Date: Monday, April 29, 2024
Category: General
This month RESNA spoke with Julie Brown, PT, DPT, NCS, ATP/SMS, Physical Therapist at the Assistive Technology Department/Outpatient Wheelchair Clinic at Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital.
How did you first become interested in the world of rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology?
When I graduated from Physical Therapy school, I worked at a Spinal Cord Injury Model Center as a physical therapist on the spinal cord injury floor where I was introduced to manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, and assistive and adapted technology for individuals with various levels of spinal cord injury. I was motivated to help people get back to living their fullest life with their new neurologic system and assistive technology is a huge component of this!
What drives your passion for AT?
I am passionate about all individuals, regardless of their impairments or physical limitations, having appropriate prescribed mobility equipment to maximize their comfort, independence, and access.
I feel strongly that there is huge value in utilizing RESNA certified professionals for prescribing equipment to achieve the best outcomes. It’s exciting when AT users realize the benefits for themselves when using their equipment, and realize how it can truly improve their quality of life.
What is your proudest accomplishment you’ve achieved during your career in AT?
I really love my work in AT so it is hard to narrow it down to just one moment!
I was very honored to be accepted to present at the 2022 RESNA Annual Conference on power wheelchair alternative drive control inputs for clients with ALS. I have a close friend with ALS and wanted to bring awareness to this disease and the changing drive input needs that occur with neurologic disease progression.
What advice would you give for anyone trying to get more involved with RESNA?
Reach out to a SIG chairperson and ask a question you may have or attend a meeting in the area you are interested in to see what it is all about.
RESNA has so much knowledge and resources available if you just ask!
What inspired you to take on leadership role in the Wheeled Mobility SIG?
I love my job as a PT in an outpatient wheelchair clinic and really love connecting with others in similar roles to problem solve and discuss. Recently I organized a local virtual meet-up with the seating and mobility professionals in the Philadelphia metro area to connect with each other to provide clinical support and resources.
It facilitated discussion and was very successful, and itt inspired me to do this on a larger scale with RESNA. I hope to carry over some of the components from our local meeting to our RESNA meetings.
What are your main goals to accomplish in 2024 as the leader of the Wheeled Mobility SIG?
My goal is to increase member participation by creating local networks of clinicians and then connecting those groups through RESNA. Having local networks can be a more local resource, but together we can support each other and help RESNA become the resource that clinicians turn to when they are thinking about AT.
What excites you most about the future of the field of assistive technology?
Technology is always advancing, and we are seeing it carry over into assistive technology in so many exciting ways that will facilitate access for people with all ranges of abilities.
There is also an increased awareness of accessibility and equality which supports the need to pursue AT. I think the coolest part about AT is that it can be very low tech to very high tech, but regardless across that range there will always be someone that benefits from the intervention.