The whirlwind of care coordination, participation in therapy, and injury treatment, all while coping with a life-changing event, can create quite the challenge for recently injured individuals with SCIs and their support systems. This decision-making challenge, coupled with a recent decrease in the length of inpatient rehabilitation stays, caught the attention of researchers in Northeast Ohio. Based on three years of conversations with individuals with SCIs and their support teams, this interdisciplinary team designed the North Star website to be a one-stop destination to provide guidance on a broad range of SCI-related topics, especially those that emerge early in the recovery journey.
As the name implies, the goal of North Star is to serve as a guiding light in an otherwise dark and confusing time: “It’s like looking at all the stars in the sky – they are all there, but this guide will help you see patterns and know what’s what.” North Star aims to empower decision making not only for those with SCIs, but also for caregivers who may support them through advocacy.
The website is user-friendly, with a variety of sections organized by where they fall in the recovery timeline. There is a strong emphasis on the usage of layman’s terms to describe rather complex physiological concepts along with complicated healthcare topics, such as insurance benefits, workers comp, and financial strategies for managing healthcare associated costs. These sections represent the priorities presented by those who were interviewed for the site’s design, and there are also all sorts of links to outside resources (both national and regional) for users to explore.
North Star is also a great mode to stay connected with the SCI community, and the site includes a contact form for any individuals who may feel inclined to reach out with comments or in hopes of becoming connected. From mental health to equipment resources, this comprehensive project has the potential to relieve some of the chaos associated with decision making shortly after an SCI. We’d encourage you to check it out and to share!
