the BRAIN - Shepherd Center

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ShortTakes Shepherd Snapshots: A Look at News and Other Notes Dr. Keith Tansey Appointed to ASIA Board of Directors Keith Tansey, M.D., Ph.D., director of spinal cord injury research at Shepherd Center, has been appointed to the prestigious Board of Directors of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA). ASIA’s Board of Directors consists of 11 representatives, each serving a two-year term. A director is eligible to be reappointed twice following his/her initial term, for a maximum of six years. This is Dr. Tansey's first term. He has been a member of ASIA for some time and recently served as chairman of the Membership Committee. His primary board assignment for the next year will be to co-chair an effort to upgrade the ASIA Web site at www.asia-spinalinjury.org. Dr. Tansey joins two other Shepherd Center physicians – David Apple, Jr., M.D., and Bruce G. Green, M.D. – who have also served as ASIA board members in the past,. The National Office of ASIA is located within the Crawford Research Institute at Shepherd Center. — Caroline Hemingway Photo by Leita Cowart Shepherd Center Conducts Inpatient Satisfaction Surveys Shepherd Center is now conducting inpatient satisfaction surveys on a regular basis through a company called NRC Picker. Former patients will receive a call from Discovery Research Group on behalf of Shepherd Center. The caller will request a few minutes of time to complete a set of prepared questions. Discovery Research makes five call attempts starting about two weeks after the month of the patient’s discharge. The goal of the survey is to obtain feedback, information and opinion on the inpatient experience at Shepherd Center, and to establish and execute improvements and changes moving forward. Shepherd Center has taken previous survey results into consideration, and will implement a number of improvements, including a comprehensive handbook for the families of patients, white boards in patients’ rooms to improve the level of communication, an indepth injury explanation on Shepherd Center’s site at www.shepherd.org and a permanent notebook in each Woodruff Family Residence Center apartment with information relevant to housing needs. — Caroline Hemingway Hurry and register! All Sports Camp Scheduled for Oct. 16-18 Shepherd Center’s annual All Sports Camp is scheduled for Oct. 16-18 at Roosevelt Warm Springs Camp Dream in Warm Springs, Ga. The camp includes hands-on adaptive sports instruction in wheelchair basketball, quad rugby, swimming, wheelchair tennis, canoeing and kayaking, handcycling, track, field, scuba, wheelchair football and wheelchair team handball. The camp is open to adults ages 18 and up. The cost of $150 includes lodging and meals. For more information, contact Matt Edens at 404-367-1287 or matt_edens@shepherd.org. Register online at: www.shepherd.org/allsportscamp. Shepherd Center File Photo Shepherd Center Physical Therapist Named Emerging Leader Shepherd Center spinal cord injury physical therapist Joy Bruce recently received the American Physical Therapy Association’s Emerging Leader Award for 2008. This honor is given to one PT who demonstrates extraordinary service and makes exceptional contributions to APTA and the physical therapy profession. Aside from her role as a PT, Bruce conducts clinical research with Shepherd Center’s new Spinal Cord Injury Research Laboratory. Studies she’s coordinating include a project with the Georgia Institute of Technology investigating the Tongue Drive wheelchair navigation system for people with quadriplegia and a project with the University of Georgia on the effects on muscle plasticity and glucose tolerance of an electrically stimulated strengthening program. “It is an honor to be recognized by my peers,” Bruce says. “We cannot overestimate the importance of having strong leaders to guide research and education, and to advocate for patients and the profession.” Bruce praises the mentorship she receives from Shepherd’s clinicians and managers as a guiding force in her ability to emerge as a leader in her profession. — Kayla Eubanks Photo by Kayla Eubanks 2 Spinal Column w w w. s h e p h e r d . o r g
Newly Integrated Sip-and-Puff System Gives Patients More Independence When Shepherd patient James Brown wants a little more light in his room, it’s as easy as a simple blow into a straw, then a puff, thanks to a new, integrated sip-and-puff control system developed by Shepherd’s Assistive Technology Center. The system gives James the ability to control the lights and other technology in his room through a single device, which gives quadriplegic patients like him as much control as possible over their surroundings, says Assistive Technology Center manager John Anschutz, who developed the system with help from Jiasheng He, a Georgia Institute of Technology student who interned at Shepherd this past summer. “It gives the patient a sense of controlling their environment, which is important,” John says. “James told us that 16 years ago, when he was first injured, he had no control and felt stuck, like he couldn’t do anything. This system takes that away.” James helped John and his staff test the system, which allows the user to adjust lights, control a television’s power and channels, make phone calls and summon a nurse. The system represents a huge upgrade, James says. “Controlling your environment is huge,” he explains. “This is really cutting-edge technology compared to where we were 16 years ago. When I was first injured, I had to call my mom all the time to do things for me.” Ultimately, John and his staff want to provide a cost-effective version of the integrated sip-and-puff system to patients like James for use in their homes. “First, we want to get this system into the hospital rooms of all patients who need them, and then get systems into their homes,” John says. “We have some steep hills to climb to get there. We want to keep it simple and cheap and fill a niche where there isn’t a lot out there that is inexpensive.” — Bill Sanders Above: Shepherd Center Assistive Technology Center manager John Anschutz and Georgia Tech student Jiasheng He developed a new, integrated sip-and-puff control system with input from patient James Brown of Conyers, Ga. Photo by Gary Meek Shepherd Center and SkiMore Tours Offer Annual Adaptive Skiing Trip Shepherd Center and SkiMore Tours have planned a trip to Breckenridge, Colo., this winter for adaptive snow skiing for beginners to advanced skiers with physical disabilities. The trip, scheduled for Jan. 17-22, 2010, includes private adaptive skiing lessons, lift tickets, equipment, hotel accommodations, transportation from the airport to the hotel and two group dinners. People of all abilities are welcome, as well as their families and friends. Advance registration is required. For more information, contact Shepherd Center therapeutic recreation therapist Katie Murphy at 404-350-7488 or katie_murphy@shepherd.org. Or, go to www.skimoretours.com. Shepherd Launches New Web Site Shepherd Center has a new home on the Internet. This fall, the Center launched a redesigned Web site to keep pace with the overwhelming number of people who visit the site each day to learn more about the Shepherd experience. The new site, at www.shepherd.org, features several new features, including an updated overview of care programs, patient and program videos, and new online functions for submitting a referral or joining a research study. More and more people are now using the Internet when choosing a rehabilitation facility for their loved one. The new site is geared to helping people who are considering Shepherd as a rehabilitation option. In addition, a number of other types of visitors will find something of interest on the new site, including people interested in Shepherd’s research programs, clinical trials, volunteering or giving opportunities. There is also information available for download on injury prevention tips and resources related to disabilities. Shepherd Center expects to continue upgrading and improving the site. If you have any feedback about something you’d like to see, please contact Larry Bowie at larry_bowie@shepherd.org. Fall 2009 3
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Page 9 and 10: ain injury statistics Shepherd Cent
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Page 13 and 14: + CoverStorySidebar Praise on Peach
Page 15 and 16: Photo by Owen Riley Photo by Leita
Page 17 and 18: OutreachFeature Building Profession
Page 19 and 20: Un- Adapting to life after a spinal
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Page 41 and 42: Alyson Roth: Advocate and Surfing C
Page 43 and 44: LovingTributes Memorials Deceased f
Page 45 and 46: Anita M. Smith Mrs. Frank C. Bowen,

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