About Adaptive Mobility Indiana Services

Mary Ellen Keith, COTA, CDRS

In 2009 Mary Ellen Keith began working for Adaptive Mobility Services, Inc. in the Carmel, Indiana office as the Program Manager. From 2000 to 2009 she was the Lead Driver Rehabilitation Specialist at Easter Seals Crossroads Rehabilitation Center where she was initially responsible for re-organizing and re-structuring their driver evaluation program. She has developed a specialized skill working with challenging new drivers as well as low vision or bioptic drivers in Indiana. She is well known and respected for her work in these areas from eye care specialists, other allied health therapists, vocational rehabilitation counselors, consumers and the Bureau of Driver Licensing. She is certified by the state of Indiana to teach driving to low vision clients using a bioptic telescope. She has assisted in the training and certification of other therapists from Indiana and other states to become bioptic driver instructors.

Mary Ellen received an Associate Degree in Applied Science and the certification as an occupational therapy assistant in 2000. She worked at St. Frances Hospital for one year PRN during 2000 in the acute care and rehabilitation units.

She has been a member of the Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED) since 2000 and served as its secretary in 2009-2010 and is the past vice president of the ADED Midwest chapter. She has been a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) since 2000. She has been a member of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) since 2001.

She has presented at their past conferences and has been an invited speaker to the First and Second Driving Symposium for Occupational Therapists sponsored by AOTA in collaboration with Adaptive Mobility Services, Inc. In 2007 in collaboration with Adaptive Mobility Services, Inc. she was the primary author and instructor for a formal training workshop in Bioptic Driver Training and since 2006 has assisted as an in-vehicle instructor in their course entitled Take the Wheel: A Driver Education Course for the Therapist. She has spoken to many professional, OT students and consumer audiences on the topic of occupational therapy and driver rehabilitation, low vision and driving.

Carmen Palanca, OTR, CDRS

Carmen Palanca graduated from Indiana University with a BS in Occupational Therapy in December 1996 with a minor in Psychology. She has clinical experience working at an inpatient rehabilitation hospital, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient clinics. She started working as a OT Driver Rehabilitation Specialist at Adaptive Mobility Services, Inc. in October 2009. Previously she worked at Community Hospital Center for Neurorehabilitation (now called Hook Outpatient Center) where she developed a strong background in neurorehabilitation. She worked at Easter Seals Crossroads as a OT driver rehabilitation specialist from November 2005 – September 2009.

She is certified by the state of Indiana to teach driving to low vision clients using a bioptic telescope. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED). She has presented to local organizations, OT students and professionals regarding the topic of Occupational Therapy and driver rehabilitation.