Occupational Therapy Team
Zoë Martinez, Occupational Therapy Supervisor at the Aspire of WNY Healthcare Clinic, has initiated an outreach to various agencies in the Buffalo Niagara region who support individuals with developmental disabilities. She is informing other agencies about ways the Aspire Clinic can enhance individual’s independence, function, and integration within their community. Earlier this year, representatives from the Therapy departments held meetings across the region to introduce agencies to the rehabilitation services at the Aspire Special Needs Healthcare Clinic. These included Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. The benefits of Aspire’s Assistive Technology Network were also explained.
Speech Therapy Team
The ATN team of pediatric OTs, PTs, and SLPs have been working closely with Aspire’s Technology Today staff to provide Assistive Technology evaluations and services within Western New York school districts. Together, they are making recommendations for Augmentative communication systems, software applications for improving linguistic and perceptual skills, and vocational skill development. These evaluations also include potential environmental modifications for students to promote physical functioning, access to technology and learning optimization; and the utilization of switches and interfaces for improved access to specialized technology.
Physical Therapy Team
The Physical and Occupational Therapy Departments at Aspire of WNY provide services for individuals 18 years of age and older. For individuals with physical and mobility limitations, it is important to monitor them for the development of pressure wounds (bed sores). Recently, the PT and OT departments submitted a grant proposal to obtain a pressure mapping system designed to alert clinicians as to where potential skin integrity issues exist. This system allows for proactive approaches towards positioning an individual that distributes pressure more evenly and reduce the potential for pressure wounds.
Nursing Team
Our nursing staff recently completed two online courses in case management to prepare for our Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) ramp up. Case management and care coordination are two important features of both of these new primary care delivery system models. They are designed to provide better clinical support for patients as well as deliver education and service coordination in an ever-increasingly complex health care landscape.