September Newsletter
September brings fresh routines, new beginnings, and opportunities to prepare for the months ahead. As families return to school and schedules begin to shift, we’re continuing to help people remain safe, independent, and supported in the places where life happens.
Upcoming Event
You’re not meant to navigate healing alone.
Brain Injury Support Group
Date: Saturday, September 12
Time: 9:30 AM
Location: Bowman's Orchard's
Cost: Free
This Month at Balanced Living
What’s new
Our team is CPR certified: The Balanced Living team has completed comprehensive Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED certification through the American Red Cross. This advanced training strengthens our ability to respond confidently and safely while caring for clients of all ages.
Balanced Living is coming to Upstate Living: We’re excited to be featured on Upstate Living on August 24! We’ll be sharing more about Balanced Living, our mission, and the work we’re doing throughout the Capital Region. (Link to segment)
Welcome, Caterina: We’re thrilled to welcome occupational therapist Caterina Giglio, OTR/L, to the Balanced Living team!
Back-to-school schedules are underway: We are finalizing school-based therapy schedules by September 4. We are deeply grateful to La Salle Institute, Shenendehowa, The Albany Academy, Hebrew Academy, and Woodland Hill Montessori School for welcoming Balanced Living and allowing us to support students across the Capital Region.
Community Story
Healing at home, surrounded by the right support
This month, our team had the privilege of supporting a client throughout the entire surgical journey, from preparing before surgery to transitioning safely back home afterward. Through coordinated occupational therapy, nursing support, and collaboration among the client’s care team and family, the client was able to recover at home while receiving the services needed to promote safety, healing, and independence. This is what whole-person, team-based care can make possible: meeting people where they are and helping them remain in the environment where they feel most comfortable.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who worked together to make healing at home possible.
Shared with permission. Identifying details may have been changed to protect privacy.
BL Tip of the Month
Being proactive does not mean you are declining
You do not need to wait for a fall, hospitalization, or significant change in function to seek support. An occupational therapy evaluation can help identify small concerns early and create a plan to preserve independence before the winter months bring additional challenges.
Consider being proactive if you or someone you love has noticed:
Changes in balance, strength, or endurance
Greater difficulty completing everyday routines
Concerns about home safety or fall prevention
Reduced confidence moving throughout the home
Occupational therapy is not only about responding to decline. It is also about preventing avoidable challenges, protecting independence, and helping people continue healing safely at home.
Schedule an Occupational Therapy Evaluation
Catch Up On Your Reading: The Balancing Act Blog
This is why you should attend our brain injury support group
Why I Chose A Career in OT: An Introduction to Caterina's Story
Why Home is the Best Place for Occupational Therapy
Service Spotlight
Brain Injury Rehabilitation: Bridging the Gap From Hospital to Home
Returning home after a brain injury can feel like both a major milestone and the beginning of an entirely new set of challenges. Balanced Living provides individualized, home-based occupational therapy designed to bridge the gap between medical recovery and meaningful participation in everyday life.
Our team can help with:
Transitioning safely from the hospital or rehabilitation setting
Rebuilding daily routines and functional independence
Addressing balance, cognition, vision, fatigue, and sensory changes
Improving home safety and reducing caregiver burden
Returning to meaningful activities, relationships, and community roles
Recovery does not end at discharge. We help individuals and their families navigate what comes next with skilled support delivered in the environment where daily life actually happens. <3
Learn More About Brain Injury Rehabilitation
With gratitude,
Dr. Jaycee Barry and the Balanced Living Team
