Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn McCollum-Lasher.
Hi Lynn, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I have been a physical therapist for 28 years, of which 25 years were spent working as a Home Health Care Physical Therapist. I loved helping my clients regain strength and mobility to improve their quality of life after an injury or illness. A seemingly small change in function can make all the difference in a senior’s ability to maintain safety in their home. The last 7 years of my home care experience were mainly around the peninsula of Charleston, and I noted that I had many repeated referrals. Teaching a home program was always part of the discharge plan, but only a handful would follow through, yet when given the option to have therapy again, they were very cooperative and excited to get moving. Working and living in the same area, I knew there were people I could connect to help after discharge, but due to HIPPA regulations, I needed to be able to do so.
I created Let’s Walk to unite people and develop meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships using my experience gained from working with clients; the program was designed to bring volunteers to the house at no cost to the walkers and provide an opportunity to get outside for a walk. This helps alleviate the frequent decline after a period of therapy concludes and offers the chance to develop meaningful relationships between generations. As a PT, I have always valued fitness and activity and comprehended the importance of maintaining strength as we age. I was surprised to realize that only some of our seniors meet the basic guideline of 150 minutes of moderate activity each week. In 2022, there were 55.6 million adults over 65 years of age. 78.7% reported a sedentary or low-activity lifestyle. The National Institute of Health ranks a sedentary lifestyle as a threat to public health and reports that inactivity is the 2nd leading cause of death. Let’s Walk was designed to be part of the solution to this problem. The number of people actively seeking an opportunity to help others is impressive. We often hear about the bad parts of society, but many wonderful people in our community are looking for ways to help others. By providing a therapy assessment for each walker, the volunteer can have confidence that the walker is safe to participate, and they will schedule visits knowing the time required to complete the recommended walk. All participants sign waivers accepting responsibility for their voluntary participation. We have 145 volunteers and 110 walkers, and they have completed 900 walks together.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been challenging to switch from being a therapist to creating a nonprofit. Bringing in people with skills was imperative to build a solid foundation. It took me about 6 months to find Clay Grayson, a dedicated nonprofit specialist lawyer. He helped me build the legal framework and obtain the 501c3 status. Together, SC has been an invaluable resource, providing board management training, many other educational opportunities, and ongoing support for various questions. With their help, Let’s Walk is where we are today. We have many challenges and opportunities ahead. Fundraising and marketing are complex tasks, and we are working to bring in partners with these and other skills to help direct our future growth. The more I learn, the more I realize how important it is to bring in others with varied skill sets to help us grow and achieve our full potential. I want to organize groups of volunteers across South Carolina to enhance the quality of life for our seniors.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
When I graduated from PT school, I thought I would work in a rehab unit helping people transition from hospital to home. After practicing for one year, I was introduced to home health care and found my calling. Seniors are my people. They are just looking for someone to recognize their potential, help them regain their independence, and get on with their lives. My specialty was getting through to the gruff and grumpy. They were usually the people who had been in charge their entire lives and suddenly found themselves needing help and did not like it! They wanted to avoid being told what to do or how to do it. It was wonderful to reinterpret my role as a facilitator for them to achieve their desired outcome and provide them with the tools to get the desired results. I value the time I spent in so many homes, learning about people and their lives and families. Seeing pictures and stories and then helping them get back to doing what they valued. I always enjoyed bringing people outside for a walk; this was usually the culmination of their home care, and shortly afterward, they would be discharged. I am thrilled to match volunteers with their neighbors to facilitate social connections and encourage time outside in the fresh air and sunshine, moving to stay healthy. I continue to schedule meetings and travel around my Wednesday morning walks. I have been walking with the same 4 people for 1-2 years, and I value these relationships. Creating Let’s Walk allows me to share this wonderful opportunity with many other people, allowing them to spend time with others and develop meaningful relationships across generations, such as a simple, powerful concept that brings meaning and happiness and improved quality of life for all of our participants, volunteers, and walkers.
How do you think about luck?
I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by people who have supported this mission. So many good connections have been and continue to be made, without which this program would not be possible. I must maximize this potential and help as many people as possible through this program.
Pricing:
- Let’s Walk is free for all participants
Contact Info:
- Website: www.letswalk.us
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letswalkoutside
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-mccollum-lasher-a5111624a
