Spring 2016 Workshops Announced at Helen Hayes Hospital Center For Rehab Technology
February 25, 2016The Center for Rehabilitation Technology at Helen Hayes Hospital has announced four exciting workshops for Spring of 2016 which are FREE for individuals with disabilities and their families/caregivers, and $25 for all other attendees. Each workshop will offer attendees hands-on guidance with a variety of adaptive technology topics, from gaining funding for a personal wheelchair to using the latest eye-tracking communication devices for increased independence.
Home Control by Voice – Thursday, March 17th, 2:30-5pm
From opening doors and lowering blinds, to turning on the television and turning off the lights, there are multiple items someone with a disability may want to control in their home. Come learn about different voice technologies to gain greater command of your surroundings and maximize independent living.
Special Solutions Custom Fabrications – Monday, April 18th, 2:30-5pm
With engineering, electronics, and do-it-yourself skills, our Special Apparatus team develops creative solutions to help patients be more independent when commercial equipment just doesn’t work. Creating a mount for a cellular phone on a power wheelchair to help with communication, or customizing a stylus pen holder for an individual with poor fine motor control to access a tablet computer, are just samples of what can be accomplished.
Wheelchair Funding – Monday, May 16th, 2:30-5pm
From high performance ultra-lightweight manual wheelchairs to highly complex power chairs, paired with devices to improve posture, comfort, and efficient mobility, obtaining a new wheelchair can be an expensive proposition. The experts in our Seating & Wheeled Mobility Center share their knowledge on how to navigate funding options and negotiate with insurers so a consumer can select the chair which maintains their health and function and optimizes their mobility and independence.
Eye Tracking Augmentative & Alternative Communication – Thursday, June 16th, 2:30-5pm
Specialized communication devices can help persons who are unable to speak, gesture or write. Come see first-hand the latest in eye tracking technology that makes it possible to communicate with just eye gaze.
The Center for Rehabilitation Technology at Helen Hayes Hospital is nationally-recognized for its dedication to the innovative and interdisciplinary use of technology to assist people with disabilities to increase their independence. In addition to providing evaluation and training in augmentative/alternative communication, advanced seating & mobility, computer access and special apparatus services to clients, the center also hosts a large variety of educational workshops for patients, caregivers, and community members. It is also home to the high-tech Smart Apartment, an interactive model of a typical home which is equipped with an array of assistive technology that enables individuals with disabilities to control their surroundings.
For information or to register for a Spring 2016 workshop, please call 845-786-4587. Continuing Education Units are available for each workshop. To learn more about the Center for Rehabilitation Technology, visit helenhayeshospital.org.
