognition program through which we celebrate employees whose actions make them a hero to those we serve or to their fellow colleagues. Each quarter, we recognize four Heroes, each from a different program.
FY 18 Q1 Heroes
Tina Lukefahr
Jackie Schihl
Nursing Administrative Assistant, NeuroRestorative Carbondale
Rehabilitation Specialist / Team Lead, NeuroRestorative Michigan
Michael Oun
Wendy Sherman
Facility Manager, NeuroRestorative Florida
LST / Shift Supervisor, NeuroRestorative Arkansas
FY 18 Q2 Heroes
JoAnn Lawson
Anne Bortner
Team Lead, NeuroRestorative Florida
Team Lead, NeuroRestorative New Jersey
Tina Carco
Rose Aguilar
LST / Med Assist, NeuroRestorative Carbondale
Case Manager, NeuroRestorative Texas
FY 18 Q3 Heroes
Shawna Fisher
Sheila Isom
Referrals and Admissions Coordinator, NeuroRestorative
Rehabilitation Specialist, NeuroRestorative Timber Ridge
Timothy Hoste
Carolyn Maze
Area Director of Vocational Services, NeuroRestorative Michigan
Licensed Practical Nurse, NeuroRestorative Carbondale
FY 18 Q4 Heroes
Vicki Smith
Andrea Mayo
Case Coordinator, NeuroRestorative Florida
Rehabilitation Specialist, NeuroRestorative Michigan
Britney Bagley
Brandy Fortner
Therapy Assistant, NeuroRestorative Maine
Team Lead/LST, Mentis Neuro Health
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NeuroRestorative Florida Pioneers The Enrichment Project with Local Aquarium The Enrichment Project is an animal-assisted therapy program offered to individuals in the Clearwater program at NeuroRestorative Florida in cooperation with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA). The Enrichment Project was created by Mara W. Rosen, an Occupational Therapist at NeuroRestorative Florida to offer a unique therapeutic outlet for participants based upon individualized cognitive, physical and social goals. The program also provides the opportunity for participants to donate time and effort to a worthy cause and give back to animals who have also endured a traumatic experience. CMA is a rescue, rehabilitation and release facility in Clearwater, FL specializing in the care of sick and injured animals including dolphins, river otters and sea turtles. Unfortunately, some of these animals are unable to be released back into the wild due to their injuries or lack of survival skills. Animal enrichment then becomes critical to their quality of life. It is an integral part of animal care used by zoos, aquariums and sanctuaries that assists animals in working toward various goals through the use of specially designed initiatives. Enrichment objectives and activities are designed to provide cognitive and multi-sensory stimulation to encourage species-appropriate behaviors and present choices for environmental exploration. “The nature of the Enrichment Project allows participants not only to work toward therapy goals but also to realize their power to help others with whom they share common ground, even in the most unexpected ways,” said Rosen. The Enrichment Project provides goal-oriented therapy activities to the persons served at NeuroRestorative Florida’s program in Clearwater through the process of designing and creating projects used for animal enrichment at CMA. Therapy is also offered through participation in the enrichment sessions with the animals. The project includes several components including brainstorming enrichment project ideas, designing the projects, building the projects and traveling to the aquarium to provide enrichment sessions for the animals. Program participants enjoy coming up with creative ideas to share. Recently, a participant created a giant mermaid incorporating small mirrors which was used for enrichment in the underwater viewing windows with some of the resident dolphins. Participants value that both they and the animals have survived a traumatic injury. One participant stated, “It’s very caring for us to see the dolphins and other fish especially because they were also injured where they lived.”
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Neuro Institute offers monthly, one hour online CEU opportunities spanning a variety of topics related to brain injury rehabilitation services. Below is a schedule of upcoming events. Past presentations are available to view for credit by visiting: NeuroRestorative.com/Institute. CEU credit for Case Managers (CCMC), Social Workers (NASW), and ANCC (RN) provides National Nursing Continuing Education Courses Certification. All other participants will receive a general certificate of attendance. DECEMBER 14, 12-1PM (EST)
Ethics in Clinical Practice Frank Lewis, Ph.D., National Director of Clinical Outcome Services, NeuroRestorative
Learning Objectives •
Participants will be able to identify at least 5 factors that contribute to unethical behavior.
•
Participants will be able to identify the purpose of Stanley Milgram’s landmark study on ethics.
•
Participants will be able to identify the study that lead to the Belmont Report on ethical guidelines for the protection of patients.
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Participants will be able to identify one positive result of the Willowbrook study on medical practice.
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Participants will be able to identify three steps in the process to resolve ethical conflicts in clinical practice..
PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS - AVAILABLE TO VIEW FOR CEU CREDIT
Jennifer Doble, MD
Gordon J. Horn, Ph.D.
“Medical Management of Substance Use Disorders after TBI”
“Residual Behaviors Influencing TBI Treatment and Recovery”
Medical Director, NeuroRestorative Michigan & NeuroRestorative Florida
Now Available Online! Colm Roe, PTA, CBIS
Clinical Evaluator, NeuroRestorative Florida “Spinal Cord Injury, From Dependence to Adaptive Independence”
National Deputy Director of Clinical Outcomes, NeuroRestorative
Now Available Online! Pam Feinberg-Rivkin, RN, BSN, CCM, CRRN, ABDA Interventionist, Founder and CEO of Feinberg Consulting, Inc.
“Brain Injury and Substance Use Disorder”
Now Available Online!
Now Available Online!
To register or learn more, visit NeuroRestorative.com/Institute
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Success Through Perseverance
NeuroRestorative North Carolina Participant Determined to Regain Independence Donte Baltimore smiles and says, “I never said it would be easy, but it would be worth it,” when asked what advice he would give to others just starting their rehabilitation journey at NeuroRestorative North Carolina. Donte served in the North Carolina Army Reserve for six years specializing in combat documentation production, photography, and videography. On January 26, 2013, he sustained a traumatic brain injury. Following his injury, Donte spent six months at WakeMed hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was initially admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and later transitioned into their rehabilitation program. Once stable, he transitioned home, but then entered another rehabilitation program six months later. There he would attend therapy one time per week. In February 2015, Donte entered the post-hospital rehabilitation program at NeuroRestorative North Carolina. At the time, he was completely dependent on others for necessary activities of daily living. He was unable to walk, dress, transfer or bathe without assistance. This would be a difficult situation for anyone; however, Donte has always maintained the hope and determination needed to overcome any challenge placed before him. He would spend the next few years working up to 5 days per week on an array of multi-disciplinary therapies to help him regain his independence. “Giving up is easy; the toughest part is not.” - Donte Baltimore
From left to right: Donnell Jefferson, Program Manger, Donte Baltimore, Susan White, Occupational Therapist, Judy Kinally, Speech Language Pathologist
Today, Donte is studying Architectural Technology at Wake Tech University and working towards a certificate in Autocad Software. He is also taking a class on Autodesk Revit, an information modeling software used by architects, engineers and contractors. He previously completed a Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) class. Donte worked as a commercial industrial designer previously, and he said that he is taking these classes to brush up on his skills. In addition to going to school, he continues to participate in therapy five days per week, and works out daily at a gym. He has made great strides and is currently able to prepare his meals, do his shopping, laundry and make his bed. He frequently walks around the NeuroRestorative program with some assistance. In his spare time, Donte enjoys visiting his brother and improving his photography skills.
NeuroRestorative Radio Substance Use and Brain Injury Featuring Aimee Johnson, MA, LMHC, CBIS, Counselor, NeuroRestorative You can listen on our website and iTunes. Be sure to subscribe, so you never miss an episode! 8
R A DIO
Specialty Rehabilitation Services Employees Recognized with The MENTOR Network’s Ripple of Hope Award In 2005, The MENTOR Network established the Ripple of Hope Award to recognize the most outstanding among us— employees, Mentors and other independent contractors—whose passion, energy and skill have created a positive impact in the lives of others. Whether they work in direct care, operations or supporting business roles, these outstanding employees, foster parents, and Host Home providers create a “ripple of hope,” and a legacy of compassion and caring for others to follow. NeuroRestorative, Mentis Neuro Health and CareMeridian make up The MENTOR Network’s Specialty Rehabilitation Services (SRS) group. The SRS group is honored to have two employees recognized with the 2018 Ripple of Hope Award. Brandy Fortner, Team Lead, Mentis Neuro Health Texas Over the past year, Brandy has taken the initiative to organize multiple events and activities for individuals served in the program. “Brandy takes time to know every individual served, family and staff member and she greets them with a smile. She shows empathy and caring to everyone. Even if her hands are full, she stops to greet or address someone’s concerns,” said Cindy Mostaffa, Program Director, Mentis Neuro Health, Austin. Where Brandy truly excels is her connection with the individuals she serves. For example, Brandy works with an individual in the long-term residential program. This individual was injured as a minor over twenty years ago and has some challenges with mobility and communication. About once a year, Brandy takes this individual on an annual vacation. The two of them plan the trip, the hotel, activities, budgets, and fun activities. This year Brandy took this person to the beach in Corpus Christie, TX. Although she uses a motorized wheelchair, the individual served asked if she could go parasailing. Brandy found a company that would assist and secured the appropriate approvals. The individual, with the support of a team, was able to para-sail over the Gulf of Mexico. “Brandy saw the young girl that needed to feel the sand, hear the ocean, and know that she could fly in the sky. Both Brandy and the young woman claim this was one of the best vacations ever with smiles on their faces. Brandy is so much more than a team leader, she is a dream maker,” said Mostaffa. Eduardo Hernandez, Nursing Assistant, CareMeridian California. “Eduardo Hernandez creates hope and ripples of hope with his amazing ability to make any person feel they have the ability to improve despite their physical and/or cognitive challenges,” said Bruce Kuluris, Vice President of Operations, CareMeridian. “Eduardo is willing to assist in any way he can to assure that participants are encouraged to reach goals that are meaningful to them and their lives.” Seven years ago, during the fires in Santiago Canyon, California, the program Eduardo worked at was evacuated for three weeks. Eduardo took the lead at the program throughout the ordeal. He actively moved participants, equipment, and medical supplies to a local hospital, and then stayed to make sure everyone was settled in and safe. He then went above and beyond to wash walls, clean windows, and make sure the facility was in great shape for the participants to return once the fire danger had passed. “Eduardo is a person who consistently provides outstanding service. He has demonstrated over the many years with CareMeridian that he is dependable, trustworthy and a notable advocate for patients, their families and his coworkers. He never shy’s away from accepting new responsibilities, no matter the challenge, and readily accepts new tasks with eagerness, putting in the time and energy to learn as much as possible on any project,” stated Hanna Van Der Walt, Executive Director for CareMeridian’s Southern California programs. “Eduardo’s commitment to our organization’s mission and values is admirable. We are so grateful for all of his many years with the company and the contributions to the team.”
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Do you have a story idea that you want to share? Tell us about it. Email us at neuronews@neurorestorative.com We want to hear from you!
NeuroRestorative is a leading provider of post-acute rehabilitation services for people of all ages with brain and spinal cord injuries and other neurological challenges. In a variety of locations and settings, we offer a continuum of care and rehabilitation options, including specialized services for children, adolescents, and Military Service Members and Veterans. NeuroRestorative is a partner of The MENTOR Network, a national network of local providers offering an array of quality, community-based services to adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain and spinal cord injuries and other catastrophic injuries and illnesses, and to youth with emotional, behavioral and medically complex challenges as well as their families.
Rebuilding Lives After Brain Injury
For more information, to schedule a tour or to make a referral: Call 800-743-6802 Email neuroinfo@neurorestorative.com Visit NeuroRestorative.com
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