Better care is just a hop, skip, and a jump away thanks to you!

These days at ACCESS Fort Garry, the halls are filled with the sound of children’s laughter – and it’s all because of you.

Thanks to your ongoing generosity, new sensory features are now in place at ACCESS Fort Garry designed to help children focus and learn during therapy activities.

Children can now be seen jumping on hopscotch floor decals, playing with activity panels mounted on the walls, and rocking in a rocking chair before, during, and after appointments.

Speech pathologists Sandy Knudson and Carla Davis say the atmosphere at ACCESS Fort Garry has transformed in a positive way.

 “The place felt a little too clinical,” said Sandy. “Some of the kids were terrified when they came in the door because they thought they were going to see a doctor. We wanted to make it a more welcoming environment for the kids and use different techniques to get them ready to learn.”   

The new equipment is already helping benefit the approximately 1,700 children who visit ACCESS Fort Garry for audiology and speech language pathology each year in addition to the countless children who participate in phone consults, virtual visits, and school visits; particularly those who experience difficulty regulating their emotions and may require more movement breaks. But Sandy is quick to point out that sensory regulation is important for people of all ages as part of the learning process.

“You have to be in the right frame of mind to learn,” said Sandy. “For active children, the sensory decals provide a movement break to help them return to the treatment room with improved attention. For a shy child, hopping and stomping can help them to be more confident to speak during the appointments. The rocking chair provides a way to calm active or scared children before their appointments begin. Everybody – even adults – needs some regulation.” 

Ujala Nagpal, Manager of Facility & Support Services, says the new features are creating a safer environment for children to explore and are making a world of difference for families.

“When people are observing this positivity, this happiness, this laughter, kids playing –that in itself creates such a positive energy in the waiting room that you actually just enjoy with them,” said Ujala. “If I’m having a stressful day, I take a moment to soak in the positivity, laughter, and enjoyment spread in this waiting room.” 

Busy healthcare professionals like Tanis Miller, Administrative Assistant, are also finding benefits in the new sensory features.

“I’m getting more exercise!” said Tanis with a laugh.
“I’m stomping, I’m hopping, and I’m getting more movement – and it’s helping my brain work better.”

“This has had a huge impact for staff because the stress sort of just builds up,” adds Ujala. “Especially when you feel like you need to see this patient right away because their child is agitated or not coping well in the waiting room and it is impacting the patient. I’ve seen that the staff are also feeling calm and I’ve heard some really positive feedback." 

The benefits of the new sensory features stretch across our community. Agencies and partners who use the ACCESS Fort Garry space after hours also have the opportunity to access the new additions.

Your support is touching the lives of hundreds of people in our community through these new sensory features. Ujala is emotional with gratitude as she reflects on the impact of your gift.

“I cannot overemphasize what a difference this has made,” said Ujala. “And personally, this touches me so much. When I see the children come through, I have tears in my eyes each time because I can see my own child in that space.”

ACCESS Fort Garry provides a wide range of coordinated, accessible health and social services for individuals and families living in the community area, especially for those with complex needs. ACCESS Fort Garry is one of eight ACCESS Centres in Winnipeg, which are unique to each community they serve and are designed to ensure the needs of the community are met.