Last Saturday, Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital joined 100 walkers at El Oso Grande Park at Ability Connection New Mexico’s (ACNM) fourth annual Ability Walk. The Ability Walk is an hour long walk that celebrates the achievements of children and adults with disabilities. A supporter of ACNM’s fundraising initiatives, Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital is now working with ACNM to bring the Enabling Communication program to their patients.
“Enabling Communication gives individuals a voice by providing equipment and a suite of augmentive communication software to individuals with communication-related disabilities,” says Katie Schultheiss, ACNM’s Fundraiser and Event Coordinator. Enabling Communication is a component of ACNM’s Technology Initiative program that also includes Tech 4 Tots, serving infants and toddlers.
The equipment used in the program is typically an iPad® tablet installed with communication software or other therapeutic equipment. In October 2014, Ability Connection trained speech-language pathologists at Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital on the tablets and on how to use Proloquo2go, a communication app that uses symbols to help individuals communicate, with their patients.
“This has helped patients to communicate and has introduced them to the use of technology and improving skills through a fun and interactive method,” says Jennie Duran, supervisor of the speech therapy program. Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital has used tablets with about twenty percent of their patients and hopes to grow that number, says Duran.
ACNM also grants a limited number of tablets to individuals each quarter. Individuals must have a documented communication-related disability and be recommended by a speech-language pathologist to be eligible. Interested individuals can visit www.Tech-Initiative.org for more information on the program and how to apply.
Ability Connection New Mexico’s mission is to provide the very highest quality care and support for children and adults with disabilities. For more information on their programs, please call 505-268-5076.