Starting in 2015, FOR U began to work with members of the Ridge community to develop adaptive equipment for patients receiving physical therapy services at the clinic. With the help of donations from Stroke Camp participants, fundraising events, and the FOR U staff’s time and energy, we began developing equipment based on the needs of the patients that were coming for therapy services.
Working to counteract the gap in accessibility of services, FOR U collaborated with Erica Pincomb, a US-based OT, to develop a list of rehab-equipment based on the patient needs and her previous experience with other organizations in developing countries. With the focus on empowering local FOR U employees, Elaine “Toots” Wiltshire and Brenton Swaby, were trained by Pincomb on the different types of adaptive equipment, working to develop both an understanding of the equipment and a better understanding of persons with disabilities. Both of them have thrived in the creation of adaptive equipment and continue to add cultural insight into how to move forward with changing the equipment to better serve our patients.
