IOD's MacGyver

UNH faculty member Dr. Therese Willkomm calls herself "MacGyvette." But she doesn't fight crime like the resourceful 1980s television sleuth; rather, she fashions tools from everyday objects that make life easier for people with disabilities.

Therese, clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy and director of ATinNH at the IOD, is a specialist in assistive technology. And while her
beneficiaries have some form of disability, Therese's work rarely deals with expensive wheelchairs, specialized computers or complex communication systems. "Eighty percent of assistive technology costs $100 or less," she says.

Therese's solutions are custom items she "MacGyvers" from inexpensive, ordinary items like Plexiglas, PVC, and assorted tapes as well as off-the-shelf products like wheeled carts, easy-grip tools, or two-way radios. She is also speedy and resourceful; her trademark is creating solutions in five minutes or less.

Therese shares many of her creative solutions in two books, both of which are available through the IOD Bookstore.

For more resources, check out
www.ATinNH.org.