Did You Know?

There are 600,000 people living with disabilities in Colorado and they need our help.

Easterseals Colorado serves 13,000 people living with disabilities. With your help, we could serve so many more.

We’ve always operated on a lean budget, but the coronavirus pandemic has forced us to reduce our staff by 46%. That means fewer people can access our programs when the demand for help is so severe.

Your donation will provide crucial funding to support people living with disabilities, like Jeremy.

Jeremy attended our Adult Day Program and his job that he landed through our Employment Services, which were both shut down in March. Jeremy reflects, “I was sad I couldn’t go to work anymore or see and connect with friends at the day program. This made a lot of extra work and stress for my host home provider.” During the shutdown, our day program staff would check-in with participants weekly, host Zoom calls, and offer one-on-one socially distanced meetings. 

Six months later, Jeremy was thrilled when the day program opened back up with limited capacity, and he even landed a new job after working with one of our Employment Specialists. “I’m very excited and grateful to have been hired at a new job so quickly. I don’t want coronavirus to shut everything down again, so I make sure I always wear my mask, wash my hands often and practice social distancing,” says Jeremy.

Act Now! Show your support today and help support the programs, caregivers and professionals who are essential to the people we serve.

We’re excited to now offer our A-frame cabin at our Rocky Mountain Village camp in Empire, CO to our community – easily book your stay online through Airbnb!

ABOUT THE PROPERTY
This dog-friendly* A-frame cabin is sitting on over 220 acres at Easterseals Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Village Camp for children and adults living with disabilities.

Rental of this cabin comes with use of our entire private property including:
– A stocked trout fishing pond, which is fun for ice fishing in the winter (must bring own fishing equipment – spin or fly fishing)
– Hiking trails and a wheelchair accessible 1,300 ft. boardwalk leading right off property into the mountains of the Arapaho National Forest
– A sports court with basketball hoops (must bring own equipment)
– Use of our beautiful, open fields to set up your yard games (must bring own equipment)
– A 27 hole disc golf course (Self check-in. $10/player. Must sign waiver at the Main Lodge.)

With cell phone towers close by, the service is excellent for Verizon, Sprint and AT&T. Our property is private with limited guests staying at any given time. *Dogs are allowed in the A-frame cabin, with a max of two dogs. The fee for one dog is $50. The fee for a second dog is $25.

Pictured above are views from the outside of the A-frame cabin and our fully paved driveway.

MORE ABOUT THE A-FRAME CABIN

THE LIVING ROOM
Welcoming living room with a flat screen TV and cable. There is a cozy wood burning stove in the living room for you to enjoy as you read a book or watch the snow fall out of the windows.

THE KITCHEN/OUTSIDE SEATING AREA
Large kitchen with both a bar top and a kitchen table. Kitchen equipped with basic cooking necessities (stove, oven, microwave, pots/pans, knives, cutting board, basic cooking utensils, plates, bowls and silverware). There is no dishwasher or garbage disposal in this house. Off the kitchen is a door leading to an outside seating area with a picnic table.

THE BEDROOMS
The downstairs bedroom has one twin bed and is a cozy room for one guest, with both a closet and a separate space to hang clothing. The upstairs bedroom has one queen bed, a closet with hangers, a dresser, and spectacular mountain views.

THE BATHROOM
The bathroom is located downstairs off of the living room. It has a pedestal sink, toilet and shower. Towels and washcloths are provided. Shampoo/soap is not provided.

Pictured below is our fully accessible boardwalk, Hole 1 on our disc golf course + our stocked fishing pond, and an overhead shot of our sports court and fields.

COVID-19 SAFETY: This cabin is cleaned in between each guest, first gone through with an electrostatic disinfectant sprayer and then cleaned by our housekeeper, but we do provide cleaning supplies above the washer/dryer for you to use during your stay.

CONTACT US
Please contact us at campinfo@eastersealscolorado.org or 303.569.2333 to explore other opportunities. We also have further information listed on our website here.

Join us for our week-long online auction!

Friday, November 6, 2020 – Online Auction Begins
Thursday, November 12, 2020 – Season of Lights 2020 Message + Online Auction Ends

The Annual Season of Lights Gala is our largest and most anticipated fundraising event each year. It’s a time for us to come together as a community and celebrate the year’s accomplishments and look to the future while also raising critical funds for important Easterseals Colorado programs. Unfortunately, due to the continued coronavirus concerns, we have had to re-imagine this year’s event. 

To ensure everyone’s safety, we would like to invite you to join us, from the comfort of your own home, for the Season of Lights 2020: Home Edition on Thursday, November 12, 2020. This includes an online auction where registrants can bid on a number of amazing items beginning November 6th and ending with an exciting online announcement from our President and CEO, Roman Krafczyk, at 7:00pm on November 12th.

Registration is free, sign up today!

Online Event Registration Link: bit.ly/seasonoflights20

Questions? Contact Alexis Perlmutter, Director of Special Events, at aperlmutter@eastersealscolorado.org or 303.233.1666 x 244.

All funds raised from Season of Lights 2020 will benefit Easterseals Colorado’s programs and supports for all people with disabilities, older adults and caregivers across the state.

Easterseals Colorado is leading the way to creating a Colorado where everyone, regardless of age or ability, is 100 percent included and 100 percent empowered. Explore our programs at eastersealscolorado.org.

Can you briefly describe your background prior to becoming Program Director?

I was born in Denver and raised here until I was about 13 years old. In 2012, I moved back to Colorado to be closer to my aging grandparents. I desired a more meaningful career and decided to go back to school. In 2016, I received an Associates of Occupational Studies from Pima Medical Institute and in September of that same year, I started my career as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) at Easterseals Colorado’s Neurological Rehabilitation Adult Day Program (NRADP). I pursued this path because I knew it would be a meaningful way to help people in need. As COTA, I assisted program participants to obtain and maintain their abilities to live as independently as possible in their home and community. In 2019, I started my new role as Program Director for NRADP and love the community that we serve. As Program Director, I oversee our team of 6 staff, including 2 full-time staff (a Physical Therapy Assistant and a Certified Nursing Assistant) and 4 part-time staff (a Speech Language Pathologist, an Occupational Therapist, a Physical Therapist, and a Therapy Aide). I’m responsible for planning our curriculum, recruiting new participants, and overseeing therapies in order to make sure that we are all meeting the needs of the population we serve.

What neurological disorders does this program provide services for and how long are services offered? Are there any disorders that are more common at this program?

Stroke is the most prevalent neurological disorder we see at our program. However, our program is open to people living with other neurological disorders, including but not limited to, Parkinson’s disease, MS, TBI, Stroke, etc. Our services do not have an ‘expiration date’ and participants can attend for as long or as little as they want.

What does a typical day look like for participants attending this program? How do you apply variation or creativity to your day-to-day programming?

Our program runs from 9am to 3pm from Monday to Friday. Physical, occupational, and speech therapies are available through an adult day program environment, assisting participants in their pursuit of independence.  Caregivers resources, employment resources, social security application assistance, and benefits counseling are also offered. We apply variation and creativity during individual therapy sessions and thoughtful group activities so all can participate. The therapy and group sessions vary widely from day to day and from participant to participant, but a typical day looks something like this:

• 9am – Participants begin to arrive
• 9am-10am – Coffee and a snack
• 10am-11am – Therapy/exercise
• 11am-12pm – Lunch
• 1pm-3pm – Cognitive activity
• 3pm – Participants pack up to go home

How does your team handle some of the most common physical and mental challenges participants face and make sure their needs are being met?

We approach all situations with our participants on a individualized basis and as needed. Everyone is unique and we try to tend to the needs individually. As a team, we need to be flexible and be able to adapt to an ever-changing environment.

How is ESC’s program unique or different from other rehab programs?

Our program is one of the only skilled adult day programs in the Denver Metro area. We offer skilled services (physical, occupational, and speech therapy) with no time limit, while other adult day programs do not offer these services. Participants that experience a neurological event may come to our program for as long as they want or need. We have participants that have been here for 9+ years! These participants see improvement and maintain their current level of function year-to-year through continuing therapy and our program is a place to find community, support, and friendship.

What is most rewarding about your job? What is most stressful about your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is that I get to be with the most motivational, positive and inspirational people every day! I leave work with a full heart every day.

The most stressful part of my job is making sure that everyone’s needs are being met, from participants to the staff.

What other experiences (outside of therapy) do you think would benefit the participants in your program?

I am looking forward to our partnership with Spark the Change Colorado. They offer pro-bono individual mental health services and group lessons. I’m excited to offer this element of therapy to program participants because it is often a topic not widely discussed among stroke survivors. Mental health is as important to recovery as physical health. With the impact stroke has on the brain, stroke survivors often experience emotional and behavioral changes including depression, anger and anxiety.

Do you have any advice for student therapists working towards receiving their degrees?

Occupation Therapy is the most amazing field to work in. I love working in a non-traditional COTA role especially with people who have a neurological disorder. It is so rewarding! None are alike, all need to be treated in their own unique way, and it keeps you on your toes.  Lastly, don’t give up! You are never too old to change careers.

Written by Kristine Burrows, Director of Older Adult Day Services (OASIS) at Easterseals Colorado

It is an exciting time in the world of intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities. As the population continues to live longer, we have a great opportunity to provide resources specifically for older adults with disabilities, who in the past, have not had great access to these type of services, care and resources. That’s why, in September 2019, Easterseals Colorado launched OASIS, a program for older adults over 50 that includes daily exercise, meaningful activities and social interaction. We are proud to be one of the first resources in the country to provide services specifically for older adults with disabilities.

At OASIS, we want to engage our participants physically, mentally and socially every day. That includes activities like walking, yoga, dance classes and stretching – anything to improve mobility, strength and flexibility. Other activities such as science demonstrations, educational seminars, multi-cultural club and cooking classes help promote continuing education and mental engagement. We also make an effort to explore the community by visiting various museums, going bowling or touring local organizations.

Most recently, the OASIS group met with Governor Jared Polis on a tour of the state capitol, learned about mountain weather from the Colorado Mountain Club, learned about pet safety (and met a cute puppy named Juicy) from the Denver Dumb Friends League and toured the Denver Art Museum with Art & About. Engaging with the community breaks down stereotypes, proving that our older adults with disabilities are thriving and leading productive lives.

“I like all of the opportunities to do stuff when I come to day program!” – OASIS Participant

OASIS is currently accepting referrals for participants who are over the age of 50 and have an intellectual, developmental and/ or physical disability. We are also looking for volunteers and guest speakers who can spend time with our group and share their skills. For more information on OASIS, click here.

OASIS Staff:
Kristine Burrows, Director of OASIS – kburrows@eastersealscolorado.org
Natalie Tufford, Manager of OASIS – ntufford@eastersealscolorado.org
Stephen Alonzi, Direct Support Professional at OASIS
Ann Doran, Part-Time Direct Support Professional at OASIS