This web site provides a list of video tips for hand therapy such as tendon and nerve gliding. The videos help me understand some of the therapy exercises Teri listed in her articulate lesson on CTDs.
This was written for college students with disabilities as a resource for instructors. It can be used for any age classroom. It covers the areas that are difficult to students with mobility issues or other disabilities and how to interact. A number of devices are listed that can be helpful. I really thought the list of injuries or diseases and their characteristics that will be of importance was great to include. A nice resource for the classroom.
A nice compact list of ways to protect your joints. The list comes with examples and extra information that is helpful to the practitioner and the client. This is relevant to those with joint pain and those who want to prevent joint pain.
Comprehensive list of cancer types from the National Cancer Institute that also includes, description, treatment, statistics, information, resources, and even clinical trials
This is a great list of energy conservation tips ideas for patients. I thought this was a great reference list since we were discussing cardiopulmonary patients who really need to learn about energy conservation. This breaks down the ideas into:
Rearrange Your Environment, Elminate Unneccessary Effort, Planning Ahead, and Priortizing. This is a great reference list for energy conservation.
Food Choices will not act as a panacea for arthritis, but they can have a positive or negative effect on the condition. This article lists 10 foods that help and hurt someone with arthritis.
I learned about this cool, FREE app, at the TNOTA conference during our students presentation. You basically download it and it allows you to choose a vision impairment (from the list provided) and you can then experience how the client w/that particular vision impairment sees. You can scan your surroundings using your camera feature. It even allows you to control the severity of the symptoms. This tool is not only great for educating yourself, but can be an extremely beneficial tool when educating family members on what their loved one is experiencing on a daily basis.
The Job Accommodation Network put this information together because the number of workers over 65 is going to increase dramatically as the baby boomers age. The benefits for hiring an older worker are listed as well as the laws protecting workers. This is a nice resource for those older workers to know what rights they have and what accommodations are even available. Some accommodations cover ADLs, weakness or fatigue, hearing limitations, vision limitations, psychological issues, to name a few. I thought it was really helpful that a few situations were presented with possible solutions. Also, for the consumer, is a link to products for accommodation options.
This AOTA article defines "restraint", provides information on the role of OT in regards to providing restraint reduction or elimination, and lists common environments where this type of intervention takes place. By assessing what client-centered modifications, as well as environmental modifications, can be made, occupational therapy looks for ways "around" the use of restraints in order to enhance the client's engagement and participation in meaningful occupations.
Looking over my bookmarks to Diigo, I must enjoy recreation and leisure a lot, but I couldn't resist posting this blog about amusement parks and accessibility. The author identifies 6 amusement parks in the U.S. and briefly describes the unique perks of each. From Morgan's Wonderland in TX, built specifically for special needs children, to Cedar Fair Parks in NC and OH, which cater especially to children with autism, this is an interesting list of possibilities. Although this is just a blog, it provides quite a bit of information and photos.
I was looking for information in AOTA regarding therapeutic exercise and I came across an amazing list of Apps therapists can use. The one App in relation to this post is called Howtodoit therapy. It was developed by an OT and it allows the therapist to create customizable instructions for exercise programs for their clients. This is App is free at the moment. I couldn't find many reviews but I thought it was pretty neat. After checking out this App, look at all of the other Apps listed!
I wasn't sure if you realized this or not but the article you posted is a password protected article and won't let the general public read it. I have a membership and could read it but not everyone will be able too.
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.
Would you prioritize sleep if you knew it kept your immune system strong? That's the question the American Academy of Sleep Medicine wants you to ponder this week. Lost in the hoopla surrounding Independence day was the publication of some eye-opening (or eye-shutting) research by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine showing that the immune system responds sharply to sleep loss.
This article emphasizes the correlation between stress and sleep. No matter our age, everyone needs plenty of sleep to properly function. Sleep is a time for our bodies to "reboot". Just like stress, lack of sleep is harmful to one's overall well being. The article lists similar physiological effects that are caused from lack of sleep that our text book has listed for chronic stress. High stress levels and an inefficient amount of sleep wreak havoc on a persons immune system. It is always easier said than done, but we all could improve our health by finding ways to reduce stress and sleep more.
debilitating, they can become painful and limit function if the rate of injury exceeds the rate of repair. As such, prevention and early management are essential.
Ergonomics examines the relationships between physical functions, work demands and the body's response to them. Ergonomics programs can reduce worker injury and illness, boost productivity, increase comfort and enhance job satisfaction.
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 is a great resource for travelers with disabilities. There are many travel tips including talking to the service providers before the trip and be specific about your needs. It reminds you to be prepared and to know your rights. Embedded in the article is a guide to the rights of disabled travelers. Included is a list of resources and websites with a short description that really was helpful and easy to navigate. At the end of the article there was a place where one can share their own travel tips.
I really thought about this website when I was checking out of a hotel yesterday and saw a woman coming out of the hotel in her wheelchair and her husband was carrying all her adaptive equipment to make travel easier for her. Travel is something as OTAs that we need to think about when we are identifying clients 'occupations'.
I know we have already went over this topic, but I thought this page was really informative on dysphagia. Usually most pages just list the definition and the symptoms, but it goes on and on about various aspects that are associated with dysphagia. It even explains what you should ask that doctor when you first visit him/her. I just wanted to share this site encase you know someone that suffers from it and this would be helpful!!
This is JANs website (The Job Accommodation Network). The accommodation information by Disability: A to Z provides a list of impairments and allows you to click on the one you are interested in. It then provides information of what types of work accommodations may need to be implemented and resources to find equipment.
This website lists OT interventions related to rheumatoid arthritis such as joint protection, range of motion, maintaining muscle strength, and avoiding stresses that can damage joints. It also lists the optimal lying, seated and standing positions as well as taking care of the hands.