Sensory Integration ~ From Idea to Reality

Winter 2003
“Ability Beyond Disability”
Realize
Newsletter of the Muki Baum Association
Sensory Integration ~ From Idea to Reality
by Paula Aquilla
“ The vitality of thought is
in adventure. Ideas won’t
keep. Something must be
done about them”.
some persons may not be able to
process touch effectively. This makes it
difficult for them to grasp and hold
objects such as a fork or a pencil, or to
give a hug without hurting the person
being hugged.
Nehama Baum had an idea; She
wanted to create a specialized
physical environment, which supported
a therapeutic approach that motivates
the people we serve and provides
them with meaningful activities. Many
of our people find the worlds to be
very confusing; a ‘swirl’ of sensations
that are difficult to piece together with
any meaning. They experience sounds
that seemingly spring up unexpectedly,
sounds of varying volumes and pitches,
which can be unsettling and painful.
Visual input can be too bright and
glaring and at times difficult to process.
All the colors of the light spectrum can
make what they see disjointed and
inconsistent. Their sensation of taste
and smell may be hypersensitive thus
making it difficult for them to eat a meal
while in the same room with other
people. Contrary to these individuals,
some other people can crave
sensation through taste and smell thus
making the food of other people in the
room irresistible. For individuals who
are sensitive to touch, such input may
be perceived as painful. In addition,
Distressed sensation from the system of
balance may be anxiety provoking thus
creating fear on stairs, swings, or even
when going through doorways.
However, when balance sensations
are sought after, they may create an
insatiable
need
to
move.
Proprioception is the sensation that
enables us to know the position of our
body in space. It helps us to plan our
movements and enables us to speak.
People who have difficulty interpreting
sensations through this system may
constantly seek out pressure to their
body to alert them about its
boundaries. The lack of perception of
the boundaries of their body’s causes
inappropriate social behavior since
personal space is not well understood.
Alfred North Whitehead
English Philosopher and Mathematician
Nehama visited many programs in the
world in which people with special
needs are served. Realizing the lack of
a suitable sensory therapy program in
Canada
for
people
with
developmental
disabilities
and
psychiatric / emotional disorders, she
combined her professional knowledge
and experience and created an
amazing program called the Sensory
Motor Therapy Centre. The goal of the
centre is to provide a supportive
sensory enriched and creative
environment that engages the nervous
system of a person through careful
sensory input. This sensory enriched
environment, with staff support, will also
motivate the individual to participate in
exploration and self-discovery through
active learning.
When you walk into the bright and
colorful setting, you are struck at once
by a feeling of calmness. We know that
space is very important in creating the
right environment and appropriate
(con't on page 18)
In This Issue
Message from the Executive
Director
Vocational Program
Day Programs
Residential Program
Sensory Motor Therapy
Possible Dream Gala
Bowl For Dreams
Queen’s Golden Jubilee
Parents Column
Message from the Editors
2
4
5
8
10
12
13
16
19
20
Board of Directors
Constance Gilbert
President
Jeffrey Goldfarb
Treasurer
Dr. Alan Pollard
Secretary
Board of Directors
Sam Sarick (Past President)
Brent Bromwich
Vilma Cortellucci-Fiuza
Jonathan Eckler
Joan Goldfarb
Larry Iskov
Peggy Dowdall-Logie, LLB
Frank Merlihan
Diana Spacca
Joe Tersigni
Goffredo Vitullo
Executive Director
Dr. Nehama T. Baum, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Our Mission
It is our mission to provide people who have
developmental and emotional disabilities with
a window of opportunity through which they
will be able to develop their talents; actualize
their potential; fulfill their ability; achieve
personal growth and become contributing
members of society.
A Message from the Executive Director
The New Year marks a time of change and new
opportunities. In this spirit, it is my pleasure to
introduce you to our new Board President. Connie
Gilbert has served on the Muki Baum Board of Directors
for over eight years and for the past four years she has
served as our Vice President. Connie has served on
many Boards throughout the years, including the
McMichael Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of North York and CICF. Connie,
who is a music teacher by profession, is a tireless volunteer dedicated to
the Muki Baum Association, its Programs and its Mission. She is exactly the
leader that will take the Association to new professional and
organizational heights.
Sincerely,
Nehama T. Baum, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Executive Director
A Message from the Board President
I would like to take this opportunity to convey to you
how honoured I feel to have become the new President
of the Muki Baum Association.
During my tenure at the Association I have learned to
appreciate the ef fectiveness and integrity of the
treatments and services we provide to the children and
adults we serve. One such example is the new Sensory-Motor Therapy
Centre which opened in October 2002. You can read more about the
Centre throughout this issue of Realize. I would like share with you that,
in the short time it has been open, we are already witnessing dramatic
changes in the children and adults who participate in the program. The
research we are conducting in the program will analyze the effects of this
therapy. I have visited the program and was extremely impressed with
what I saw. I invite you to visit the Centre and view our new facilities first
hand. To arrange this, please contact Mishi at 416.630.2222.
As President of the Muki Baum Association I will continue to promote
creativity in the development of required treatment programs. Programs
that improve the quality of life of the people we serve and provide them
with opportunities to evolve as autonomous individuals who are part of the
community and actively contribute to it.
265 Rimrock Road, Suite 209
Toronto, Ontario
M3J 3C6
Telephone (416) 630-2222
Fax (416) 630-2236
www.mukibaum.com
Charitable Business Registration # 10379 8245 RR0001
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The New Year is symbolic of a new beginning. As President I will support
the continuation of the Muki Baum Associations tradition of excellence in
addition to supporting the ongoing creation and development of future
pioneering treatment programs.
Sincerely,
Constance Gilbert
President
Announcements
The Order of Ontario
We are pleased to announce that Joan Goldfarb, a long standing member of the Muki Baum
Association Board of Directors, has been awarded The Order of Ontario. This Award is the
province’s most prestigious official honour recognizing and honouring those who have enriched the
lives of others by attaining the highest standards of excellence and achievement in their respective
fields.
Over the years, Joan has contributed tremendously to children and adults suffering from complex
handicaps through her work here at Muki Baum. She has given valuable direction regarding
service and treatment the Association is providing, she has chaired several central committees, and
supported us in our mission to provide support to children and adults with dual diagnosis in every
way possible.
We are very proud to sincerely congratulate Joan on this commendable achievement!
Business Excellence at the Muki Baum Association
by Mishi Methven
On Thursday November 21 2002, at the 13th
annual North York Chamber of Commerce Business
Excellence Awards Dr. Baum accepted the North
York Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year
Award in the Public Sector on behalf of the
Association. Muki Baum staff, Board of Directors,
family and friends were on hand
to support Dr. Baum. Constance
Gilbert, President of the Muki
Baum
Board
of
Directors,
introduced Dr. Baum to the room,
and the award was presented by
Andre Beaudry, President of the
North
York
Chamber
of
Commerce. Dr. Baum gave a
touching acceptance speech in
which she thanked her family, staff
and friends for all the support and
dedication they have offered to
her and the Association over the
years.
The evening was a very exciting one as the award
presented to Muki Baum serves as a reminder of the
hard work, determination and strong commitment
that both Dr. Baum and the Muki Baum Association
have made in helping to make a difference in the
lives of countless people we serve.
3
Vocational Program
by The Vocational Team
The Vocational Program continues to be busy, and this fall has
been no exception. The program has ten full time employees, and
many part time employees who attend on a regularly scheduled
basis.
provide the people we serve with information regarding
vocational skills, such as employment, housing, training, and
workshops. We invite you to come and visit this Centre. To arrange
a visit, please contact Jennifer at 416.398.3028.
There have been several exciting and challenging contracts that
we have been working on. There were several tissue paper
contracts from Creative Bags, two contracts from Ucan and Source
for fasteners, which consisted of us working with screws and
toggles. Part of the contract included placing four screws into a
little plastic bag. This project proved to be difficult for many
people, but no one gave up! A special congratulations goes out
to Thanh who was able to complete the majority of this contract.
There were additional contracts from John Bead Corp, many of
which involved working with different beads of all shapes and
sizes. As a result of the good work on these bead contracts, John
Bead Corp recommended us to another company. This company
is named Wow Communications and we are currently making
heart bead necklaces for them, up to 5000 total!
The vocational group would also like to visit Quebec City in 2003.
They have decided to save some of their contract earnings and
hope to do some fundraising in the coming year.
This program continues to be successful and it has a lot to do with
the effort and hard work of all the staff involved both full and part
time.
In conclusion, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Chad
at John Bead Corp for his generous donation for our holiday lunch.
The guys went to the Mandarin restaurant, and enjoyed the
festivities immensely!
The Vocational Program
group recently attended
Booth Industries for a tour of
their facility. Booth Industries
is a vocational program that
is a part of the Salvation
Army. The tour was a great
one, and the people we
serve learned a great deal
about different vocational
programs. Booth Industries
started out in the basement of a church and is now able to support
100 workers!!! The excitement of the vocational group after taking
the tour lasted for days! It was great, and many participants
thought of new ideas regarding how we can expand our own
program. In a fun surprise, while at Booth Industries the group met
a former Muki Baumer who is now a worker there!
Placements have started up again and continue to be a
meaningful learning experience for the people we serve. At this
time we would like to thank
Wal Mart, Black Creek
Pioneer
Village,
and
Sheridan Nurseries for their
support in providing us with
placements. We would also
like to acknowledge Radio
Shack, who came on board
this year.
The group has also been working on meal planning and cooking.
Some of the people we serve have started sewing again and in
January a sewing program will commence. There is also a newly
developed Resource Centre here. This Centre is intended to
4
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96 Anne Street South
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Tel: 705-727-9727
Fax: 705-727-9776
Toll Free: 1-800-293-4399
Day Programs
Adult Day Program
By Staff and Participants of the Adult Day Program
The excitement just doesn’t stop at the Adult Day Program. We celebrated our
Thanksgiving with a really nice meal for the people we serve and staff. As well,
we ran successful Halloween and Holiday parties. These dances took place
after hours and all who came had a great time. The costumes were really cool
for the Halloween dance. In addition, the ladies group collected food for the
food bank with great success.
We would like to thank all the parents who helped out for our Thanksgiving lunch
and all the staff who volunteered their time with the two dances: Linda Hogan, Cindi Shoot, Kathleen Drummond, Keith Scholskey,
Vahe Avagyan, Marija Kutlesa and Jennifer Buchan. Also, special thanks to Andrika Sutton, Maria Pinto and the ladies from Group
6 for organizing the food drive which was a great success.
Toronto Children’s Program
by Eric, student of the Program
On October 31, 2002 it was our Halloween
Dance in the gym. The activities that the Spirit
Committee and Room 4 did was a pumpkin
carving contest. Room 10 won the prize. The
slime guessing game. There was four different
slimy things that people stuck their hands in
and guessed what it was. Lance won this contest. Then there was the Jelly Bean contest
where you have to guess how many Jelly
Beans are in the jar. The winner of this contest
was Carrie. The costume contest we had to
pick the best costume for staff, and students
male and female. The best staff costume was
Scott Milner, the best female was Angela, the
best male was Sammy. We all decorated the
gym.
York Region Children’s Program
by Ruth Pellman
During the school year the York Region Children’s Program has started a
monthly theme and field trip program. This was implemented in order to give
the children practical hands on learning experience to compliment their
classroom work.
So far this year, our monthly themes have taken us to Chudleighs Apple Farm
(fall and apples), the Royal Winter Fair (farming and animals) and most recently
to the Science Centre (science). The students enjoy going on monthly outings
and it gives them the opportunity not only to broaden their educational skills but
also to work on their community integration and social skills.
The best part I liked at the Halloween Dance
was the pumpkin carving contest.
Class three has taken the theme months one step further and travelled to the
Movie Theatre where the children were able to further develop their community
skills.
Congratulations go out to Jesse, Christopher, Eddie, Jeffrey and Kevin for a
successful swimming team. Way to go guys!!
5
The staff and friends
of the Muki Baum
Association would
like to offer their
sincerest condolences
to the Boermans
family.
The loss of Jackie,
daughter, sister, aunt
and friend, will be
deeply felt by all.
Jackie Boermans passed away suddenly on
January 6, 2003 at the age of 39. The Muki Baum
Association held a memorial service for it’s staff
and the people we serve. This letter was written by
one of the staff members and was read aloud at the
ceremony.
Global Television applauds
the efforts of
Dear Jackie,
You came into our lives for such a short time. You brought
us joy, love, laughter and even tears, you hae given us
many happy and unforgettable memories. The way you
were never afraid to explore your fears, dreams, anger
and love is what made you so special.
I know that you are now in a world where you will not
have to question, struggle or live by any one else’s rules.
You are free to do what you want, when you want and
however much you want without guilt or hardship. You’ve
shown me that despite your struggles and temptations you
are truly a kind and loving person. You’ve shown us your
true self. You’ve taught me what it is to be a patient and
kind person and for this I will always be grateful to you.
Thank you for letting us into your life and into your heart.
You’ll never be forgotten. I’ll miss you.
Love,
Mariya
Make a Donation to
The Muki Baum Association
By Purchasing Cards for all occasions!
the Muki Baum Association
Birthdays, In Memorium, Anniversaries
and wishes them every success
with their fundraising.
Our Different Cards Feature
Reproduction of Original Art
designed and created by the people we serve.
For more information, please call
(416) 630-2222
6
The Muki Pulse Team Speaks
Muki Pulse is a newsletter
written by 3 people at the
Adult Day Program: Leroy,
Sandra and Arif.
The
newsletter has been in
production for over one
year now. The following The Muki Pulse Team takes a break.
are some of their thoughts about being a part of the Muki
Pulse Newsletter production team:
It’s a lot of hard work and fun working for the Muki Pulse. It
requires a lot of concentrating. We do movie reviews and
music reviews. We did a review of Remy Shand. We’ve taken
pictures of different events like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We would like to put our newsletter on the Internet soon.
Leroy: I love working for he Muki Pulse because it’s fun,
educational and we learn something. My favourite article
was writing about Remy Shand “Take a Message” CD
Review.
Sandra: I like working for the Muki Pulse because it is
less stressful than working for City TV. I enjoyed writing
about the new vocational program because it is the place
that I work at now.
Arif: You know what I like to do? I like to get coffee
when I work on an article. I like working with the whole
team: Leroy, Sandra & Liz (staff). Sports is a good thing to
write about. I enjoyed writing about it. It is hard to list all
my favourite articles and stories because I like everything.
Canada Post Opens Shop at Toronto Children’s Day Program
By Mishi Methven
On Thursday December 5th, Canada
Post employees from the Downsview
Station A Post Office joined students,
teachers and postal officials at the Muki
Baum Toronto Children’s Day Program to
celebrate the launch of the school’s first
ever mini post office.
opened the Muki Baum Post Office and
the first letter was processed through the
school’s new postal system by Peter
Hooker, Supervisor of Downsview
Station A.
Muki Baum is one of thirty-five schools
within the Toronto District School Board,
and is the first one to set up their own
post office with Canada Post’s help and
the strong support of Valerie Davis-Kelly
of the Toronto District School Board. The
service, which will primarily transfer letters
from class to class, was designed to help
the students gain an understanding and
appreciation of the work that goes on in
a post office, as well as promotes literacy
by encouraging the students to write
letters. The students are very excited
about this new endeavour and everyone
involved is sure to benefit greatly from the
experience of operating the Muki Baum
Mini Post Office.
Building strong communities through partnership.
Since we opened our doors in 1867, the
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has
been working hard to make a difference not just through the economic impact of our
business but through our efforts to make
communities across Canada better places to
live.
Canada Post presented the newly
appointed Postmaster Shawn, a student
of the Program, with an honourary post
office certificate.
A ribbon-cutting
ceremony with Steve Dewar, Canada
Post Deliver Service Manager officially
We strive to build partnerships with organizations and individuals who enhance the
social, cultural and economic fabric of our
nation. Through our CIBC Community
vision program, we have committed more
than $9.5 million over the past three years
to healthcare institutions and charitable
organizations across the country. We are
proud of the thousands of CIBC employees
who volunteer their time and energy to local
and national fundraising initiatives such as
the CIBC Run for the Cure, supporting
breast cancer research, education, and
awareness.
We believe healthy, prosperous communities
are the key to a brighter future for all
Canadians and we are proud to support the
Muki Baum Association and The Possible
Dream.
TM Trademark of CIBC
7
Residential Program
destination! As we brave the frigid
temperatures The Festival of Lights
captured our eyes. We stopped into
Casino Niagara for a quick spin! Oh
we’re at our spending limit so it’s time
to go home. Jim, Mark and Heather
enjoyed spending Christmas with their
families!
Kennard
By Staff and Residents
The gang at Kennard has been busy
over the past few months.
Programming has been taking place
during this season, as well as grocery
shopping, community walks and many
trips to the airport where we watch the
airplanes on the runway(s). Leroy,
Branko, Michael and Babs have
celebrated yet another birthday, and
the celebrations were exciting with all
staff and peers involved.
The house will be filled with festive
decorations, loved ones and good
cheer to usher in the holidays and the
new year.
Brooke residents and staff would like
to wish their families a Happy
Chanukah and a Very Merry
Christmas. Also, a Happy and
Healthy New Year!
Finally, all of us at Lorraine would like
to wish Raquel the very best, and to
everyone a Very Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year!
The residents and staff attended the
Halloween party held at the Adult
Day Program. This event was a blast.
Everyone at Kennard has been busy
Brooke
Christmas shopping and of course,
decorating. A Kris Kringle took place
and all had a great time shopping for By Stephanie Griver
the gifts. All of us at Kennard are
Let the festivities begin! The Menorah
excited to see what the new year of
is lit. Jordan recited the blessing,
2003 has to offer.
potato latkes are fried (sour creme
and apple sauce to go with the
traditional Chanukah delicacy of
Lorraine
course!). Jordan sings…and he sings
on!!! The holiday lights glow around
By Staff and Residents
the house as residents join in with Ken
Halloween has come and gone for leading a singsong with his guitar. Oh
the gang at Lorraine.
It was what a beautiful sound!
celebrated by decorating the house
with bats hanging from the ceiling,
witches, ghosts, and spiderwebs on
the walls. There was also some
pumpkin carving, a dance at the ADP
and lots of little trick-or-treat visitors as
well.
55 Rockview
by Aimee Brunner
After a busy summer, the boys at 55
Rockview were ready to take on what
the next few months had in store.
Emilio, Scott, Tom, Shawn, and Brian
dusted off their backpacks and
headed back to school. The month of
September was filled with hikes and
trips to the park. The boys enjoyed
many backyard barbeques and
countless hours of endless water play.
Now with the changing colours of the
leaves and the plunging thermometer
levels, our thoughts have turned to our
annual Christmas tea celebration that It’s travelling time for the Brooke Shawn celebrated his 16th birthday,
takes place a week before Christmas. residents and Niagara Falls is our and his brother Brian turned 17. They
8
each enjoyed their own birthday party
with family and friends. Emilio, Scott
and Tom have been participating and
working hard in Expressive Art
Therapy with Suzanne and Bear twice
a week. The boys enjoyed a turkey
dinner on Thanksgiving and before
they knew it, they were decorating the
house for Halloween. They also
enjoyed outings to the Imax theatre
and the Ontario Science Centre, as
well as a trip to Niagara Falls. They
practiced and perfected their bowling
skills a number of times of and enjoyed
going out for dinner in the community
once a week.
highlights of the season was being
able to participate in supporting the
Adult Day Program Holiday Party.
by Anat Haimovici
Everyone was so excited to see both
This year at Fairlawn, the group friends and staff whom they miss.
celebrated Chanukah creatively. With
the Art Therapist’s direct help, our
talented girls designed and
manufactured their own paper
lanterns. Each lantern included see
through patterns linked to Chanukah
symbols or bearing a personal
significance.
Fairlawn
We retold the Chanukah story, we
listened to traditional Chanukah songs,
we lit candles in the lanterns and of
course we ate “suvganiot”, the
Chanukah doughnuts.
Our annual Holiday friends and family
dinner party to celebrate Chanukah
Chanukah has always been the and Christmas was a wonderful
festival of lights, but the lights in our success again this year. We have
soul sisters’ eyes on that night were noticed that our guest list grows every
brighter than ever.
year and would like to thank the
friends and family members of 26
Rockview for their continued support.
26 Rockview
By Michelle Manning
Recently, Emilio, Scott, Tom, Shawn
and Brian went to Horton’s Tree Farm
to chop down a Christmas tree for the
house. Scott had a great time on the
wagon ride and Shawn and Brian did
an excellent job sawing down the tree.
Tom’s dad and sister joined us and
chose a tree for their home as well.
After some hot chocolate by the fire,
the boys were off to put up their tree
and decorate the house. With the
holidays approaching, Emilio, Scott,
Tom, Shawn and Brian are looking
forward to eating turkey and
decorating the Christmas tree with
their families. Happy Holidays
Everyone!
The Rockview household has been
keeping busy the past few months.
Rockview has been attending the York
Region Sensory Motor-Therapy
Centre with great success. One of the
Westdale
By Staff and Residents
The gang at Westdale had a fun filled
festive season. They decorated the
house with colourful decorations and
good old Saint Nick brought many
gifts for under the tree. They had
plenty of delicious meals with staff
preparing the Christmas day dinner
and Mrs. Dwyer, who stopped by
boxing day and prepared dinner for
the house. The guys brought in the
new year quietly with a movie and the
count down. The Westdale gang
wishes everyone all the best for the
new year!
9
Sensory-Motor Therapy Centre
Sensory Therapy and Research
by Dr. Nehama T. Baum Ph.D.,C.Psych
When a new idea, a new concept, or a
new therapeutic approach germinates, it
usually creates a lot of excitement and a
strong belief in its usefulness. However, this
strong belief is not as yet proof for its
effectiveness and success.
The new Sensory-Motor Therapy Centre,
its programs, its specialized sensory
enriched environment and the sensory
therapeutic approach are no different. We
strongly believe that people who have an
impaired sensory system need to
experience a specially designed
therapeutic program delivered in a
specially designed environment in order to
develop, learn, grow and improve. In
order to validate this strong belief and
hypothesis we felt that we needed to
conduct at the Centre a Sensory Therapy
Research Project.
effectiveness as observed during the day.
The reason for this level is the idea that
being active participants in the design and
creation of the program and its curriculum,
staff have the faculty to provide feedback
regarding the effectiveness of the structure
of the program and the relevancy of its
content.
2. Daily logging of the behaviours of the
people the staff serve in their groups. The
basis for this level is the notion that getting
their sensory needs met, the general level
of arousal of energy and of acting out
behaviour, will be reduced and the people
served will be able to concentrate better
and learn and develop in areas which
were previously blocked.
3. Daily logging of specifically identified
behaviours expressed by three individuals
chosen to be closely observed by all staff
members. The premise for this level is the
hypothesis that if sensory therapy is really
effective, changes in these specific
behaviours, which express sensory needs,
A Day in the Life at the Sensory Program
by Mike Pageau
With the assistance of a couple of my
colleagues from the University of Toronto,
we have come to the conclusion that a
participatory action research will be the
best research design. In such a
participatory action research design each
staff member becomes a participating
researcher, similar to the design of the
development of the program.
The staff gather observational data on a
daily basis via a three level journal:
1. Daily logging of staff’s perceptions,
feelings and opinions regarding the
structure of the program and its
10
It starts with a greeting, “How are you today?
Are we ready to start another day?”
People put on their coats and dash for the van,
the cold air outside is hard to stand.
We drive for a bit, and then we drive a bit more,
and we watch all the people and the passing by stores.
We arrive in good time, and as we step through the doors,
a warm air with the sweet smell of coffee pours.
We hang up our coats and we make our way in,
and then we all find our own place to begin.
Some stretch, and some walk, and some other people talk,
it’s a good day so far but what’s next on the clock?
It’s time to make pretzels, or paper mache,
or African drum beats that we record back and play.
We swing in the hammock, or wheel by on chairs,
or bounce on the trampoline, or walk up the stairs.
And don’t forget all the nice visitors.
We all try to help and clean up our messes,
to reduce some of our future day stresses.
We write in our books and we gather our things,
and we say our goodbye, but our memories we bring.
And at the end of the day, when it’s all said and done,
we hope that everyone had some good fun.
will be observed. Such documentation
could easily provide not only qualitative
but also quantitative results.
in the “disruptive” behaviours through
which they have previously manifested
their sensory stress.
It has been only seven weeks since the
program and the research began. We
have already been able to see some
remarkable changes in the level of sensory
tolerance of the participants, and changes
This research project was designed as a
pilot project intended to last for 18 weeks.
However, with the preliminary results we
already see, it is clear to us that we will
need to continue with, and expand it. We
will report in a later issue of Realize about
the specific results of this research pilot
project and about our research plans for
the future. If you have any questions,
suggestions or comments regarding this
research project please do not hesitate to
contact me at 416-630-2222.
The Occupational Therapists Speak Out
by Nupur Sahu and Jill Trecartin
“The richer our sensory
environment and the greater
our freedom to explore it,
the more intricate will be
the patterns for learning,
thought, and creativity”
Carla Hannaford, Neuropsychologist
and educator.
arranged and presented in such a way
that the level of complexity can be
graded to match the level of skills of the
people we serve. This way we try and
provide meaningful and successful
experiences for everyone involved.
We have already seen some remarkable
changes in some of the people we serve.
For example, JK used to show interest in
watching others draw and write. In the
last few weeks we have seen a dramatic
change in her level of engagement in the
curriculum at the center. The activities
seem to have broadened the range of
her successful experiences and interests,
and she is now actively participating in
activities like paper mache, tissue art,
tracing, cutting and so on.
The opening of the Sensory Motor
Therapy Centre on October 21, 2002
marked the beginning of what has been
a very exciting and busy time, both for
the people we serve and the staff. As
the weeks go by, the people we serve
never cease to amaze us - we feel
honoured to be sharing this experience
with them and appreciate the
opportunity to better understand them NS is a young person we serve and she
and their sensory needs.
visits the centre once a week. Previously,
NS often needed physical assistance to
We are striving to offer many different help her get off the floor. During one of
sensory experiences and opportunities
to the people we serve. The centre
consists of seven main rooms and
although each has it’s own unique
theme, the underlying purpose is to
provide an opportunity to explore and
engage in sensory-based activities.
While the activities are designed in ways
that meet the sensory needs of the
people we serve, they are also meant to
provide a “just right” challenge in order
to develop the repertoire of skills of the
people we serve. Each activity is
her visits at the centre, it was noted that
NS was successfully able to climb up an
inclined slope. She did so repeatedly
and the sense of accomplishment was
evident in the smile on her face as she
climbed the slope over and over again.
Not only was she making use of an
opportunity to practice skills in a safe
environment, she was enjoying being
successful at it too. Way to go!!!
The above examples illustrate the
tremendous windows of opportunity for
self-discovery and growth offered by this
program. None of this would be possible if not for the support and hard work
of the staff, families, and the generous
sponsors of Muki Baum. We would like
to extend our thanks to all the people
who have made this dream become a
reality!
11
Possible Dream Gala
The Possible Dream Gala, now in is sixth year, is more than just a
black-tie event. It is a very special evening where you can be a part
of helping to make dreams come true!
Money raised from this event goes towards fulfilling the dreams
and visions of the Muki Baum Association, which is to provide
high quality day and residential treatment services for dually
diagnosed adults and children.
On this one special
night, over 800 people come together
for an evening of enchantment, fun and doing good. As
the evening unfolds, guests enjoy a wonderful meal, dancing to
the live band, New Image, a silent and live auction, an envelope
pull, and special entertainment provided by the Desna Ukrainian
Dance Company.
There are many ways for you to become involved in our major fundraising event of the year - as a sponsor, volunteer, live or silent auction donor, or
as a guest. Proceeds from the 2003 gala will be directed towards maintaining the high level programming and services that we strive offer. These
much-needed funds will have an enormous impact on the lives of the many
adults and children we serve.
At the end of life we will not be judged
by how many diplomas we have received,
how much money we have made,
how many great things we have done.
We will be judged by
‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat,
I was naked and you clothed me,
I was homeless and you took me in.’
- Mother Teresa
12
Bowl For Dreams
by Christine McLaughlin
Each year this event gets better and better and this year is no exception. On Sunday May 25,
2003 our 9th Annual Bowl For Dreams & Family Fun Fest promises to be the best one yet! We
are expecting over 200 bowlers from local schools, businesses and the community at large to join
our program participants and their friends and families. We Challenge You to come on out and
join us for an afternoon filled with fun, laughter and don’t forget the good natured competition!
The Muki Baum Association takes great pride in the Bowl For Dreams and Family Fun Fest. We strive
to ensure that it is a fundraising event in which the people we serve, their families and friends can truly
participate in and enjoy. At the same time we are managing to raise much needed funds for the
exclusive programs and services offered by the Association. One of our goals is, and has always
been to create public awareness about the Abilities beyond the disabilities while educating
people to focus on, and appreciate, not only the differences among us, but also the similarities.
Each year, the money raised for the Muki Baum Association is put back directly into the programs
that raised them. This year is no different. Each program has the opportunity to raise funds for field
trips, much needed supplies, therapeutic sessions for the people who participate in them and so much
more. Funds not raised through a program will be used to assist our York Region Children’s Program.
For more information on this event and how to get involved, please feel free to contact us at
416.630.2222. VOLUNTEERS WELCOME!
Partnership Opportunities
Registration Form
■ Event Sponsor
■ Platinum Sponsor
■ Gold Sponsor
■ Silver Sponsor
■ Bronze Sponsor
■ Corporate Challenge Plus
■ Lane Sponsor
■ Proxy Bowler
Name:
Company:
Address:
Email:
Phone:
Method of Payment: ■ Cheque
Card #:
Please fax or mail this form to:
Fax:
■ Master Card
Exp. Date:
$5,000
$ 3,500
$ 3,000
$ 1,500
$ 1,000
$ 350
$ 250
$ 50
■ Visa
■ Amex
Muki Baum Association
265 Rimrock Road, Suite 209
Toronto, Ontario M3J 3C6
Tel:416.630.2222 Fax:416.630.1931
Charitable Registration # 10379 8245 RR0001
13
Employee Profiles
In the month of December, we asked all non-management team employees to tell us who, from their program, they
thought went the ‘extra mile’. Each employee had the opportunity to choose one of their co-workers and we asked that
they complete this statement:
I feel this person deserves to be recognized because:
Anat Haimovici
Fairlawn Residence
“Never have I worked with such a
dedicated
and
compassionate
worker as Anat. I feel she deserves to
be recognized for caring so much
about all the people at Fairlawn and all
the work that needs to be done to ensure
quality of life for these girls.”
Anat has been working at the Muki Baum Association
since the summer of 1993. Her current role is that of a
Direct Care Worker III, a position she was promoted to
in the fall of 2002.
Her coworkers express a genuine respect for Anat and
the work she does here at the Muki Baum Association.
Good work Anat, thanks for all your efforts.
Parvin Jalili
Lorraine House
“Of her ability to maintain a loving and peaceful
atmosphere while at the same time is professional and
displays multifocal behaviours.”
Mike Pageau
Sensory Motor-Therapy Centre
“he is very supportive, there when you need him,
willing to do what needs to be done.”
14
Rhea D’Singh
Westdale Residence
“She goes above and beyond the
call of her duties when performing
many of her duties at Muki Baum.
She takes keen and formal interest
that the people we serve at
Westdale are provided with the
best care possible.”
Michelle Manning
26 Rockview
“She is dedicated to her job. She
meets the needs of the people we
serve. Michelle also enjoys doing
programming and taking the
guys out. She goes the extra mile
for them.”
Edward Muthurajah
55 Rockview
“He demonstrates a great deal of
patience, understanding and
recognition of each child’s individual needs and is, as well,
great to work with.”
Save A Tape
Thank you for all of your support in donating your receipts to the Save-A-Tape program for 2002.
The collection for the year was another success.
Unfortunatley the program will not be continued for 2003. The support from our community has been
appreciated and it encourage us to face the challenges as we continue to help the people we serve to live
more independently with integrity.
Thank you to everyone who supported this program.
ATTENTION:
CALLING ALL CYCLISTS
AND RACERS
We need you or your 10 person team to compete in a
timed race to support the 2003 Cottage Program for the
Muki Baum Association. This is your chance to WIN!!
Your goal is to have the fastest cumulative time in your division
so that you can be presented with a team plaque identifying
you as CHAMPIONS.
Your team will be given two separate runs around a specialized
track at Exhibition Place in an Indy style, pedal-driven racecar. Teams
are comprised of 9 peddlers (over age 16) and 1 driver (over age
21 with valid drivers license) with a minimum of (3) female participants. Each participant will automatically receive two (2) General
Admission passes to the Molson Indy in July 2003, a Molson Indy
Bike Challenge T-shirt, a souvenir team photo, including custom team
sign and a food and beverage voucher.
Your participation requires that your team raise a minimum of
$1000.00. That’s only $100.00 minimum per person from friends,
family and business associates.
So, call and gather your friends and
register with Julie before April 5, 2003.
Submit your $100.00 pre-registration
fee and team name by the Registration
Deadline: April 5, 2003.
For more information, contact:
Julie Bonett
Special Events Co-ordinator
Phone: 416-630-2222
E-mail: [email protected]
15
Queen’s Golden Jubilee
It gives us great pleasure to inform you that Dr. Nehama Baum, Muki Baum Association Executive
Director, was chosen to receive the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for Service to Canada. This
award designed by the Government of Canada in order to honour citizens who have made significant
and important contributions to their communities and Canada as a whole; specifically Canadian citizens who have made outstanding and exemplary contributions to a community.
Dr. Baum was chosen by Monte Kwinter, MP, both for her work with the Muki Baum Association and
her volunteering efforts within the surrounding community. In addition, she was chosen for her
pioneering innovations in the field of dual diagnosis.
16
The Muki Baum Charity Golf Classic
is on its way back! On Tuesday
August 19, 2003 we are hosting this
fabulous event once again!
Each year the Muki Baum Association hosts
a best-ball foursome golf tournament to help
raise funds to provide residential treatment
services to children and adults with developmental disabilities and emotional/psychiatric
disorders. This year’s awesome event will
once again be held at Cardinal Golf Club in
Kettleby, just north of Toronto.
Book your golf spots now to avoid disappointment! Find out how to get involved with this
fabulous event by calling 416.630.2222 or
visit us at www.mukibaum.com.
17
Sensory Integration
Sensory Integration
(con't from page 1)
atmosphere. The space at the Centre is
especially designed to highlight this.
There are beautiful large windows, most
overlooking a wooded ravine and there
are high ceilings and spacious rooms to
move among.
The centre is organized into activity
rooms, which offer specific sensory inputs:
•There is a tactile room that has many
textures to explore.
•a music room with many instruments,
which help develop the auditory
sensation as well as support expression
and learning.
•a proprioceptive room which promotes
the organization of input of deep pressure
and weight.
•an art room for developing the visual
sensory modality and for expression and
skills building.
•a Snoezelen room for the development
of inner organization, calming and
relaxation.
•a spa for kinesthetic experience.
•a kitchen for learning of tasks of daily
living and for sharing food with peers;
•a gym that offers opportunity for the
enhancement of balance, proprioception,
tactile, visual and auditory sensations.
The gym is one of the most favorite rooms
in the center, a room of discovery and
integration of many sensations.
The staff working in the program is
wonderful. They have a deep
understanding of the needs of the people
we serve and know how to support their
learning at a gentle, consistent pace.
They are bright and creative and a real
asset to the program.
We are all learning at this centre! The
people we serve are learning how to
make ‘sense’ of the world, participate,
and express themselves. Staff is learning
how to customize the environment and the
activities for people to be successful. As
a result, we have already seen some
fantastic changes. One man who felt
overwhelmed by being in a room would
Who is that??
We just want to thank all of you who responded to the ‘Who Is It?”
Challenge. Here are some of the responses:
“His name is Juliette and he managed to get a hole in one! But then he dove in after it and got
stuck!” - Delia
“It’s Frank Merlihan trying to do a hand stand. Failing that it’s Walt Disney’s Goofy playing
golf with one hand.” - Ana
“It’s Superman making a crash landing” - Heather
“It is a parent of [one of the people we serve] and he is entertaining the people who are shooting
at the hole by dancing for them.” - Jen
CONGRATULATIONS TO
ANA & JEN who each win a prize from the Realize Team.
18
spend his days in the hall. Now, he is
able to enter the room, stay in it and
participate successfully in the program.
One woman who felt so anxious as a
result of her sensory needs that she
constantly searched for food asking again
and again “When is lunchtime? Is it lunch
yet?” and becoming aggressive when she
had to wait, has become able to
participate fully in the activities. Her
anxiety has dropped; she became
focused and able to learn and stopped
her constant searching for food. Another
woman who was fearful of any surface
that challenged her balance was sitting
on the platform swing last week pushing
herself higher and higher!
There are many little miracles and no
doubt we will be privileged to witness
many more. We will continue to share
with you the wonderful work done at the
centre and the results of the research
conducted in it. Stay tuned for more
exciting news!
Congratulations to Nehama for her vision;
to Kevin, Nupur and Jill for their
leadership; to all the staff for sharing their
talents and for their devotion and to the
people we serve for their hard work and
trust.
Parents Column
By Marian Mitchell
I volunteered to write the first article for the Parents Column in
Realize and I thought I should start by thanking all the staff from
the Muki Baum Blue Spruce School [Toronto Region Children’s
Day Program] because without their support I wouldn’t be able
to write this article. Special Thanks to: Doug Amonite, Laura P.,
Salina Eldon and Andrew Hicks for their compassion and
assistance.
Let me fill you in on the important details that have brought my
son Curtis and I to this part of our journey. Our story starts in the
summer of 1998; Curtis was diagnosed with Pervasive
Developmental Disorder (P.D.D), developmental delay, A.D.H.D
and a host of other labels too numerous to mention. This news
was devastating. All my hopes and dreams for a “perfect” child
were completely crushed. I felt overwhelmed and alone as a
single parent with a special needs child. Little did I know that I
was just at the beginning of a horrible roller coaster ride that did
not end until Curtis was accepted into Muki Baum two years
ago.
parent. I discovered that I
was to become Curtis’s
advocate and that I would
have to fight to provide him
with what I think is his
inalienable right: to be treated
as a valuable human being.
When the “professionals” told
me to institutionalize Curtis
because he was aggressive
and they couldn’t figure out
any other way to understand
him, I steadfastly refused.
When the school and the day care centre wouldn’t
accommodate Curtis, I removed him from the school system
completely. We had fallen through the cracks and as far as I was
concerned, nobody cared.
With the assistance of my parents (I can’t even fathom managing
without their continued support), Curtis and I moved back to
Toronto. By this time, I had all but given up on any agency,
professional or organization to assist my little family through
difficult times. I was a nervous wreck. In the midst of all this, a
small beacon of hope was starting to brighten the horizon but I
couldn’t bring myself to look in that direction. I had applied for
Curtis to attend Muki Baum but I didn’t want us to experience
any more disappointment so I steeled myself for another
rejection. We waited.
Just before September 2001, Curtis was accepted into the Blue
Spruce School. I rejoiced. Now, Curtis is half way through his
second year and I am amazed at his progress. The small beacon
became a bright light with the commitment and dedication of the
staff at Muki Baum. Curtis and I are doing well; there is again
hope for the future.
Looking back on that time, I’m not sure how I managed to learn
about various disorders, travel to many appointments
with agencies and doctors and still try to be a good
Thank you for being there for us.
Be seen here!
‘Realize’ would like to offer you the opportunity
to be seen by over 2500 readers on a quarterly
basis. We provide businesses with a chance to
get their name out there while supporting a
unique and worthwhile cause.
We provide advertising rates for every budget.
For more information, contact Christine
McLaughlin at 416.630.2222 or via email at
[email protected]
TO GET
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19
Final Thoughts
A Message From the Editors
Autumn of 2002 was a time filled with success and new beginnings. First we opened the brand new Sensory MotorTherapy Centre from which we have already seen unparalleled improvements in the people we serve. The Muki Baum
Association is proud to have been a recipient of the North York Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award
in the service sector.
In this issue, we have added new and exciting features that we hope you will find informative and enjoyable. The
additions include a new Parents Column, the Muki Pulse Corner, written by the people we serve, as well as selected
staff profiles.
As always your comments, suggestions and ideas are welcome and encouraged.
[email protected], by calling 416.630.2222 or by fax at 416.630.2236.
You can reach us at
Sincerely,
Christine, Mishi & Nancy
The Editorial Team
What’s Happening
Jazzed!
Golf
Direct Mail
We have begun planning JAZZED! for
2003. New committee members are
still welcome. To get involved contact
Christine at [email protected].
Reserve your spots now before we sell
out! Look for more details in the next
issue, contact Christine at
416.630.2222 or visit us at
www.mukibaum.com.
It’s not too late to get your Direct
Mail responses in. Mail or contact
Christine McLaughlin at
416.630.2222 ext.233.
HELP US TO FIND YOU!
265 RIMROCK ROAD, SUITE 209
NORTH YORK, ONTARIO M3J 3C6
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