Group items tagged

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.

Who would have thought a National Council on Aging! There are all kinds of resource linked to this sight. I can see how this could be a great resource for those who are aging or caring for those who are. If you scroll down to the section on "I want to stay healthy" you can click on a list of ways to "restart living." This section helps those who may need to re-evaluate their life and provides direction to encourage them to recognize that they still have something to live for

This is a great site for the older adult or caregiver to find numerous resources. From money management, transportation, job searches, fall preventions and much more. I know I will refer to it in my future practices and thought I would share.

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".

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 could be a good resourse for clients, it covers some difficult topics related to sex and sexuality: Understanding your anatomy, who you're attracted to, and what gives you pleasure can improve your quality of life and help you take charge of your sexual health.

Tips for pursed lip breathing and pulmonary rehabilitation. When you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, shortness of breath may be a daily and unwelcome fact of life. Perhaps your doctor is urging you to enter a pulmonary rehabilitation program to help you manage your disease better.

This is a short video showing a little boy get a functional prosthetic arm. It transforms his life and what he is able to do. The part I like most is that it is an OT who is training him to use it!!! The OT works on bilateral hand involvement so that he may engage in play like other boys his age.

I know I keep posting little kids with prosthetics but they are so inspirational. In class yesterday, Teri was talking about "fit to sit" meaning that the best time to introduce a child to a prosthetic device is when they are around 6 months old (when they begin sitting unsupported and are involving their hands to reach). This short video is a great example of a family who did this with their daughter. She is very active and doesn't let her missing arm affect her life.

I love NBC! According to this material springs will be coming to an end in the future.

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!

I found this article interesting because the new protocol it addresses seems to help a patient bounce back after surgery, reduces recovery time, and reduces the use of narcotics after surgery. After all, getting back to the routine of life and our daily occupations is what we do in OT!

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 article talks about the four most common upper extremity injuries. They are hand or wrist fractures, hand or wrist sprains, chronic pain, reoccurring acute injuries. I have not had any upper extremity injuries that I can recall, but I'm sure I will some time in my life time. I have had friends to have carpel tunnel and had surgery for it and they still have issues with it, even after the surgery. I seen several severely injured hands in my first semester of clinicals at an outpatient rehab. Not a pretty sight. Hand injuries and other upper extremity injuries happen to all ages and can be the most inconvenient injuries.

I tagged this page because it is important to remember that sex is not just an emotional event, but a definite physiological one as well. We need to remember this for not only our patients but in our own lives. Marriages are hard enough to maintain, but it is even harder if sex is viewed as a weapon. If both parties understand the benefits of a healthy sex life, everybody is a lot better off. Cause "if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy," lol.

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.

Hospice care and palliative care are very similar when it comes to the most important issue for dying people: care

This article from AOTA really hit home with me. My mom had a stem cell transplant in November of 2012, and it saved her life. Your immune system is severely compromised during a stem cell transplant, and because of that she had limited access to people, and places outside the hospital. My mom is an adult, and she had a hard time with the limited social interaction, so I can only imagine how hard it is for a child to go through a stem cell transplant and be able to play with their peers at school or at a playground. I know a lot of us will not deal with cases as severe as a stem cell transplant, but it is still encouraging to know that occupational therapy can help. The therapist in the article worked with the kids to make sure they did not develop muscle weakness, or lose ROM while they were in the hospital. This article really made me appreciate the holistic care that OT provides, regardless of your age.

Occupational Therapy play a very important role with patients dealing with a cancer diagnosis. OT can help with energy conservation issues, pain, weakness, psychosocial, and physical impairments. Quality of life and independence are key. OT can be of service to people newly diagnosed, in cancer treatment, or in hospice. What I needed reminding of was that OT can help those that have survived, especially the psychosocial aspect.

This article discusses the specific areas and goals that occupational therapists may address with cancer patients. I thought the writer did a great job explaining what occupational therapy is and why the field is so important. This would be a good resource for later on if I ever go on to interview for a job in oncology, would be a nice review of how impactful OT can be.

Terry McCarty, 29, suffered burns to 70% of his body in childhood accident Endured 58 operations and taunts from bullies calling him Freddy Krueger For years after accident he lived in 'constant state of fear and uncertainty' He joined the fire service in 2012 after refusing to let 'fear take over my life' An American who suffered third-degree burns to 70 per cent of his body in a childhood accident has faced his fears by becoming a firefighter.