Written by Lisa Kort, Easterseals Marketing Communications Project Manager
The Autism Caregiver Video Series launch was recently held on November 11th to honor the actors – many of whom have a disability – and the crew who participated in the video production.
The video series was developed by Easterseals Southern California’s (ESSC) Autism Services to support families through the caregiving process by means of relatable storytelling.
“The videos were casted authentically and developed to inspire hope in our caregivers through storytelling. The videos aim to show that there are endless possibilities for people with developmental disability and their families,” said Rick Gutierrez, Vice President, Clinical Strategy & Operations, ESSC.
Pictured right to left: Actor Christopher Sean, who played a Father in one of the videos, joined Cheryl Liang, Therapy Supervisor, Autism Services, Irvine, and his good friend, Frank Knittel, for a tour of the Irvine site and services before viewing the Caregiver Video Series.
Event attendees received the star treatment at the Easterseals Irvine site, walking down the red carpet and taking photos. Afterwards, they toured the site, viewed the Caregiver video series and joined a question-and-answer session with several panelists. The panel included Sandra Varona, video series producer, actor Christopher Sean, who appears in one of the videos and starred in Days of Our Lives, and several other actors who participated in one or more of the videos.
The panelists shared their experience participating in the videos and their hope that the series will help caregivers of children with autism.
Sean, who has a sister with Down syndrome and is a stepfather to a 19-year-old who has autism, said that he was excited to play a father in one of the videos. “The videos are so helpful. To see these videos that may help parents who many times are exhausted and lost and will guide them in areas that may seem so rudimentary and simple. And, yet it’s really eye opening and exactly what a lot of parents need – a step-by-step guide. It’s wonderful and it was great to be a part of this production,” Sean remarked during the panel.
Each video focuses on key concepts, such as effective reinforcement, consequence strategies and prompting. Caregivers will be encouraged to watch each episode and complete assigned activities with the help of an autism behavior specialist.
Many ESSC participants and their caregivers will soon take part in a pilot to introduce the videos and training materials.
Leave A Comment