Parksville is home to Canada含羞草研究社檚 first sensory-friendly chiropractic office.
Dr. Emily Roback aims to make the recently-opened Ivy League Chiropractic, which uses an accessible business communication model, a welcoming environment for people with sight, hearing and sensory issues, as well as people who are sensitive to things such as touch and light.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 going to paint the office using a colour-blind palette friendly colours,含羞草研究社� said Roback, who was born profoundly deaf after her mother had Rubella while pregnant. She added she is 含羞草研究社渢rying to really think about all the sensory sensitivities that people have, so when people walk in it含羞草研究社檚 like, 含羞草研究社榦h my gosh 含羞草研究社� completely different experience.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
Roback said a patient含羞草研究社檚 environment can help them heal better. She considers environmental stressors such as scents, humidity, noise levels, temperature, lighting and fans.
Her sensory-friendly practice uses braille, close captioning, sign language and devices that allow people with hearing loss to tune into an audio system. The office is also designed to allow easy wheelchair movements and uses a service called Internet Protocol (IP) Relay, which enables persons with a hearing or speech disability to use a telecommunications relay service through a computer or web-enabled device to communicate via telephone with hearing persons.
She said she plans to add a visual/vibrating emergency alarm system as well, so people with hearing challenges will be alerted if the fire alarm goes off.
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People can call into the office and leave a message. Roback will then reply back by email or text. She also wears a clear mask, so people with hearing issues can follow what she says easier.
She has been a chiropractor since 2007 and has worked in offices in Ontario, the Northwest Territories, Alberta and Vancouver Island.
Experiencing first-hand the challenges of being deaf in a hearing culture motivated her to look for opportunities to improve accessibility in chiropractic offices. When she began to research the idea, she did not find anything in Canada.
She had the idea for a sensory-friendly practice several years ago and gave a 45-minute presentation on the topic during the 2019 British Columbia Chiropractic Association Conference.
After looking for two years, she was able to find housing in Parksville, where she enjoyed the beaches, sunsets, quiet and laid-back atmosphere on visits. Roback moved in April and established her practice this summer.
含羞草研究社淧arksville has given me an opportunity,含羞草研究社� she said.
Roback has written about the topic of sensory-friendly offices in an article for and in her .
She said people did not think she would make it as far as she has.
含羞草研究社淚 stuck it through and I would say surprised quite a few people,含羞草研究社� Roback said. 含羞草研究社淭he potential is there, everybody has the potential. We just have to understand where our limits are and change them.含羞草研究社�
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