Independence Plus Blog
Meet Legendary Inventor Dr. Bird
Last week, our Founder and CEO, Tamara Müller, and three of our clinicians, had the honor of traveling to northern Idaho to meet the infamous Forrest M. Bird, MD, Ph.D. During the short stay at his 300-acre residence and farm, our team learned about Dr. Bird’s life, passion for innovation, and how he single-handedly transformed the world of mechanical ventilation.
Get Out, Enjoy Life!
Our friends over at Wheel:Life, a global online community for people who use wheelchairs, are hosting their third annual “Get Out, Enjoy Life!” photo contest. The contest encourages people who use wheelchairs to get out of the house and enjoy their summer by attending events, going on vacation, or trying a new activity.
5 Tips for Therapeutic Playtime
Children with special needs require a unique level of support and care. Not only are they learning basic life skills, such as communication, mobility, and how to interact with the world, but they’re also learning about their own abilities and limitations. Learn more about therapeutic playtime with these 5 simple tips!
A Medical Breakthrough: Robotic Limbs Controlled by the Mind
CBS’ “60 Minutes” recently aired a segment about an innovative new research study focused on robotic limbs controlled by the mind. Although there are some risks and complications to the medical procedures that make robotic limbs controlled by the mind possible, the benefits are endless. Candidates include patients who have been affected by paralysis, ALS, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and more.
The Courageous Story of a Mouth Painter
Onix Flores has lived with a rare neuromuscular disease called Charcot-Marie Tooth Disease for most of her life. Now living on a ventilator, Onix has chosen to share her courageous story through the art of mouth painting.
Therapeutic Riding: Briana is All Smiles at Horse Camp
When Briana, 14, was born, most people thought she would never be able to walk, talk, or breathe without the help of a ventilator. Today, Briana is thriving. Not only is she walking, talking, and weaned off the vent, but she is also riding—horses, that is.
Award-Winning Video about Relationships after TBI
According to the CDC, approximately 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur in the United States every year. Watch this award-winning video about one couple’s experience with TBI and how their relationship was affected by the injury.
Giving a Voice to Our Patients and Families
Independence Plus recently launched its Patient Family Advisory Committee to help build stronger partnerships with our patients and their families. Many heartfelt stories, concerns, and even laughs were shared among the patients and families who participated in our inaugural Patient Family Advisory Committee meeting.
Hope for a Cure: Spinal Cord Injury Research
There is no cure for spinal cord injury (SCI), although recent advances in medical knowledge and technology have greatly improved care and therapeutics for SCIs. Now, a research firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts is taking a big step forward in SCI research.
Maria Valdez, 18-Year Old Ventilator-Dependent High School Graduate, Attends College in the Fall
It’s the last day of school at Morton East High School in Cicero, IL. Maria Valdez, 18, is furiously typing on her computer as she puts the finishing touches on the last paper she’ll ever have to write in high school. During the few hours I spend with Maria, I learn that she is determined to be known for her confidence and fearlessness—not for the 14 lb. ventilator (nicknamed R2D2 by Maria and her friends) she tows around with her to school every day.
Music Therapy: How to Reduce Anxiety in Ventilator-Dependent Patients
Tracheostomy and ventilator dependence provides its own unique set of challenges for how patients communicate with their caregivers. Fortunately, a new study from Ohio State University and the University of Minnesota has shed some light on a new way healthcare providers can help to reduce anxiety in ventilator-dependent patients.
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder that affects more than 500,000 children and adults in the United States alone. Read more to learn about the three types of CP and the primary causes of each.
Grow With Us
We’re expanding our services and offerings. We want you to be a part of the team that is delivering personalized, individual, people-focused skilled home healthcare to those in need. Come join us.