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Between exams, papers and maintaining an active social life, many college students feel they can't really find the time to keep up on their personal health and wellness until an illness catches hold and stops them in their tracks.

This short article discusses that scientist have discovered a new region of the brain that controls a person's motivation.  The tiny region, the dorsal medial habenula has been discovered to control the desire to exercise in mice.  This discovery can have huge implications in the way we treat mental illness.

There are several things in life that we as individuals must face, there is no way to avoid it and that is aging. As we age, some people prepare for it and others don't. This article offers information as to how to live healthier to help avoid the inevitable. It offers information on how to help avoid cancer, cardiovascular problems, and many others. And in our lives it may be inevitable that we get these problems, BUT we can sure start now to try to keep from getting them as we age.

This is a fact sheet provided by AOTA that describes the role of occupational therapy in palliative care. It describes how "depending on the stage of the disease process or terminal illness, clients may receive palliative care for months or even years". The information provided also lists OT interventions related to palliative care in the areas of ADLs, IADLs, rest and sleep, play, leisure and social participation, and interpersonal.

An OT discusses lessons she has learned from her patients.

Adrienne Lauer, an Occupational Therapist, discusses Occupational Therapy's important part of rebuilding the life of so many Burn Survivors and others that have been injured or ill.

The writer of this article does a great job exploring the different areas that occupational therapy care can impact a burn victim's recovery. Some of them are obvious but I admittedly forgot some aspects such as integration back into the community.

Stress management Occupational therapists aim to assist their clients to achieve stress reduction and improve occupational performance through evidence-based and practical interventions. Research has shown that stress and anxiety management strategies improve quality of life during stressful life experiences such as adjusting to changed life roles (e.g. parenthood or illness).

I love this sight because it explains children's occupations, and the need for children to receive OT in plain terms that all can comprehend. If you click on the word occupational therapists in the definition, it further defines OT. Thank you Kids Health for promotion occupational therapy! This sight has all kinds of answers for families with questions about illness, OT, age related concerns etc. It has everything from puberty issues by gender to what is a coma. You even have the option to listen to their examples and explanations instead of just reading them.

I feel this is a great resource for individuals and their loved ones upon initial injury or diagnosis of an illness. It has short explanations about many different common conditions from spinal cord injury and questions one might have to psychological disorders. I feel it could be a great way for people to find out more if they wish to do it in a more private setting. It talks about sports, travel, school, work etc. It is based in Europe. Their ambassador's have disabilities so they have more insight than others might!

SuperBetter helps you achieve your health goals - or recover from an illness or injury - by increasing your personal resilience. Resilience means staying curious, optimistic and motivated even in the face of the toughest challenges. Jane McGonigal developed this game while recovering from a concussion, you can watch her TED talk or check out her website at http://janemcgonigal.com

Great handout! Covers many areas.

Neurological Disorders Many illnesses target the nervous system, affecting mobility, speech and skill, just as in stroke. Rehabilitation plays a key role in providing treatment and improving symptoms. Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct research across the country to study neurological disorders.

Each amputee goes through their own personal struggle. Whether the amputation is a result of trauma or illness, the feelings are the same!

I found this website is very powerful and educational. And as a future OT practitioners we can recommend it for our clients. It is about amputation foundation that originally was created for veterans, but would give a hand to any amputee civilian. There are a lot of helpful information about how to take care of amputated limb, how to get social security disability, etc. Also this foundation offers support, financial aid, information on recreational activities, medical equipment, and counseling.

Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Workplace Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect the muscles, nerves and tendons. Work related MSDs (including those of the neck, upper extremities and low back) are one of the leading causes of lost workday injury and illness.

This is a really great website that talks about ergonomics in the workplace. It specifically talks about how to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. One thing unique about this website is that it also address what the employers responsibilities are and what rights the worker has in regards to prevention, and a safe workplace. It gives multiple links to OSHA standards for a workplace, and also a list of some of the top careers that result in musculoskeletal disorders.

"Arthritis" means inflammation of the joints, and it might cause pain, swelling, and limited motion of one or many joints in the body. More than 100 different illnesses can cause arthritis. Treatment begins after diagnosis by a doctor, who might prescribe medicine to reduce inflammation, pain, swelling, and loss of motion.

This article list ergonomic risk factors of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). As occupational therapy practitioners we should focus on the following areas: highly repetitive tasks, static exertion, forceful exertions, localized mechanical stress, awkward postures, temperature exposure, and vibration (article has description of all of these). Prevention and early management are key to avoiding CTDs.

This article gives us helpful tips on how to manage stress while we are in college. It also tells us that stress can lead to serious health problems ( autoimmune illnesses, depression and anxiety). Its explains how to watch for signs and symptoms of stress and how to avoid to be overwhelmed. In article we can find how to manage our time while we are in college and different techniques to help us calm down ( meditation, breathing exercises and yoga).

I found this article when I was making my marketing webpage for practice management. A lot of children who are effected with long term illness or disease fall behind in their development. Occupational therapy helps them catch up and reach important developmental milestones so that they may be more successful in play and learning. This pamphlet is for parents of children at St. Jude explaining what OT is and how it can help their children.

Do you get mad when you see someone with no handicapped tag zoom into a handicapped parking spot at Wal-Mart and then jog into the store? I do! I like this video because it explains the great details that go into making good, accessible handicapped parking. It also causes me to think, as an able bodied person, about how I park my vehicle and how I use public space. For instance, do I pull so far into a parking spot that the hood of my car extends over most of the sidewalk, making it difficult for people to get around my car? And how many of you have been aggravated to see that there is a nice h/c parking area, but there's no easy way to access the curb, except for a slope that's 30 feet away and forces the disabled person to travel through the parking lot to get to it? I doubt that we as OTAs will be outside measuring and inspecting the parking lots, but this video does give you some ideas about the challenges that disabled persons face when moving from place to place.

Beth, I am so glad you posted this. It is also important to realize that just because someone isn't walking with a cane or using a wheelchair that they don't have the "right" to use these spaces. If they were issued a handicap placard by their doctor their is a good reason. Invisible illness is just as real as ones you can see. This is a great video! Thank you.

Having recently learned more about end-of-life care and the psychosocial elements that come into play when treating people with fatal illnesses, this site offers advice that could help family and caregivers to communicate in a way that is sensitive to the situation of the client.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that accelerates the rate at which your skin cells grow. An effective method to treat psoriasis is phototherapy or light therapy.

Psoriasis is an auto-immune illness that affects almost three percent of the world's population. People who suffer from psoriasis experience a great deal of skin irritation and discomfort.