In and Out of the Lines

ANCORA IMPARO BY RICK RADER, MD ■ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF People, like crayons, come in a vast array of colors; but each one contributes to our collective palette. Stephanie Botswich had a particularly stressful day at work. Traffic was horrendous. Paperwork was time sensitive. Emails were haunting. Meetings ware laborious. Lunch was at a drive-thru. Colleagues were indifferent. Her desktop was indignant. By the time she made it home, she was frazzled. Having been through this familiar […]

Word Count

ANCORA IMPARO BY RICK RADER, MD ■ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF I think readers of this magazine would nominate two words that would give “cellar door,” and “tremulous,” a run for their money. They certainly convey “comfort and the deepness of human relationships.” They are “exceptional” and “parent.” Not sure how many I used since I woke up this morning; but I just used 19 of them. I know because I counted them. That is one thing you […]

Smarty Pants

ANCORA IMPARO BY RICK RADER, MD ■ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Exceptional Parents have always worn “exceptional clothes” and have created an awareness, a movement and a culture that will surely outlast any battery-operated “smart device.” It seems like we are surrounded, seduced and immersed with “smart” things. These days, there are “smart phones,” “smart cars,” “smart watches,” “smart homes,” “smart environments,” and even “smart clothes”! Obviously, all of these devices were imagined, designed and built by smart […]

A Slap To The Head

ANCORA IMPARO BY RICK RADER, MD ■ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lenny needed that slap to the head, not only for himself but to announce to his team that he was mad at himself, and that they could count on him to continue to give his all. Lenny was observed to slap his head with both open palms and grunt to himself. You could hear it across the gym. Normally, if this action was observed in an individual […]

Fluid Dynamics

ANCORA IMPARO BY RICK RADER, MD ■ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Poop and pee are hardly strangers to Direct Support Professionals. The DSPs have to return the situation to its pre-event status and do it with dignity, respect, grace and reverence to the individual. It’s been a hot summer in the South, and virtually every part of the country has seen extraordinary higher than average temperatures. At my community agency, The Orange Grove Center, we are particularly mindful […]