VIDEO TECHNOLOGY AND A THREE-STEP INTERVENTION PROCESS ENGAGES A RURAL AUSTRALIAN FAMILY: A CASE REPORT OVER 37 YEARS

Background: One of the most challenging components of clinical practice is engaging families in programs to use in their own environments, particularly when families live long distances from services. Researchers support that parents are central to their children’s lives.

Purpose: This case will illustrate the importance of supporting rural families through multiple technologies. Families can use technology to reinforce their intervention choices at home, wherever it may be.

Methods: An easy to remember three step process is illustrated during each visit with this family living in remote Australia. Nine sessions were videotaped of their fourth child, who has both a motor and an intellectual disability, from age 15 months to age 37 years.  The Video-taped sessions assisted the parents to learn the movements to use at home during everyday routines, which helped encourage participation. The three intervention steps included I for interviewing, C for collaborative selection of ideas to use at home and D for Doing, closing each session with parents saying ‘yes, I can DO this’ each day at home.

Results: This case illustrated that rural families could use a three-step intervention process, reinforced by video technology, to improve outcomes for their child. The young women at age 37 lives alone in the next town, has had a job for 16 years, no behavioral problems and many friends within her rural community.

Conclusion(s): An easy to remember, three step process, assisted by technology, engaged families through questions, selecting choices and practice in everyday environments.  The 37-year-old young lady now lives independently.

Implications: Busy clinicians can use this easy acronym (I can do) to guide rural families as they interact during visits with video support for parents to be central in the choices of activities to use at home. Furthermore, this model dismantles barriers of marginalization.

Funding, acknowledgements: none

Keywords: Motor development, Parent engagement, Rural service delivery

Topic: Paediatrics

Did this work require ethics approval? No

Institution: N/A

Committee: N/A

Reason: The young lady in the Case report and her parents read, approved and gave informed consent for presentation.