Aspire Pushes Brady Towards Success
Coming home from an inpatient rehabilitation hospital Brady was used to multiple therapies five days a week. Once the novelty of the comforts of home wore off (OK, if he is being honest, they still haven't really "worn off" at all), he looked around and thought, "Wait a minute, where are my personal trainers?!?" He knows frequent exercise, practice and activities to alert his senses are so important for him to do his best and make progress over time. Brady was so very glad that he learned about Early Intervention.
Early Intervention is one of those rare services that is available to all young children who truly need it. Insurance funding for a home care nurse can be hard to come by and sometimes requires a child to have a certain number of medical "devices," social security disability benefits have income requirements, Mass Health appears to have two tracks requiring a child to either be a member of a very low income family or have a qualifying severe diagnosis in addition to private primary insurance coverage. While Brady isn't knocking any of these services that help so many...some that he benefits from himself, some he may benefit from in the future... he is singing the praises of an in-home program that delivers individualized services to children from birth to age three who have demonstrated a high risk or a specific need whether their family falls in the correct tax bracket or has insurance of any kind. Early Intervention does bill the insurance companies but if it is denied or if the child is not covered, the tab is taken care of by the Department of Public Health. It is through Early Intervention that Brady receives comprehensive therapeutic services each week.
Brady met his EI team from Aspire Developmental Services this past summer at his home in late August. Much like a Team meeting for school aged children in which an IEP is written, the therapists gathered together to create a Individualized Service Plan, which lay's out Brady's skills and weaknesses and records reasonable goals to work towards. Kristen Evans is his case manager and also a Developmental Specialist who facilitates age appropriate play and opportunities for learning that would have come naturally for Brady had he been typically developing. Merry Hill meets with Brady once a week as his speech therapist. She is devoted to making sure he has the tools he needs to gain oral motor movement, works to facilitate swallowing and will explore communication. Dana Solomon, Brady's occupational therapist, and Sara Tafone, his physical therapist, have co-treated, but both separately promote physical strength and movement through their own specialized lense.
These hard working, knowledgable women of Aspire are incredible. They always have a game plan but understand when they arrive for Brady's sessions that they may have to adjust their activities and expectations based upon the type of day Brady is having. They try to be flexible with their schedules to best suit Brady's needs and they collaborate with his nurse to help us all with carry over.
With offices in both Lynn and Salem, Aspire provides a medical model for EI services, which essentially means that each need that a child has is met by a trained therapist who specializes in that area. They also have one of the few Early Support Programs in the state for parents/babies and run a Developmental Center for typically developing pre-schoolers and children who may benefit from Intervention for much more mild needs. In order to better facilitate the great breadthe of their programming, Aspire will be moving to a new building on Franklin Street in Lynn from their original Johnson Street location.
As a part of a capital campaign to raise funds for their new location, Aspire hosted a casino night last evening at Spinelli's in Lynnfield. Passed apps and beautiful crudite platters, high energy music, a palm reader who was also well versed in the art of Tarot cards, champagne with a chance to win a diamond and card tables to try your luck with your "Aspire bucks" just for fun, the night was well planned and many attended. Stories from Aspire families were shared and guests generously donated funds ear marked for specific things like a rock climbing wall, sand and water tables, and art supplies to challenge the bodies and minds of the children of Aspire. Needs were expressed and donor hands went up. It was heart warming to see so many people willing to support families that may be dear to them and children they may never meet. Brady was honored to be mentioned among those that Aspire pushes towards success.
Brady has been so blessed by so many different people who have fulfilled his special needs since he has been home. Early Intervention is a very large part of his life during the week and he feels like the therapists from Aspire were hand picked for him. He looks forward to their visits each week and feels good about the goals they are each helping him strive for. Brady knows how lucky he is to have become a part of the Aspire Developmental Services family and wishes them so very well as they hope and plan for wonderful things in their new home.
