Artist's Flair
Originally printed in the Fall
2002 Toronto Rehab Magazine.
Despite their challenges, these patients in Complex Continuing Care have shown that Artist's Flair enriches their lives. Patients explore their creativity, practice new skills and improve social interaction through art.
"The program is grand," says Jean Thorkelsson, 46, a university fine arts graduate and a Toronto Rehab patient since 1999. Although her multiple sclerosis causes memory and concentration problems, "painting gives me inspiration and strength," says Jean. "I like the group set-up and I enjoy the people."
Artist's Flair was funded by the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Volunteer Association to learn about the benefits of art as a therapeutic intervention and to explore treatment strategies that involve more than one health care discipline - in this case occupational therapy and therapeutic recreation.
Lew Boles' Story
Originally printed in Spring/Summer 2001 Toronto Rehab Magazine
A trip to the fridge to plan a meal, grab a snack or just
scan the shelves is something most of us take for granted.
Not Lew Boles! Having his own kitchen, planning the menu and
going grocery shopping are among his many new-found joys in
life. The 51-year-old quadriplegic recently moved out to live
on his own for the first time. Lew lived at Toronto Rehab
for 33 years - first at Lyndhurst Centre, then at University
Centre and ultimately at Queen Elizabeth Centre(now E.W. Bickle Centre for Complex Continuing Care). He was 18
when he broke his neck and severely injured his spinal cord
while playing touch football. After several months of living
and working in his new wheelchair-accessible apartment with
on-call attendant care, how does Lew like independent living?
"It's great, terrific, wonderful!" he says. "I
love the freedom and privacy. I have my own space and I have
control over my environment." Lew already has had visitors
from his "extended family" at Toronto Rehab.
| If you or your loved one are a past or present Complex Continuing Care patient and are interested in sharing your story, please send an email to:publicaffairs@torontorehab.on.ca. |