Program Updates
See you at The PEAK! PEAK Center memberships available
The PEAK Center, Craig’s world-class patient fitness and wellness facility, is exploding with new staff, exciting
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PEAK staff Julie Waldie, PT, DPT, Patrick Farrell, and Kaci Young, MCEP, can customize a health and wellness program for youPEAK staff Julie Waldie, PT, DPT, Patrick Farrell, and Kaci Young, MCEP, can customize a health and wellness program for you |
programs, daily classes, and creative challenges to help people optimize their health.
Aptly named for Performance, Exercise, Attitude, and Knowledge, the PEAK was created specifically for people with neurologic disabilities who want to optimize their recovery and prevent secondary complications associated with immobility. State-of-the art services, technology, and customized plans are provided in a highly motivated environment after traditional rehabilitation has been completed.
In addition to regular gym membership privileges, the PEAK now offers krank cycle classes, one-on-one personal training with a physical therapist or exercise specialist, pool therapy, functional electrical stimulation (FES) bike classes, adaptive yoga, a Pilates mat class, and cross-training sessions for athletic teams. During personal training, clients have access to Lokomat, RT600 Elliptical, Ekso, Bioness L300 and L300+ (functional stimulation for over-ground walking), the WAVE whole body vibration plate, and aquatic therapy.
Please contact Julie Waldie, PT, DPT, PEAK director, at 303-789-8325 or jwaldie@craighospital.org for more information.
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Amanda in Ekso at the Aspen Ideas Festival 2011 with Ekso Bionics' CEO, Eythor Bender PHOTO BY DANIEL BAYER © BERKELEY BIONICS |
Ekso arrives at Craig
On March 5, Craig received the first commercial Ekso exoskeleton in the U.S. from Ekso Bionics in Berkeley, Calif.
Ekso (previously called eLEGS™) is a battery-powered, wearable robotics system that can be strapped onto the user over his or her clothing, enabling people with spinal cord injury to stand and walk.
Ekso Bionics and Craig Hospital recently completed a 10-month investigational study of Ekso that involved reciprocal information sharing, learning, training, and definition of clinical protocols. Craig is one of Ekso Bionics’ charter rehabilitation centers.
The system is adjustable and can accommodate most patients who weigh 220 pounds or less and who are between 5’2” and 6’2” in height. Therapists and engineers are in the process of studying the use of Ekso for patients with different levels of spinal cord injury. The unit weighs 45 pounds; however, most of the weight is transferred to the ground rather than to the patient.
Patients at Craig began using the device on March 5. Want more information? Contact Julie Waldie, PT, DPT, at 303-789-8325 or jwaldie@craighospital.org.
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Chris Chappell, ’00, Littleton, Colo., a Craig grad and Craig’s graduate relations coordinator, watches the new plates roll off the assembly line in Cañon City, Colo. |
Honk if you love these specialty license plates!
License plates featuring Craig Hospital became available for purchase in Colorado in January, and so far
approximately 120 already have been sold! To purchase plates, make a $20 donation to the Craig Hospital Patient Assistance Fund, receive a certificate to take to your local Department of Motor Vehicles office, and pay $50 for the plates. Regular or personalized plates are available. Thanks to Chris Chappell at Craig for making this happen, and to our friends at DMV. For more information or to start the process, call 303-789-8650.
Craig Hospital education goes global! Webinars aim to improve knowledge about SCI and TBI
Webinars aim to improve knowledge about SCI and TBI To improve knowledge about spinal cord and brain injuries, Craig Hospital has begun to host webinars for the healthcare community. Healthcare providers can join these online educational sessions from home, work, or just about anywhere in the world where there is a computer and internet access.
Feedback from many former patients indicates that when they are discharged, their doctors and nurses at home may not have the expertise to address unique challenges that can occur after spinal cord or brain injury. These webinars aim to change that, making information about SCI and TBI topics more readily available to healthcare providers across the country. This exciting new platform supports our core value to enhance life quality through advocacy and education. Proceeds from webinar fees directly support Craig’s award-winning SCI Nurse Advice Line.
To learn more about upcoming webinars and to enroll, please visit our webinars page.
Outpatient wellness: Introducing the PEAK Center at Craig
This is a hopeful time in the field of neurologic rehabilitation. People are motivated and empowered to reach their
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Cutting-edge technology in Craig’s new PEAK Center includes the Lokomat®Pro (center) and the RT600 FES elliptical trainer. |
goals, and health care professionals are committed to determining which inter-ventions at what dosage, combination, and intensity facilitate best long-term outcomes in the realms of health, fitness, and wellness.
At Craig Hospital, we take pride in anticipating and responding to people’s needs. We plan to always be at the forefront of innovation and technology. In this spirit, in September, our physical therapy and outpatient departments are opening a new wellness center for Craig patients and others in the community with neurologic disabilities.
The PEAK Center — aptly named for Performance, Exercise, Attitude, and Knowledge — is designed to provide advanced care for people with neurologic injuries and disease by facilitating neuromuscular recovery, creating lifelong fitness and wellness plans to maintain optimal health, and by empowering individuals with neurologic disabilities to maximize their quality of life through knowledge and activity.
Professionals at Craig have understood for decades that SCI and TBI are lifelong injuries that require the support of an evolving and growing health care system. The continuum of care at Craig Hospital starts with an inpatient rehabilitation stay that provides patients and their families with a strong foundation for coping with these devastating injuries. This care can then be extended into the outpatient system where patients continue working on goals to restore their independence and function. However, after individuals with these types of injuries complete traditional outpatient programs, they often begin searching for programs that allow them to continue working on restoration, fitness, and wellness.
The PEAK Center was created for individuals with neurologic disabilities who are seeking to optimize their recovery and prevent the secondary complications associated with immobility. State-of-the-art services, technology, and customized treatment plans are provided to clients in a highly motivated environment after traditional rehabilitation services have been completed.
To maximize access, the PEAK Center provides three levels of service, catering to a wide variety of individual physical needs, economic situations, and commitment levels. Individuals with neurologic disabilities have the opportunity to participate in the following three programs:
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Wellness Membership: Fully adapted fitness center with knowledgeable staff on site to design and provide guidance for fitness programs that are specific to an individual’s abilities and goals
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Fitness Classes: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling classes; upper extremity ergometry cycling classes; seated classes focused on strength and conditioning
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Activity-based Training: One-to-one training utilizing cutting edge technology by staff who specialize in neurologic injury and disease
The PEAK Center utilizes cutting-edge technology including but not limited to: body weight supported treadmill systems and treadmill systems with robotic assistance, functional electrical stimulation (FES) bikes for the upper and lower extremities, upright elliptical training with FES, lower extremity FES systems designed to improve over-ground walking, and whole body vibration.
Along with the physical aspect of recovery, the PEAK Center provides access to massage therapy, education classes, and peer support to promote a healthy lifestyle with balance for mind, body, and spirit. Craig’s therapeutic recreation department also plays a valuable role in achieving this balance by providing PEAK Center members access to amazing recreational activities including white water rafting, SCUBA diving, competitive sports, and handcycling.
The Center was made possible by a generous Craig H. Neilsen Foundation pilot grant and will be sustained by outpatient revenues and memberships.
For membership and other information, please contact Julie Waldie, PT, health and wellness coordinator, at 303-789-8217, jwaldie@craighospital.org; or Heidi Arsenault at 303-789-8494, harsenault@craighospital.org.
Some equipment at the PEAK Center
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RT600 FES elliptical trainer— provides a great option for helping individuals with very impaired mobility get upright, bear weight, and move using a coordinated pattern; can stimulate up to 10 different muscle groups bilaterally
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Lokomat®Pro—helps facilitate a normal walking pattern with an augmented feedback system; research indicates the repetitive motion can promote neural recovery, improve circulation, decrease spasticity, and strengthen bones
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RT300 FES bike—uses functional electrical stimulation to stimulate nerves to produce muscle contractions; promotes cardiopulmonary fitness; rebuilds muscle strength and bulk; improves bone density, blood circulation, intestinal and bladder function, and response to insulin (diabetes); decreases limb spasticity, and improves feelings of well-being
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Bioness L300—improves locomotion in patients through over-ground walking training
Craig demos eLEGS™
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Craig grad Amanda Boxtel, ’92, Basalt, Colo., demonstrates eLEGS™ |
In July, Craig hosted a live presentation today of eLEGS™, a bionic and wearable robot — or exoskeleton — that powers those with lower-extremity paralysis or weakness up and gets them standing and walking again. The device, developed by Berkeley Bionics, was demonstrated by Colorado resident Amanda Boxtel, ’92, who came to Craig Hospital as a patient 19 years ago after a skiing injury caused paraplegia.
At the event, Berkeley Bionics’ CEO, Eythor Bender, announced that Craig will be one of 10 top rehabilitation centers in the nation to participate in eLEGS™ investigational studies. The studies will entail reciprocal information sharing and learning, and the definition of clinical protocols, as the company prepares to introduce eLEGS™ to the market in early 2012. Craig Hospital will also become one of the first eLEGS™ Centers in the world, conducting ongoing research and offering the device for the rehabilitation of their patients.
First unveiled in October 2010, after five years in development, eLEGS™ was selected as No. 3 in CNN’s “Top Ten Innovations of 2010,” No. 2 in Wired’s “Top Ten Gadgets of 2010,” and one of TIME Magazine’s “50 Best Inventions of 2010.” eLEGS™ is a ready-to-wear, battery-powered exoskeleton that is strapped over the user’s clothing. The device provides unprecedented knee flexion, which translates into the most natural human gait available in any exoskeleton today, and can be adjusted in a few minutes to fit most people weighing 220 pounds or less, and between 5’2” and 6’2”.
“There has been a surge of locomotive training for incomplete spinal cord injuries over the last 10 years, which is exciting and has helped facilitate recovery in that population. However, a significant number of people with incomplete injuries still have to use their wheelchair at least part of the time. This technology could potentially allow them to walk in the community without using a wheelchair,” says Candy Tefertiller, PT, director of physical therapy at Craig. She adds, “Research and clinical practice has done a lot for incomplete injuries, but not as much for motor-complete spinal cord injuries, so eLEGS™ may give those individuals the ability to be upright and walking on a daily basis as well.”
Craig leads the way: Neurologic music therapy
Music is a very important part of our lives, and can be even more important after a neurologic injury. Many family members report unique responses to music during recovery from such injuries. Now, we are able to utilize these responses to work toward functional improvements in activities of daily life.
Neurologic music therapy combines music and neuroscience research with live, personalized musical experiences. Neurologic music therapists maintain a close connection to research and utilize standardized techniques to address cognitive, speech, and sensorimotor goals.
Through the support of generous donors to the Craig Hospital Foundation we are now able to offer this cutting-edge therapy to the list of services available to our patients. Only a few top rehabilitation hospitals in the country offer this service, and Craig leads the way once again.
The scientific foundation for neurologic music therapy is the partial overlap of musical and non-musical functions in the brain. People often react to music in ways that they do not react to other stimuli. In the hands of a qualified professional, music can be an important key to unlocking brain and behavior functions and improving quality of life. Patients who have had the opportunity to participate in this service have provided the following comments:
“We saw dramatic improvement in (my wife’s) speech as a result of music therapy.” ...
“My patient’s speech and movement improved significantly on the day we started with music therapy.” ... The patient’s “gains from the music therapy made a big difference in her being able to use speech recognition software.”
If you would like to help support this wonderful program, please contact Jane Marsh at the Craig Hospital Foundation, 303-789-8651.
—by Sarah Thompson, MM, MT-BC, neurologic music therapist–fellow
Nurse advice line wins national award
Craig’s SCI Nurse Advice Line won the 2011 Dorland Health’s Case In Point Platinum Award. Dorland Health, publisher of Case In Point, recognizes the most successful and innovative case management programs working to improve health care.
Craig’s SCI Nurse Advice Line, staffed by nurses Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., is the only one of its kind exclusively dedicated to the unique needs of people with spinal cord injury. The service is offered free of charge to people throughout the country, even if they have never been to Craig. It also complements Craig’s SCI follow-up program to help ensure that Craig grads follow their care plan established during rehabilitation. In just two years, our nurses have impacted the lives of 2,500 people living with spinal cord injury in all 50 states. Approximately 60 percent of calls received so far have been from outside Colorado. Approximately 75 percent of calls come from people who are living with SCI; 16 percent from family members, friends, or other caregivers; and 6 percent from health care providers who are inexperienced in caring for a person with an SCI. Approximately half of callers live in a rural location where access to specialized medical care is unavailable.
Satisfaction has been very positive with over 96 percent reporting that the service is valuable, 94 percent reporting they are satisfied, and 95 percent reporting their needs were met. The program has been supported by generous grants from the Anschutz Foundation, PVA Educational Fund, Caring for Colorado, Schramm Foundation, El Pomar Foundation, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, and individual donors.
Craig receives national award for outstanding quality
Tops all rehab hospitals for quality, patient outcomes, and sustained improvement
On January 27 the American Nurses Association (ANA) honored Craig Hospital in the Rehabilitation Hospital category for achieving outstanding nursing quality, based on the nursing performance measures they collect and report to ANA’s National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators® (NDNQI®), the only national database of nursing quality indicators. The awards were announced at the 5th annual NDNQI Conference in Miami, Fla., attended by more than 1,000 nursing and health care quality leaders.
Craig Hospital and the four other hospitals who received the 2010 NDNQI Award for Outstanding Nursing Quality® were identified for top performance from among the more than 1,700 hospitals that report their results to NDNQI. NDNQI represents one of every three hospitals nationwide, and their database allows individual nursing units to compare their performance to similar units at other hospitals at the local, state, regional, and national levels. Craig and the other award winners demonstrated superior results and sustained improvement in patient outcomes and high nurse job satisfaction on the broad range of nursing-sensitive performance indicators tracked by NDNQI, such as hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, patient falls with injury, infections acquired as a result of hospitalization, and nurse turnover.
“Quality and satisfaction are never an accident. It takes dedication, perseverance, and hard work. Craig nursing continuously demonstrates quality data results and high nurse satisfaction. Commitment to a ‘world-class’ experience for our patients and a superior work environment for our staff has resulted in Craig nursing receiving the 2010 NDNQI Quality Data Award,” says Diane Reinhard, Craig’s vice president of patient care services, who was present in Miami to receive the award. “I am very grateful to NDNQI for the recognition of our amazing nursing department.”
ANA President Karen A. Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, says, “The common traits of the award-winning hospitals are strong leadership, teamwork, commitment to ongoing improvement in patient care quality, continuous staff education, and efficient use of resources.”
NDNQI, a program of ANA’s National Center for Nursing Quality® (NCNQ®), was established in 1998. In any given quarter, more than 15,000 nursing units report performance data. This data not only provides links between patient outcomes and the quality of nursing services, but also can indicate connections between patient outcomes and nurse staffing levels, education, and skills, leading to more effective staffing plans. NDNQI also measures nurse satisfaction through a Work Environment Survey. In 2010, Craig nurses scored 67.9 on the survey, not only exceeding the overall national average, but also exceeding the average among nurses in Magnet® designated hospitals.
Craig nursing hosts 6th annual research symposium
Craig Hospital hosted the 6th annual Research Symposium on February 24. As part of our dedication to providing our patients and families with high quality care, we recognize the importance of advancing and broadening the research available regarding the challenges faced by our patients every day. The Research Symposium is a chance to showcase, share, and brainstorm about research and evidence affecting our patients as well as to learn more about the research process.
Nursing and ancillary departments shared quality improvement projects and research results through colorful, high-quality posters displayed during the event. Nursing posters included the following: a falls improvement project that has resulted in no falls with injury on 2-West since the project was initiated, a project comparing changes in blood pressure readings with different-sized cuffs on patients emphasizing the importance of using the correctly sized cuff, information comparing different home mattress surfaces for spine patients, an evaluation of the literature on best practices for central lines, and many others.
Our invited keynote speaker, Patsy Cullen, PhD, CPNP, shared stories from the trenches about her personal experience with bedside nursing research and encouraged Craig nursing to continue to seek out and engage in bedside research. Many times one thinks of a laboratory with vials and beakers when referring to research, but the nursing field is backed by many qualitative and quantitative studies that compel us to understand experiences of patients and families and how we as nurses can affect and improve outcomes.
Symposium participants learned about the amazing research going on at Craig, as well as information about how to write a grant for funding, and how to write an abstract for presentation to a conference or for journal publication. Craig’s nursing department will continue to honor our
commitment to quality patient care by seeking out and understanding research and its importance to the patients and families we serve.
—Lisa Shelton, RN, BSN, CRRN, Magnet® program and special projects coordinator
Save the date! 2012 Brain Injury Summit
Mark your calendars! Craig is hosting a cutting-edge, unique TBI conference January 9-11, 2012, in Beaver Creek, Colo. — the 2012 Brain Injury Summit. This high-level conference is designed for experienced professionals: physicians, providers, clinicians, researchers, insurance executives, public policy executives, TBI administrators, attorneys, and others. The conference program will include tracks in acute care, clinical rehabilitation, community reintegration, lifelong living, and applied research. Program formats will include keynote presentations, plenary and panel presentations, breakout sessions, poster presentations, roundtables, exhibits, sponsorships, and networking opportunities.
For more information, see www.craighospital.org or www.braininjurysummit2012.org.
Update from Craig’s adaptive technology lab
Looking for the latest and greatest things offered by the world of technology? Tech Lab has its finger on the pulse! Craig’s Mark McKenzie Tech Lab is staffed by specially trained occupational and speech therapists and provides hands-on education and training for Craig patients and families about the most current equipment, software, and technical devices on the market. Such equipment has value in improving safety, decreasing attendant care, helping return to work, and raising quality of life.
Cell Phones
These days everyone uses cell phones to connect to the world, and it’s no different for someone with a brain or spinal cord injury. Cell phones have a vast number of capabilities beyond calling and texting. With cell phone access, patients can call for help in case of emergency which can be invaluable to individual independence. New apps can also assist with memory, organization, and hands-free operation. Tech Lab offers expertise for a wide range of phones from basic flip phones to the latest iPhone and Android smart phones. When physical access to a phone is challenging, Tech Lab can help determine solutions for accessing touch screens, using bluetooth headsets, and taping into speech recognition apps.
Computer Access
Want to check email? Let Tech Lab show you how! Patients in Tech Lab learn ways to access a mouse and keyboard and simplify their computer screen so they can rejoin the cyberworld. Tech Lab specialists also stay current with developments in speech recognition software for Mac and PC that enable patients to surf the Web, send emails, and create documents simply by using their voice.
Augmentative Communication
Life can be frustrating when people are trying to guess what you’re saying. For those who are unable to communicate with their voices, augmentative and alternative communication devices can be essential to getting daily needs met. Tech Lab helps patients explore everything from low-tech options such as communication boards to high-tech Dynavox and iPad options to find the best fit.
Environmental Controls
For those who are tired of sleeping with the light on because the light switch is out of reach or are tired of having someone else change the TV channel, Tech Lab may have the solution. Tech Lab teaches patients how to control aspects of their home environment such as the television, door, lights, and more via touch switch, sip-and-puff switch, or voice control. An electric door opener can be essential for independence when trying to exit the house in case of an emergency if a person is unable to open a door. Smart phones and iPads can now also be used for environmental control. Tech lab educates patients and families about a wide range of options to best fit individual needs.
Future
The world of adaptive technology changes daily. Tech Lab is continually striving to increase our knowledge through collaborations with local universities and engineers, by attending technology conferences, and by learning from our patients. Tech Lab specialists are excited about the progress of speech recognition, the future of smart phones and apps, and the advancements of home automation that will help patients in all aspects of life.
Tech Lab provides individualized and group therapy services by appointment. Grants and generous contributions from donors help support Tech Lab operations. If you would like to contribute, please visit www.craighospital.org/foundation. If you have any tech questions or suggestions, please email techlab@craighospital.org.
Time for an Adventure!
Once again, thanks to help from grants and community donations, Craig is offering a wide variety of exciting summer trips and adventures for Craig graduates and their family/friends. This year’s adventures include:
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Apostle Islands, Lake Superior wilderness inquiry trip
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Coffeman Cove, Alaska fishing lodge fly-in trip, for the hearty
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South Dakota Black Hills trip, treehouse lodging, and more
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Colorado whitewater rafting
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Hot-air ballooning
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Denver activities such as sailing, canoeing, kayaking, handcycling, and other team sports
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Hobie Day: July 29 (mark your calendar!)
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Trish Downing Women’s Wheelchair Camp in Empire, Colo.: August 18-21
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Adaptive fishing trips in Wyoming and Montana
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Jam the Damz Bike Ride, Littleton, Colo.: September 24
Join us! For more info, see www.craighospital.org/TREC or email Claire Cahow at ccahow@craighospital.org.
Craig achieves Magnet® status, again
Continues distinguished record of nursing excellence
For the second time in five years, Craig Hospital was awarded the prestigious Magnet®designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Craig’s first designation was in August 2005. Currently 370 hospitals in the world — including just two free-standing rehabilitation hospitals — have this notable recognition.
According to Lois Kercher, Magnet® commissioner, “Your inviting pictures on your website look like you work hard and play hard. This prestigious award is designated because of the outstanding care that your patients receive as well as your exquisite teamwork. You are one of seven designated hospitals in the state of Colorado, and are unique in your field of spinal cord and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. Your reputation is well known, and Mike Fordyce’s comment on your website, ‘the longevity of staff at Craig is remarkable…’ says it all. Congratulations!”
During the Magnet® site visit in January, the SCI Nurse Advice Line, developed by Craig nurses, was cited as one example of innovation, application of evidence-based practice, and quality patient care.
“Providing quality care is a priority for Craig Hospital,” says Diane Reinhard, RN, BSN, MBA, MSCS, CRRN, NE-BC, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Craig. “In the nursing department, we have worked hard to operationalize our shared governance model and demonstrate to our Magnet® appraisers that we are Craig! It is a great honor to receive this designation and it’s a validation of the commitment of the nursing program here.”
Jeanine Rundquist, RN, MSN, CRRN, Magnet® program and clinical scholar coordinator, says, “Achieving redesignation is a wonderful reflection of the dedication of the entire interdisciplinary team in achieving high quality patient outcomes. I am particularly proud of the nursing staff for their continued focus on excellence.”
The Magnet Recognition Program® was created in 1990 by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to recognize healthcare organizations that provide the highest quality nursing care and uphold the traditions of professional nursing practice.
Craig held a hospital-wide barbecue for staff, patients, and families in August to celebrate this tremendous award.
Leading the way: Introducing three special new programs at Craig
Equine experience
A horse? Of course!
Patients with spinal cord injury who are almost ready to be discharged from Craig, and who are interested in trying something new, now have the opportunity to interact with horses. An adjunct to standard patient education, the new equine program is an interdisciplinary education outing that pairs each patient with a horse handler and therapist as an additional way to address personal issues and attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed for life after rehabilitation.
“Horses are big! Learning about safety, reading their language, and learning from them offers many possibilities. As an educator, I see working with horses as an experiential opportunity for learning lessons of life,” says Terry Chase, MA, ND, RN, coordinator of patient and family education, who has developed the project over the past two years. Terry is also completing training through the Gestalt Equine Institute of the Rockies.
The program is a coordinated effort between patient education, therapeutic recreation, and physical and occupational therapy. Participants learn horse handling and grooming, barn rules, personal safety, groundwork leading, and more.
Four patients have participated so far, and all four recommend that others have the opportunity. Sessions are held at the SaddleUp! Foundation in Parker, Colo., just south of Denver. The program is appropriate for patients with any level of spinal cord injury who have completed all SCI LifeStyles or Tetra Topics classes, who are medically stable, and who have the ability to be in a manual wheelchair for three hours.
For more information, please contact Terry at tmchase@craighospital.org or 303-789-8211.
Child care training
Like so many people who come to Craig following a traumatic injury, Chinda Misra, ’96, Toledo, Ohio, learned a great deal — how to get around, how to care for herself, how to ask for help when she needed it. Later, as she and her husband started a family, she found she could learn physical skills for caring for children at Craig, too.
“Raising a child is a daunting proposition for anyone, and raising a child from a chair at first thought might be out of the question,” Chinda says. “But working with you at Craig made it feel very achievable.”
Guiding patients toward independence in self care and improving functional potentials in all aspects of their lives, including how to care for their children, has always been a focus of occupational therapy at Craig. But in 2009, a long-time dream of Nena Robbins, OTR, came true — establishing a formal child care training program with accessible child care equipment and a designated space for the practical development of child care skills.
Through the efforts of Craig Hospital’s child care work group (Holly Anderson, OTR; Dana Boyster, COTA; Michelle Graf, OTR; Lorraine Keeth, OTR; Jeanine Lucas, COTA; and Jennifer Phillips, OTR; along with Nena who retired in January after 43 years at Craig), the hospital dedicated a room for child care training and purchased accessible equipment. A number of Craig’s former patients donated adapted equipment, as well. Our patients now can experiment with various carriers, cribs with slide rails and swing-out gates, a feeding/bathing table with adjustable height, a changing table, and bathing tubs. Additionally, patients have access to DVDs, a resource notebook, and a network of alumni who are able to share their parenting experiences.
“Our child care training room is one more element that adds to the many excellent, innovative programs available to Craig patients,” Nena says. “It’s unique, practical, and very important.”
Patients have expressed much gratitude.
“My memories of early motherhood will forever be linked with the memory of the wheelchair-accessible equipment Nena designed,” Chinda continues. “I’ll never forget your compassion and quiet determination in helping me create what I needed to function as a mom.”
Stephanie Martinez, ’09, Pueblo, Colo., says, “The sleeper really helped me with managing my baby, Derek, through the night and to have him close to me. The DVDs and Nena’s suggestions were such a good resource.”
We encourage Craig Hospital alumni who are parents to share tips and suggestions with us and with each other. Stop by the child care training room next time you are at Craig.
Graduate liaison
Attention, Craig grads: We hear you loud and clear!
Mike Fordyce, Craig’s president, has created the new administrative position of graduate relations coordinator — based on important feedback from our graduates, professional colleagues, staff, and the community at large. After an interview process with some great candidates, Craig alum Chris Chappell was hired.
Chris, who lives in the Littleton, Colo., area, sustained a C6-7 injury in a mountain bike accident in 2000 and quickly returned to his career in finance after his rehab at Craig. Over the past decade he has volunteered at Craig as a peer mentor and re-entry speaker. He recently retired from his finance career to pursue this opportunity, and we’re pleased to congratulate him on this new venture.
Chris says he is excited about this new chance for Craig to further forge relationships with inpatients, outpatients, and graduates, and to work inside and outside the hospital to help Craig serve our community better. Away from work he enjoys his backyard of Colorado, four-wheeling, family, friends, and traveling. He would love to hear from Craig alums! Email him at cchappell@craighospital.org.
Colorado School of Mines and Craig Hospital join forces in adaptive technology
Engineering students from the esteemed Colorado School of Mines teamed up with Craig staff this year to begin work on projects to assist Craig’s patients and former patients.
Students formed three groups. One designed a switch-activated trigger device for the sip-and-puff rifle. Another designed an updated version of the current pan-and-tilt rifle platform. The third group designed — and made! — a completely new and different fishing pole, using a paint ball gun, and have taken Craig patients fishing with it. All students will take their ideas into their senior design projects for further development and manufacturing.
The engineering students worked closely with Robert Knecht, School of Mines professor; Dave Birkle, Craig rehab engineer; Amanda Carr, OTR, Craig occupational therapist; and Peter Pauwels, fishing guru and Craig volunteer.
Due to the success of this collaboration, a new group of sophomore students will start this fall to begin work on developing other projects to benefit Craig patients.
Annual Motor Sports Day, with a twist
The 18th Annual Craig Hospital Motor Sports Day was held at Bandimere Speedway on August 26. In addition to the regular highlights, this year’s event featured wheelchair drag races on the track — a first at Bandimere, we think! A new wheelchair was presented to former Denver firefighter Walt Salazar injured recently in a motorcycle accident (see related story on the back cover). Corey Fairbanks organized the event, and proceeds went to the Craig Paralympic Sports Club. Thanks to all for a fun day, and special thanks to John Bandimere, Fineline Graphics, and Cruisin’ Productions. For more, see www.craigparasport.org/EVENTS.html.
Exciting and new
Here’s what’s cooking: Remodeled training kitchens
Craig’s training kitchens in the 2nd and 3rd floor treatment gyms were remodeled this year and are fantastic! Patients use the kitchens to practice meal preparation skills and safety, and also gain ideas they may use to remodel their own kitchens at home.
Craig hosts its first-ever respiratory therapy conference
In an effort to give back to the community, Lonnie Martinez, RRT director, and the Craig respiratory therapy department teamed up with the Metro Chapter of the Colorado Society for Respiratory Care and Swedish Medical Center to host the first-ever respiratory therapy conference at Craig Hospital on August 26. Quite well received, it sold out within six days.
Lonnie opened the conference and also spoke on diaphragmatic pacing. Darlene Dumont, RRT, spoke on VCO2 and NICO monitoring; Brigitte Trace, RRT, on “giving your patient a voice”; and Tera Chalupa, RRT, on high volume ventilation and study protocol.
Craig’s respiratory therapy department is renowned in Colorado and throughout the U.S.
SCI Nurse Advice Line awarded grant from Paralyzed Veterans of America
Diedre Bricker, RN of the SCI Nurse Advice Line, accepted a grant from Mark Shepherd, Sr. of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. The funds help support this free nationwide service.
Craig a Colorado leader in youth sports concussion issue
Concerned about youth sports concussions in Colorado, Craig’s Don Gerber, PsyD,
founded the Colorado Youth Sports Concussion Special Interest Group (SIG) within the Brain Injury Association of Colorado (BIAC) in November 2009. Dr. Gerber invited Kenny Hosack of Craig and Gavin Attwood of BIAC to help him co-chair the SIG, a volunteer group of Colorado physicians (including Craig’s Dr. Alan Weintraub), psychologists, certified athletic trainers, nurses, educators, Colorado High School Activities Association representatives, coaches, attorneys, parents, and advocates. The purpose of the SIG is to study the issue of concussion in youth sports in Colorado; to develop a network of concussion experts and resources; and to make recommendations to BIAC, CHSAA, school districts, private clubs, coaches, certified athletic trainers, educators, nurses, parents, athletes, legislators, and the general public.
