Gaylord Wheelchair Expert Earns Exclusive Accreditation

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, a rehabilitation-focused, non-profit health system, announced that Jillian Cacopardo, MPT, ATP/SMS, Clinical Coordinator of the Gaylord Wheelchair Assessment Clinic, earned the distinguished certification as a Seating and Mobility Specialist (SMS).

The SMS certification recognizes competence in seating and mobility and positioning assessment, funding, intervention, and outcome assessment. Cacopardo is one of only a handful of individuals in the state to be SMS-certified.

Jacob Hunter, Director of Outpatient Therapy Services, says that Jillian stops at nothing to make sure that the hundreds of wheelchair users who seek her expertise each year are properly evaluated, prescribed and fitted with the equipment that is right for them.

“Wheelchairs are not one-size-fits-all,” he explained. “There are hundreds of chairs, seating options, add-on technology and other options to consider. Finding the correct, unique combination to meet each individual’s custom needs is a science that Jillian is committed to.”

This March, Cacopardo was published in the national trade magazine, Rehab Management, with an original article, "Wheelchair Assessment: Bringing Technologies and Users Together”.

For more information on Gaylord’s Wheelchair Assessment Clinic, contact (203) 284-2836 or visithttp://bit.ly/WheelchairGaylord.

About Gaylord Specialty Healthcare:

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is a rehabilitation-focused, nonprofit health system that provides inpatient and outpatient care for people at every point in their journey from illness and injury to maximum recovery.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is widely recognized for its leadership in treating spinal cord and brain injuries and is also known for treating pulmonary, cardiac, amputee and stroke patients as well as sports-related injuries. It is the only rehabilitation system in CT accredited by CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) for both inpatient and outpatient programs.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is anchored by Gaylord Hospital, a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital, and includes Gaylord Outpatient and Gaylord Physical Therapy for patients who require diagnosis and treatment on an outpatient basis. Together, these entities deliver a complete continuum of rehab care driven by technology, research, clinical experience, and human compassion.

Headquartered in Wallingford CT since it was founded in 1902, Gaylord today serves a mix of local, regional, national, and international patients. For more information visit www.gaylord.org.