BEAR PAW Center at Western New England University

02/11/2025

Please contact if interested!

01/21/2025

Hello all! WNE’s playgroup is starting back up again on 2/4! Please let us know if you plan on attending via Instagram message or either contacts at the bottom of the flyer. We cannot wait to see you all soon!🐻

01/06/2025

Feel free to message us over on Instagram as well! 🐻

08/27/2024

WNE’s Pediatric Playgroup is starting back up again on 9/10!
Please contact us via the phone or email on the flyer. Let us know the age of your child, any allergies or concerns, and if you are going to be attending the first week!
We cannot wait to see you all there!🐻🤍

07/14/2024

Some OTD students joined the BPC at the Down Syndrome Resource Group’s summer family picnic!

The students collaborated with OT Megan DeMorris and put on some activities that included an obstacle course, bubble machine, and a few smaller toys for the little ones! The event had so many things to do including corn hole, disc golf, basketball, coloring, and more!
It was a wonderful time and we cannot wait for the Buddy Walk in October!! (See the last few photos for more info) 🐻💛

06/26/2024

If you are looking for a support group dedicated to care partners of stroke survivors, join us at WNE OTD on the last Thursday of every month! This month's group is tentatively scheduled for 3:30pm (time may change depending on participant interest)

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=b3mltakZP0mcsnqItOmxI8XQxUWqkyZBqsRX7eREX9VURFJHUVYyVE5YMTJUWDBPR1RVWkFSRTJUMC4u

05/14/2024

Playgroup is starting back up again in the summer! In addition to our younger 18 months - 3 year age group, we are currently recruiting for our new adventure groups for preschool age!

Contact us if you are interested or have any further questions!!!🐻

05/02/2024

https://www.thereminder.com/LOCALNEWS/springfield/inaugural-bear-paw-roll--stroll-moves-around-the-w/

SPRINGFIELD — The very first Bear Paw Roll & Stroll made its way around the campus of Western New England University on April 25 to raise funds for and awareness about the Bear Paw Center, the on-campus occupational therapy program, part of WNE’s College of Pharmacy and Health Services.

05/01/2024

On Tuesday, OTD students Jordan Fazio and Marcos Pena Veras worked together to provide a meaningful client-centered intervention to one of our clients!

Below is from Dr. Brittany Adams’s LinkedIn post:

“Words cannot express how proud I am of these students for setting the bar so high and truly embracing the power of occupation. Two years ago, this client experienced a sudden and unexpected above knee amputation after a medical event. She was an avid kayaker and hasn’t been able to return to this meaningful occupation. When it was determined that this was the client’s therapeutic goal, Jordan and Marcos worked with her all semester on core, upper and lower body strengthening, safe transfers from wheelchair to ground and back, fall recovery techniques, as well as a focus on positive self talk and promoting independence by addressing underlying anxiety and self-limiting mentality.

Yesterday was the client’s final session for the semester and she was so excited to be able to adapt this activity and successfully climb up onto the board while in the water and paddle around the pool! She is now confident that she can successfully engage in one of her favorite occupations this summer. This is a prime example of occupational therapy’s power to improve quality of life through engagement in occupations! 💪

While the client is thrilled with this specific outcome, we should also acknowledge that all of the work put into accomplishing this goal has helped her in countless other ways. Her increased strength, stability, and activity tolerance will support her safety and independence with every day tasks such as bathing, dressing, transferring, and other outdoor occupations she’ll engage in this summer. Perhaps most importantly, as she prepares for her first prosthesis this summer, all of this as well as her improved confidence and decreased anxiety around trying something new will be essential for success.”

This is why we love OT! 🐻

04/26/2024

https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/wneus-rock-stroll-boosts-occupational-therapy-program/

Western New England University students are raising money to support the college’s Occupational Therapy program.

04/25/2024

Thank you to everyone who came out to our first ever Roll & Stroll event!

We loved seeing everyone there and getting the opportunity to unveil new inclusive parking spots.

We cannot wait for next year! 🐻

04/12/2024

Come join WNE OTD and the BPC in the first annual Roll & Stroll! All donations will go towards making improvements to our facility to continue proving the best occupational therapy services to the community!

The preregistration link is be posted in our bio!

Thank you for your continued support of the BPC and the WNE OTD family!