Conductor of Another Kind

Posted by Barbara Fickes

on Jul 26, 2013

This week's Special Guest Speaker was Beth Lynch, from March of Dimes. Beth is an Conductor of sorts, but not the kind you would usually know about.

Conductive Education is a unique community-based rehabilitation program for people of all ages with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, or who have had a stroke or brain injury.

Participants are taught skills and techniques to help them overcome the challenges of their disability -- they learn how to apply these strategies to their everyday life, becoming more independent.

Most approaches for people with neurological motor disorders work on the body and muscles to change the brain; Conductive Education works on the brain to change the body.

While both approaches complement each other, Conductive Education aims to internalize the skills and knowledge associated with planning, problem solving and motivation to allow participants to maximize mobility and increase independence.

Beth is one of a very few Conductors in Canada and was most fascinating to listen to. Physician and educator András Pető developed his conductive educational system after World War II, in 1945. READ MORE...

Seen below with Rotarian Evelina Dunlap, Beth accepts one of our Rotary mugs. Thank you Beth, for sharing your wonderful and rewarding work with us today.