Helen Hayes CRT represented at Fight SMA Symposium

April 14, 2016

Blog entry by Eddy Ehrlich, OT/L, ATP

Helen Hayes Hospital’s Center for Rehabilitation Technology (CRT) was invited to FightSMA’s 25th Annual Research Conference last week in Alexandria, VA. FightSMA is an international non-profit dedicated to raise awareness and funding to defeat Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

People with SMA are living longer and are therefore encountering more issues related to living independently. Assistive Technology has been playing a big role in giving such consumers access to mobility, communication, education and home control. Assistive Technology, especially for people with severe disabilities is CRT’s area of expertise. CRT has a cooperative relationship with the SMA Clinical Research Center at Columbia University in New York City. The mother of one of our patients is a Board member of FightSMA. She was very impressed when visiting our Smart Apartment and invited us to participate in their Patient Engagement and Education Symposium.

CRT’s Eddy Ehrlich (4th from right) represented our hospital at the symposium and focused on methods to increase independence in performing electronic activities of daily living (eADLs). The panel of experts also included 2 doctors involved in clinical research, a Washington DC Public Strategies Advocate, and 3 parents of young adults with SMA. The proceedings were videotaped and will be edited for national distribution.