Nebraska

In January, Nebraskans battened down the hatches as brutally cold weather (-56°F wind chills), heavy snow, and strong winds impacted a good portion of the state. As a result, client visits were postponed so farmers and ranchers could care for their animals and families. The hazardous conditions meant Nebraska AgrAbility staff also had to focus on their safety during this tough time.

Emily Jacobson, Nebraska AgrAbility program manager, gave her quarterly Vocational Rehabilitation training this month. This training is for new VR staff. Emily educates new staff on the AgrAbility process and how we work together to create success for farmers and ranchers throughout the state.

Emily Jacobson and occupational therapy students Jesse Coble and Ethan Deyhle represented Nebraska AgrAbility at the Local Food & Health Farms Conference in January. The conference was organized by the Nebraska Sustainable Agricultural Society. Over 120 people attended the conference each day. While the booth space was not well attended, the conversations in the hallways and during the sessions were productive. The AgrAbility team and students came away with information and ideas on how AgrAbility could partner with small sustainable operations. The team was also approached by another organization asking if Nebraska AgrAbility handouts could be translated into Spanish. The Nebraska AgrAbility team is exploring options to address translation needs.

STAFF CHANGES

Occupational therapy students Ethan Deyhle, Hannah Conlin, and Jesse Coble are teaming with Nebraska AgrAbility for their capstone rotations.

Meet Ethan Deyhle. "I am currently a third year OT student at Creighton University who will be working with Nebraska AgrAbility for my capstone. Throughout my journey as an OT student, I have become really interested in ergonomics and injury prevention while also learning about the importance and value of rural health care. When I heard about Nebraska AgrAbility, I was amazed by the services they offer, including education on ergonomic and injury prevention methods for farmers and ranchers in Nebraska. This semester, I'll be assisting with Nebraska AgrAbility social media content, creating educational handouts, and attending health and agricultural related conferences throughout Nebraska and the nation to talk about the services Nebraska AgrAbility provides! I can't wait to learn more about the role OT can play in farmers' and ranchers' health through my time with AgrAbility!"

Meet Hannah Conlin. "I am in my final year of the occupational therapy doctoral program at Drake University in Des Moines, IA. I'm also the fifth generation to work on my family's farm, alongside my dad and brother, we raise cattle, hogs, and crops. When I first started thinking about becoming an occupational therapist, I thought that I would have to choose between a career as an OT and my love for farming. As I began to plan for my final capstone project, I found that I could not only do both, but that I could combine my two passions to improve safety and accessibility for farmers and ranchers. I learned about Nebraska AgrAbility and how they were able to work with people in the agricultural field to improve safety and accessibility for farmers and ranchers. Throughout this experience, I hope to better my understanding of the programs available to agricultural workers, find ways to improve safety and accessibility on my own farm as well as find ways to implement this information for my future clients, and gain a more in-depth knowledge of assistive devices and adaptive equipment used by farmers and ranchers."

Meet Jesse Coble. "I grew up on a cattle ranch in the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills. Being from a rural area, I quickly discovered the importance and demand for all rural healthcare professions. I discovered occupational therapy in high school and grew to love the holistic, full person approach. I am currently in my final semester of occupational therapy school and am completing my doctoral experiential component with Nebraska AgrAbility. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to merge my passion for agriculture with my passion for occupational therapy to help farmers and ranchers get back to doing what they are passionate about. I hope to help AgrAbility with creating handouts for diagnosis-specific populations. I am looking forward to the remainder of my time with AgrAbility to learn more about the program and be able to take away pertinent information that will be helpful in my future as an occupational therapist!"

Submitted by Soni Cochran