One of the most challenging aspects of therapy isn’t necessarily learning a new treatment technique, but how to work with the different types of patients you treat. Working with adults who are developmentally challenged creates new obstacles. These patients may not be able to properly articulate and may become frustrated when they are not progressing as they feel they should.
At the College of Adaptive Arts (CAA) however, adults with “differing abilities” are provided with an opportunity to develop their fine motor, social and cognitive skills in a campus setting. Students of CAA can learn and are enabled to live a full, empowered life as successful, contributing members of the community. Unlike typical therapeutic recreational programs that offer a variety of incongruent courses, CAA provides a curriculum that builds upon each course, allowing the adult to grow in the artistic area of their choice while they develop the same skills they would in a clinical setting.
We invited co-founder, Pamela Lindsey to North Coast Medical to tell us a little bit more about the therapeutic benefits of the college. We were thrilled to hear about the “well rounded experience within the classes that incorporate the fine motor, gross motor, visual processing, auditory processing and social cognitive skills” that Pamela mentions in her video:
The College of Adaptive Arts truly believes that these adults have an incredible wealth of talent, ability and community contribution capabilities when people in the typically-developing world can create safe, engaging and creative outlets for their abilities. At North Coast Medical, we believe that by encouraging these individuals to grow with art, they are given an opportunity to express themselves in a new way, and build the confidence to know that even if they struggle in a therapy setting, on stage they are superstars.
For more information on the College of Adaptive Arts, visit: www.collegeofadaptivearts.org
On behalf of North Coast Medical, we would like to give a huge THANK YOU to the students of the College of Adaptive Arts for their beautiful, hand-inspired painting, presented to us by Pam Lindsay.
