Unbeknownst to her, those would be the last steps she would take.
Years earlier, the budding spray-painter from the Adelaide Hills had lost function in her dominant right hand.
Ms Dean, who has been paraplegic because of a neurological condition for more than nine years, no longer plays the saxophone she loves, and her passion for driving manual cars now looks very different.
"You get thrown in without instruction and it's like you've got to learn how to swim now," she tells AAP.
But with a team of support workers and her occupational therapist behind her, Ms Dean is learning how to "swim" again.
Health issues, injury or disability hamper the ability of two-in-five Australians to participate in work, study, caring for family or community activities, a survey commissioned by Occupational Therapy Australia says.
For almost one-in-five people, or 3.4 million, the impacts lasted for more than three months, while about the same number faced up to that time point, the Participation Gap report said.
For Ms Dean, managing her disability is a full-time job, but it hasn't stopped her from finding new ways to thrive, including horse riding and attempting to get para-classified for archery.
"I'm always trying to find the right kind of work to re-enter and do around the disability because a lot of places aren't accessible," she said.
Almost one-in-four women had been sidelined for more than three months compared to 15 per cent of men.
While 29 per cent of those in households earning $50,000 annually reported being sidelined for the same period, compared to only 12 per cent in households earning over $150,000.
Financial strain was the biggest impact of being sidelined for more than 70 per cent of respondents, followed by 37 per cent who said poor mental health, under one-in-three nominated loss of confidence, and a quarter said social isolation.
Pain and fatigue were the main obstacles for people to return to activities, followed by fear of re-injury and mental health concerns.
Millions of Australians are missing out on career opportunities, educational goals, family responsibilities and community connections due to being unnecessarily sidelined, Occupational Therapy Australia chief executive Samantha Hunter said.
She added better government investment in occupational therapy services could deliver significant returns through increased workforce participation, reduced healthcare costs, and improved social outcomes.
"With demand growing, ensuring Australians can access OT support when they need it is key to closing the participation gap and strengthening our communities," Ms Hunter said.
Ms Dean continues to grieve her old self, but attributes her good life to her occupational therapist, who has helped her access the NDIS and support workers.
"It might knock your confidence around, but you just do the best you can and adapt," she said.
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