Learning to cope with a spinal cord injury may be the biggest challenge ever faced by an SCI patient and his or her family. It is good to know that you are not alone in such a difficult situation. SCI support groups provide the opportunity to make friends with people undergoing similar challenges and also offer the opportunity to learn more about SCI and how to deal with it.
Different SCI groups have different focuses. For example, some groups focus on helping people recently injured cope with their altered lifestyle, while other groups focus on providing recreational activities for people with SCI. If you have the opportunity, investigate several SCI groups before deciding which you want to join. Some people may find that they benefit from belonging to more than one group.
Currently it appears that there is only one group specifically for SCI in Utah. If you cannot find an SCI group in your area, you may want to consider establishing one. The National Spinal Cord Injury Association can provide helpful information on starting your own group:https://unitedspinal.org/
TRAILS: Therapeutic Recreation and Independent Lifestyles
TRAILS is a comprehensive outreach program for individuals with spinal cord injury or disease that includes the following components:
Recreation:
TRAILS is designed to prepare individuals of all ability levels to engage in active living through recreational experiences. Utilizing opportunities and resources will help bridge the gap between rehabilitation and returning to the community. Participants can stay active through spinning, handcycling, kayaking, canoeing, and skiing, or a variety of other activities year round.
SCI Forum:
The Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Forum is an 8 week educational program for persons with spinal cord injury, personal care providers, peers, and health care professionals. The focus is on physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual wellness. Topics include: advocacy, health promotion, nutrition, psychosocial issues, sexuality, assistive technology, transportation, recreation, women’s wellness, aging and disability.
TRAIL Talk is a monthly continuation of the SCI Forum and meets monthly to discuss a variety of topics.
TRAIL Trek is a monthly activity that is peer directed, recreational and social.
There is much more to the TRAILS program. Please call for more information.
Contact:
Tanja 801- 581-8910 E-mail: tanja.kari@hsc.utah.edu