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This sight has some great ideas for those who know they or someone they love will need assistive devices in the future. It shares ideas for planning and recognizing needs that may arise. It even has info and links to various suppliers that could help with all kinds of adaptive equipment.

CarFit is a community based program that sponsors events (as a collaborative effort between AOTA, AAA, and AARP) with the purpose of inspecting the older driver in their own vehicle. "trained technicians and/or health professionals work with each participant to ensure they "fit" their vehicle properly for maximum comfort and safety". It takes about 20 mins after which recommendations for adjustments and adaptations are provided. The website provides FAQs and videos with a lot of information pertaining to the older driver and driver safety. Those of you interested in driving rehab may be interested in participating in an event such as this as a COTA in the future.

This youtube video by Markerbot and Robohand shows how two men use a 3D printer to design and make prosthetic hands.  The 3D printer allowed them to make cost effective mechanical hands for boys born without hands.  The mechanical hands work due to 'tenodesis grasp'.  The video specifies the need for an OT to strengthen the wrist for better use of the hand and a need for an OT to fit the gauntlet and hand cap.  Is this the future of prosthetics?  The possibilities of 3D printing are limitless when being used to make not only prosthetic hands but various adaptive equipment solutions for all populations.

Great video Kellie!

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are 4 tools we can use to either cope with stress or reduce the stress. The 4 tools include Avoid, Alter, Accept, and Adapt. Each tool is explained and ways to use each tool are included. Stress can be good and bad. Knowing yourself and your environment and what causes your stress will help you deal with it. The tools are easy to follow and are a good reminder that in many situations we are in control.

These tools can be applied to all aspects of life and are easy to implement or have a client implement.

My husband and I met in a rock climbing class in North Carolina. Imagine my excitemen,t as a future COTA, when I got an email from our very own River Sports Outfitters advertising this! Their motto is "Catalyst Sports is dedicated to providing adaptive climbing opportunities to anyone with a physical disability." How cool is this???? I can't wait to volunteer!

Inspiring website, and I had no idea this group existed. I like how they reach out to our veterans. I climbed the rock wall inside the Natahala Outdoor Center in Gatlinburg a few years ago. It was hard as able bodied-- I can't imagine doing it with a disability, yet people do!

This catalog is packed with cool stuff

resource of all kinds of adaptive equipment/catalog

Back and neck pains from improper body mechanics and improper posture can be decreased and prevented from proper sitting and standing posture,sleeping bed mobility, lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying. Ergonomics to adapt the work place to the person to decrease risk of getting repetitive trauma disorder and prevent back pain and neck pain.

From tongue-activated adaptive switches and powered wheelchairs to big button telephones and door knob extenders, products and devices for assistive living for the elderly help maintain independence while making daily activities less difficult. Assistive Devices and Products As our bodies age many people find that everyday tasks and activities become difficult and sometimes even impossible.

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Evaluate Your Lifestyle All of us want optimal health. But many of us do not know how to achieve it. Taking this quiz, adapted from one created by the U. S. Public Health Service, is a good place to start. The behaviors covered in the test are recommended for most Americans.

This article contains useful tips for those cooking with a disability. I believe it helps promote independent living; which is very important to a lot of seniors. It has simple strategies broken down that are easy to follow and information on helpful adaptive equipment.

Because we have talked so much about adaptive, electric, and manual wheelchairs; here are a few safety points!

Thought this was so neat

This website is from an OT who has expertise in sexual rehabilitation. Very client centered. Offers an evaluation, compensatory techniques, adaptive devices, and sex aides. Offers sexual programs customized to a couple's needs. Located in Brooklyn, NY.

This is very interesting research that has been done on studying how many older adults using technology. Statistically 68% of adults age 75 and older are using internet.Well educated and financially stable seniors adapt internet faster that those with lower education and income. Seniors that not using internet find that they are missing a lot of valuable information. It finds that 35% of adult Internet users now have a profile on at least one social networking site.

I found this website when I was looking for ideas on adaptive equipment project. There are a lot helpful tips that anybody can use to assist themselves with daily activities, such as preparing food, hygiene, computer use, bathing, etc.

Background: in older ambulatory persons, exercise strategies that are expected to generate beneficial muscle adaptations with low cardiopulmonary demands are needed. Objective: we hypothesised that eccentric resistance exercise would be less demanding on the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems than bouts of concentric resistance exercise.

informative article…nice

I pulled this from the AOTA website, you must log in to view. I thought this article reaffirms what we have been discussing in class about the role of the OT practitioner in treating patients with COPD. Our main focus is energy conservation (which may include task simplification, deep breathing techniques, and implementing adaptive equipment). This article is not very long and provides a nice WHY we are doing what we are doing.