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The role of occupational therapy in oncology is "to facilitate and enable an individual patient to achieve maximum functional performance, both physically and psychologically, in everyday living skills regardless of his or her life expectancy" (p. 75).2

maintaining sternal precautions.

This page from the AOTA website contains links to various topics associated with the aging adult. These are tip sheets that explain different conditions and how OT can help. These include aging in place, living with Alzheimer's, fall prevention, hip replacement, home modification, low vision, driving and stroke. In addition to the tip sheets, there are links to videos for aging in place, home modification and precautions the elderly can take to prevent falls in the home. This is a great place to look to obtain a lot of good information on a variety of problems the elderly can face and how occupational therapy can help this population.

This organization meshes senior living with computer technology individualized for seniors. This is a cool idea and incorporates physical exercises in the system as well as social and cognitive stimulation. I believe it's a great innovative way to keep the aging mind stimulated and in touch with family and friends.

This article talks about independent aging and living at home for as long as possible is always preferable to residing in a rest home, where you are away from what is familiar and existing in a hospital-like environment. But, you may have some natural fears to being home alone, just in case something happens. Just thought this article tied in to the upcoming home assessments

Updated August 20, 2014 15:22:57 Sean Fitzgerald worked hard to rebuild his life after breaking his neck in a mountain bike accident 14 years ago. For five hours after the crash, before medical help arrived, his then-partner and a passing stranger kept him alive with their breath.

If you skim through the article, please pay special attention to the last paragraph. I loved how Mr. Fitzgerald stated that being able to work and do something meaningful was important to his psyche. Assistive devices are what allowed him to continue to be productive after becoming physically disabled. As we have been taught, having something meaningful to do is key to having a positive outcome regardless of the level of disability.

This article made some great points about growing old and feeling old. Age is relative. Our bodies start to betray us as we age, but that is part of life. However, growing older doesn't mean we should stop living. I believe that when a person begins to put limitations on their selves is when one becomes "old".

As we age, our needs and interests evolve and change, so our choices of housing should be wide ranging, as should be the spectrum of activities and services. Most older adults wish to remain in their homes and communities as they age.

I chose this article because when I was at Keystone, an adult day program in Oak Ridge, I saw the benefit of this program in allowing seniors with physical and cognitive deficits to remain at home, or in assisted living, for longer periods of time. I liked this article's emphasis on integration of many programs to age in place successfully.

I had never heard of a healthy aging program, but found it very interesting! What a great idea. It incorporates all of the activities and education that an older adult could be looking for. I know there's probably not many out there in our more rural communities, but it is an awesome program to keep the young at heart healthy and involved in all aspects of their lives.

I really thought this article was interesting and thought I would share it with you all. It's about understanding the natural changes that come with aging and what we can do to improve these issues. I also think that reading this, other individuals see that these issues that they are having themselves are common and they are not alone. I think that helps them to see a different light about it and they are able to accept these problems more easily,

This webpage gives a few relaxation techniques and reasons why the are effective for cardiopulmonary problems.

Living with COPD can be very frightening, so it is important to know optimal positioning when having a dyspnea attack. Proper positioning maximizes respiration and utilizes muscles that are not normally used during typical breathing. The proper positioning techniques while sitting, lying and standing are all covered.

Here's a pretty neat article regarding exercise and stress. I think we all have some stress/anxiety, so for those of you that exercise, keep this in mind.

When we think about aging in place, or at least when I do, we think about the home. I found this article really interesting because it discusses the driving and mobility in the neighborhood aspect. Driving gives people independence, feelings of freedom, and the ability to participate in meaningful occupations and social roles. This is so important to being able to live life to the fullest!

This study explores how effective energy conservation techniques are for three tasks: shopping for groceries with a grocery bag vs. a shopping cart, washing clothes while standing vs. sitting, and hanging clothes to dry at shoulder height vs. waist height. The subjects were divided by age; one group was 60 or < and the other group was over 60. Read this article to find out why two of the EC techniques benefited only the younger group. This study raises interesting questions about considering clients' contexts before suggesting EC techniques.

How would a blind person play tennis? This article explains the sport of blind tennis and gives some information about the sport's history, which started in 1984. With certain modifications of rules and equipment, blind or otherwise visually impaired individuals can participate remarkably well. Scientists are discovering other ways that the brain "sees." The visual cortex apparently can also process auditory and tactile stimuli, and impaired individuals also do have some visual perception, using other senses to monitor their surroundings. When blind tennis players begin to succeed on court, that success carries over into other areas of their lives. The article includes conversations with instructors and students, and is inspiring to those who think they "can't."

I have known people with COPD and to be honest, I never really knew exactly what it was. I just knew that they had it because they smoke. (The people who I knew) This link provides a look into what this disease does to someone emotionally, as well as physically. How sad to have to grieve just as if you have lost a loved one. This disease can cause you to have anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and problems with sex and intimacy. Sex is an ADL! So much more to this disease than I every knew.

I know we are past aging in place by a little bit, but I came across this again and wanted to share! A really interesting outlook on aging in place in a mock village for dementia patients. The patients live on site in their own apartments which they are aided in managing independently. The town has everything from grocery stores to movie theaters. Nursing staff dress in plain clothes to give the environment a "real-life" feel and encourage patients to operate on their own schedule. This is currently in the Netherlands, but how cool would it be to have OT's work in something like this!

This is a short, easy to read article that would be a helpful resource for patients. Individuals with MS have many symptoms; one of the most common is fatigue. Suggestions about position and time of day may help persons have more fulfilling sex lives. Many of the ideas given in the article are very similar to the alternatives identified in chapter 16 of the Early text.