Host:  Welcome to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL). Our guest today is Molly Snyder, Occupational Therapist and Senior Research Support Specialist at the Center for Assistive Technology (CAT) at the University at Buffalo. Your host is yours truly, Ernie Churchwell. Well, welcome to the program, Molly.

Guest:  Thank you so much for having me.

Host:  Very good and as always when someone from CAT is on the program, it's thanks to the auspices of TRAID, if you could tell our listeners what that is.

Guest:  Yeah so TRAID is our program here that we house at our center it stands for Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities. TRAID is actually a federally funded program. And our goal is to increase awareness and appropriate use of assistive technology by individuals with disabilities. There are 12 TRAID centers throughout New York State, and our center here we serve, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Orleans, and also Wyoming counties. We provide information and referral services, assistive technology. Also, we like to increase access to assistive technologies through device demonstrations and loans. And we also can, you know, provide some brief training through demonstration here at our center.

Host:  Would you say having the appropriate assistive technology can help an individual improve their quality of life significantly?

Guest:  Absolutely, yes, especially, you know, you never know what life may bring so if you have a surgery, maybe you need some assistive devices, a wheelchair, wheelchair ramp, reacher, toileting and hygiene systems, things like that that can absolutely help someone get back to those activities of daily living that we all want our independence in doing and the assistive technology can certainly assist someone in doing that. And those are all devices that we have here available for a free two-month loan through the TRAID program.

Host:  That's wonderful that that's available but before our time is all expired, you're here also to talk about something called a smart pegboard, could you tell us about it?

Guest:  This is a device it's called the Neofect Smart Pegboard. And it's similar to a traditional pegboard that's used in rehab therapy services but what's really nice about this is it's very interactive and it is a higher tech device. So, this can work with fine motor skills recovery. It also can assist with cognitive rehabilitation, cognitive exercises for stroke patients. It has three different boards, actually there's the fine motor board, there's a shape board and then there's a larger pegboard as well and they're interchangeable. And it has that cognitive piece where you're working on not only the upper body range of motion and core strengthening and muscle strengthening, but you also have the cognitive component because there's various components on the device that light up so we can work on memorization, cognition, and also those basic range of motion and functional tasks as well after a stroke or if you're working in early intervention with children too. This can also be useful as well.

Host:  Is this something that is laid out like on a table or is it something that's upright or how does the person use it?

Guest:  Exactly, yep so it could be, it's actually meant to be on a table, and depending on the person's physical ability they can either be seated at the table when utilizing the device, or with assistance from a therapist or caregiver as long as they were able to stand, you know, safely, they could do the standing as well. So it depends on what kind of functional mobility and skills you're looking at as to whether or not someone would be seated or standing but absolutely they could do both, and you can also work on this to work on unilateral like one handed tasks or by manual which is a two handed task as well so you can incorporate all those aspects.

Host:  I'm sure people have questions, where can they call you?

Guest:  They can call us at 716-836-1168, and they can call us with any general questions that is also by appointment only. So we do ask the community to please call ahead and let us know if they're planning on coming in, and we can get them scheduled for a free 30 minute demonstration.

Host:  Thanks so much for being with us, Molly.

Guest:  You're welcome. Thank you so much for having me.

Host:  You've been listening to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of WNYIL. Our guest today was Molly Snyder, Occupational Therapist, and Senior Research Support Specialist at the CAT at the University at Buffalo, and your host was yours truly Ernie Churchwell.