Easter Seals Oklahoma

About Us

The Story of Easter Seals

Easter Seals has been helping individuals with disabilities and special needs, and their families, live better lives for more than 86 years. Whether helping someone improve physical mobility or gain greater independence for everyday living, Easter Seals offers a variety of services to help people with disabilities address life’s challenges and achieve personal goals.

Tragedy Leads to Inspiration

In 1907, Ohio-businessman Edgar Allen lost his son in a streetcar accident. The lack of adequate medical services available to save his son prompted Allen to sell his business and begin a fund-raising campaign to build a hospital in his hometown of Elyria, Ohio. Through this new hospital, Allen was surprised to learn that children with disabilities were often hidden from public view. Inspired by this discovery, in 1919 Allen founded what became known as the National Society for Crippled Children, the first organization of its kind.

The Birth of the Seal

In the spring of 1934, the organization launched its first Easter “seals” campaign to raise money for its services. To show their support, donors placed the seals on envelopes and letters. Cleveland Plain Dealer cartoonist J.H. Donahey designed the first seal. Donahey based the design on a concept of simplicity because those served by the charity asked “simply for the right to live a normal life.”

The lily – a symbol of spring – was officially incorporated as Easter Seals’ logo in 1952 for its association with resurrection and new life and has appeared on each seal since.

Easter Seals Emerges

The overwhelming public support for the Easter “seals” campaign triggered a nationwide expansion of the organization and a swell of grassroots efforts on behalf of people with disabilities. By 1967, the Easter “seal” was so well recognized, the organization formally adopted the name “Easter Seals.”

Easter Seals Today

Easter Seals assists more than one million children and adults with disabilities and their families annually through a nationwide network of more than 450 service sites. Each center provides top-quality, family-focused and innovative services tailored to meet the specific needs of the particular community it serves.

Primary Easter Seals services include:

• Medical Rehabilitation

1. Early Intervention
2. Physical Therapy Consultation
3. Occupational Therapy Consultation
4. Speech Therapy, Evaluations and Community Screenings

• Inclusive and Intergenerational Child Development Center
• Adult Day Services

Easter Seals also advocates for the passage of legislation to help people with disabilities achieve independence, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Passed in 1990, the ADA prohibits discrimination against anyone who has a mental or physical disability, guaranteeingthe civil rights of people with disabilities.

Adult Day Health Center

The Adult Day Health Center provides special care for adults who are unable to care for themselves for extended periods of time in a protective group setting enabling them to maintain or improve their ability to remain independent. The program utilizes music therapy, horticulture, arts and crafts, current events and other programs to help clients maintain a high level of functioning.

Anticipating the Needs of Adults with Disabilities and Older Adults

With Easter Seals, you are not alone caring for your family member or friend with frail health or disability. Our services are medically-based and offer various levels of care based on the individual needs. A medical professional from our staff meets with you to determine the level of care required.

Easter Seals Adult Day Center meets your loved one’s physical, social and emotional needs in a safe, home-like setting. Our program uses individual plans of care to provide a variety of health, social, recreational and therapeutic activities. In addition, the center provides supervision, support services and, in some cases, personal care. The program is open to eligible applicants ages 21 and up.

What you’ll find:

• Daily interaction with new friends and professional staff. Activities are tailored for individual abilities and interests such as gardening, arts and crafts and snacks.
• Dignified assistance and support with bathing, hair and nail care and other activities of daily living.
• Professionally trained and credential staff, including Activity Director, Licensed Nurse, Medication Aids, CNA’s.

Whether enjoying our lovely outdoor garden and pond, relaxing in the theater room, enjoying soothing spa services or participating in music therapy, you can feel confident your loved one is in excellent hands.

Easter Seals Oklahoma Adult Day Health Center Designated as “Center of Excellence”

It’s a distinction not easily earned.

The role of a Center of Excellence is often one of mentor, according to Jed Johnson, Assistant Vice President Adult & Senior Services, Easter Seals America. “These centers serve as resources for fellow Easter Seals affiliates who are involved in the start-up of a new adult day services site, in the acquisition of a center, or in the performance improvement of an existing program.”

Medical Rehabilitation Services

Whether through a birth condition, injury, or illness, the Medical Rehabilitation Program at Easter Seals Oklahoma finds joy in helping individuals with disabilities gain greater independence some thought to be unachievable.

Promoting Independence and Quality of Life

Easter Seals Oklahoma has outstanding licensed Speech-Language Pathologists and a great partnership with the Lee Mitchener Tolbert Center for Developmental Disabilities, which help individuals of all abilities shoot for the stars! We want to empower children with atypical development by helping to build their self-esteem and self-efficacy through our therapy services. While, receiving services with Easter Seals Oklahoma we aspire for each child to have increased positive performance in their natural environment with their typically developing peers.

Speech/Language Therapy

The Speech/Language Program is funded through the United Way of Central Oklahoma. Easter Seals Oklahoma utilizes licensed Speech Language Pathologists who conduct screenings, evaluations, and provide therapy. We offer free screenings for public schools, child development centers, child care facilities, and children from our community.

Speech/language and hearing therapy typically addresses deficiencies in communication, but can also include oral-motor and feeding therapy to assist with chewing and swallowing. Speech/language pathologists can help children acquire the ability to freely express ideas (expressive language development). A significant outcome is a positive self-image that can help minimize development of behavior-related problems.

Speech pathologists also help people who cannot learn to talk to use augmentative communication devices like computer-based devices that speak for a person or a board with pictures or words that a person can point to.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy addresses deficiencies and problems in gross motor function and sensory motor development. The goal of the therapist is to help individuals with physical disabilities achieve maximum independence by improving their motor skills, strength, balance and mobility skills.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy addresses deficiencies in fine motor development and sensory motor development. The goal of the occupational therapist is to help individuals with the use of upper limbs for self-help activities such as feeding, dressing and writing. Other goals may include increased eye-hand coordination, integration of balance with position in space or appropriate response to touch and texture (sensory integration).