In this episode of Leaders in the Field, host Mackenzie Bevins interviews Teresa Boswell, wife of Missouri farmer Doug Boswell, who sustained a spinal cord injury. Teresa shares how she has navigated her role as a caregiver within the agricultural community. From adapting farm operations to managing caregiver stress and burnout, Teresa provides valuable insights into the support systems and strategies that helped her through. This episode offers practical advice for healthcare professionals to better understand and support farming families navigating life-altering injuries.

Resources

To find resources for caregivers of agricultural workers, visit http://www.agrability.org/resources/caregivers/ to learn more.

References

Caregiver Burnout. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9225-caregiver-burnout

Lindt, N., van Berkel, J., & Mulder, B. C. (2020). Determinants of overburdening among informal carers: a systematic review. BMC Geriatrics, 20(1), 304. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01708-3

In this episode of Leaders in the Field, host Mackenzie Bevins interviews Doug Boswell, a farmer from Springfield, Missouri, who shares his journey of resilience after a spinal cord injury from an ATV accident in 2017. Doug discusses the physical and mental challenges he’s faced, his rehabilitation journey, and how the Missouri AgrAbility Project and adaptive equipment have enabled him to continue farming. He highlights the importance of healthcare professionals understanding the unique needs of farmers with disabilities and offers valuable advice for practitioners working with the agricultural population. He also shares the exciting progress he’s made toward walking again using an exoskeleton. See below for an inside look at Doug's exoskeleton and adaptive farming equipment.

About Doug's ReWalk Exoskeleton:

The ReWalk Exoskeleton is a wearable robotic exoskeleton that helps people with spinal cord injuries and other lower limb disabilities walk, stand, and turn. Click here to watch Doug using his ReWalk: https://youtu.be/wdAUSMBBdeQ

In Episode 4 of the Leaders in the Field Podcast, we welcome Carla Wilhite, an occupational therapist with extensive experience working with the agricultural population. Carla takes us through the vital role of using a client-centered approach, especially when working with farmers, ranchers, and others in agriculture. Additionally, Carla highlights the importance of understanding the cultural and contextual aspects of life as an agricultural worker to better meet the needs of clients.