This website contains information on various exercises for dysphagia therapy after a stroke. These include tongue exercises, lip exercises, jaw exercises, swallowing exercises, and the steps to perform them. It also describes what dysphagia is and how it is evaluated.

This article talks about psychosocial factors relating to patients recovering from burns. The occupational therapy practitioner plays an important role in this process. These patients may suffer from disfigurement which can lead to depression, low self-esteem and self-worth, anger, withdrawal, etc. These issues need to be addressed for the patient to have the best possible outcomes.

This article was written by a therapist working in acute rehabilitation. She talks about compression therapy, skin lubrication, splinting and why it's important, stretching for range of motion and strengthening.

According to AOTA, almost 1 in 5 people over the age of 65 have survived cancer. Lymphedema, a secondary problem caused by cancer, is often not addressed by physicians. However, occupational therapy can address this issue and improve quality of life for these individuals. Just another very important way that occupational therapy can make a difference.

Video from the American Orthotics and Prosthetics Conference showing some new products. One that caught my eye was a socket interface for shoulder dis-articulation by Martin Bionics.

This is the Hanger website. I wanted to share it after listening to today's guest speakers. It provides information on patient care and products/services they provide. Interesting to read about their charitable contributions, community involvement and other programs such as scholarships.

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.

This website contains a lot of information about rotator cuff injuries. This includes a general overview of rotator cuff injury along with causes, symptoms, medical treatment, self-care, prevention and prognosis.

This website offers a list of tips to avoid injuries to the fingers, wrist and hand. These are some good tips for all of us to keep in mind while working with clients and even for ourselves.

This article addresses the evaluation process and talks about interventions that would allow someone to continue driving, such as remedial and adaptive approaches. The article also gives information on interventions if driving is no longer possible. There is a hyperlink in this article that takes you to the AOTA's driver safety webpage. From there you can search for a driving specialist and access safety guidelines.

Information in this article includes edema control, wound/scar management, range of motion, splinting, strengthening, and soft-tissue mobilization. There is also information on desensitization and sensory reeducation following hand injury; such as using towels and immersion in various substances. Additionally, modalities are discussed such as fluidotherapy (heat), cryotherapy (cold), continuous passive motion (increases circulation, decreases edema) along with other modalities. Good information about treatment options for hand therapy.

I found some very interesting information about upper extremity amputation. The article tells about the procedure and the role of the occupational therapist in the recovery process. With this procedure, an electrical prosthesis is controlled by the mind via nerve innervation. The nerves from the amputated arm are transferred to the pectoral muscles where they regenerate, which in turn allows movement of the prosthetic arm. I included this link from another website as well because there are videos available to watch. http://www.ric.org/conditions/prosthetics-orthotics/bionic/

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.

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 document discusses the risks of falls in the older population and why prevention is so important. It goes on to explain how to develop a community based fall prevention program and the necessary components such as education, exercise, medication management, home assessment and home safety. Great resource with a lot of information about fall prevention.

This website is the National Center for Learning Disabilities. Within the website, there are many apps listed that are available for people with learning disabilities. Some of these include apps to help with writing, math and reading difficulties as well as organizational skills. You can click on an app and find out detailed information about it. If you are looking for information about apps for learning disabilities, this is a great website to visit.

Universal Design E-World provides web based tools to support the "community of practice" in universal design. This is a great resource to learn all about visitability. The website details the requirements of visitability in the home and how universal housing design benefits everyone, not just the disabled population. No step entrances and wide hallways make it easier for strollers, moving furniture in and out, etc. There are several PDF reports containing more information on topics relating to visitabiltiy that can be downloaded by the user. These include design approach, increasing home access and universal design in housing. I think that universal design is much more feasible and aesthetically pleasing than renovations to make a home more accessible.

A variety of stress management techniques are available that involve learning how to control your body's responses to stress or anxiety. These techniques involve learning to consciously relax your body through a variety of techniques, such as meditation or guided imagery.

This website offers information on various stress management techniques such as meditation, biofeedback, yoga, guided imagery and deep breathing. In addition, there are links within each section that gives more information for that particular stress-management strategy. For example, you can click on a link under guided imagery that will give more information on techniques that someone can use. This website also explains how these stress management techniques will help improve physical, mental and spiritual wellness.