Community Programs: Recreation programs

The Vancouver Parks Board runs a wide range of adapted and special-needs recreation programs. Check out their website: Adapted Recreation Programs. Check it out and stay active!

Some of the sports, classes, and events included are:

• Swimming
• Wheelchair basketball
• Wheelchair rugby (a para-olympic sport that was invented right here in Vancouver!)
• Sledge hockey
• Boccia
• Curling
• Volleyball
• Various exercise classes
• they even run social outings…

Community Support: Stroke Peer Mentoring Program

The Stroke Peer Mentoring Program is run through the Stroke Recovery Association of BC. This free program matches someone living with stroke to a mentor who has had a stroke and who has training to be able to offer support, understanding, and education about issues of stroke and everyday life.  Mentors provide this support through telephone conversations, email, and/or 1-to-1 meetings.

A peer mentor does not replace your professional rehab team, but they can be very helpful!

For more information about this free mentoring program, please contact:

Carolyn Carter, Peer Coordinator
604-714-4185
peermentoringprogram@mac.com

Their brochure:

Community Support: Rehabilitation and Resource Team

In addition to the GF Strong ABI Program Outreach Team we pointed out earlier, the Vancouver Coastal Health “Vancouver Community Rehabilitation and Resource Team” is another resource for those living here in the Vancouver area. The team provides short, 6 month rehab programs for those living with complex disabilities. They provide assessment and treatment for individuals who want to improve their ability to function and have specific goals they would like to achieve. Rehab sessions may be in your home or in a nearby community location. The teams goals are to increase independence, community participation, and life satisfaction.

To qualify for this rehab program, you must reside in Vancouver, be between 19-64 years old, be eligible for Community Health Services and be living with a complex disability. The program is targeted at those who do not have third party insurance or working with Community Living BC.

If you are interested, please talk with your Case Manager at a Community Health Centre. If you don’t have a Case Manager, please call: 604-263-7377

Their brochure:

Peer Mentor Program for Clinicians running November-December

The next Neuro-Ability Peer Mentor Program will be run this coming November-December. The goal of the program is to work on clinical reasoning and treatment skills with the goal of maximizing client function. See this blog post that includes an article published in PABC Directions on the Peer Mentor Program.

The program includes a combination of patient demonstration/workshop and theoretical discussion. Related readings from peer-reviewed journals shall be assigned.

• The program involves patient treatment sessions in pairs
• The Participant:Instructor ratio is 8:1

 

DATES/TIMES and OUTLINES:

Patient Analysis and Treatment

  November 7th to December 5th (5 sessions, Wednesdays: 5:15-7:15 pm)

• Led by Libby Swain (8 participants)
• Theory/demos and working in pairs with 4 patients
  • WEEK 1: Demonstration Patient A (one of the 4 patients)
  • WEEK 2: Four Patients for assessment
  • WEEK 3: Workshop Patient B
  • WEEK 4: Four patients for treatment
  • WEEK 5: Workshop Patient C / Wrap up
• Note: Participants may be able to bring one of their own patients for workshop/demonstration/joint treatment sessions.

Please note each Program is run as an individual entity. Therapists can therefore sign up for either session or both sessions. Session A is not a prerequisite for Session B.

 

VENUE:

Neuro-Ability Clinic located at 675 East 17th @ Fraser Street

COST:

Each program is $360.00

 

REQUIREMENTS:

• Current BC college registration as a physiotherapist or occupational therapist
• Current malpractice insurance (for treating patients during the program).
  • We are able to provide information on insurance to cover individuals for the course series if required.

REGISTRATION:

• Applications shall be accepted on a first come first served basis.

• Please email Libby Swain at libby@neuro-ability.ca with the following information:
  • Your name, mailing address.
  • Name of work setting, type of clients you work with, reason for wishing to participate in mentorship program.
  • A scanned copy of your college registration.
  • A scanned copy of your malpractice insurance or request for us to provide you with information to secure insurance for the program.
  • Please identify if you have a patient you would like to bring to the program for a workshop/demonstration/joint treatment sessions.
    • If you sign up without a patient, and enough participants would like paired treatment session/s, you will be allocated to a therapist who has a patient.

ONCE YOU RECEIVE A REPLY E-MAIL CONFIRMING YOUR ACCEPTANCE:

• please mail cheque payable to Neuro-Ability to 675 East 17th Avenue, V5V 1B5
• Please include a note indicating the cheque is payment for the Mentorship program.
  

More information on the program is available at Neuro-Ability.ca. Also, check out this blog post that includes an article published in PABC Directions on the Peer Mentor Program.

Community Support: Acquired Brain Injury Outreach Team

A resource we would like to point out:

The GF Strong ABI Program Outreach Team works with clients, families and caregivers to assist people with an acquired brain injury to improve their quality of life. They assist in identifying and accessing the best available resources to support clients in their home community. They provide many resources including assessments, recommendations, advocacy, and consultation with other professionals in the community and in care facilities. Note: although they are based in Vancouver, adults with an acquired brain injury can be referred from any location in British Columbia.

We have included their brochure below, but if you wish to contact them:
Outpatient Admissions Coordinator, G.F. Strong Rehab Centre
604-737-6272
http://www.vch.ca/403/7676/?program_id=12710
outpatientadmissions@vch.ca