RSCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

When I have an injury I feel like sometimes I have some really basic question about it and sometimes its really hard to find the answers or takes forever because they arent all in one place. I really liked this article because it has several most common questions asked for a rotator cuff tear! Also it is a good article to read if you would just like to broaden your knowledge of rotator cuff injuries. It covers anything from the cause to the healing process.

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!

The skin is the largest organ in the body; as such, it is important to keep it healthy and functioning. Nothing is much worse for skin than severe burns. This easy to understand article takes a look at using plastic surgery to repair badly damaged skin. Some fairly new techniques include microsurgery and tissue expansion. The article also discusses changes in the skin and circulation post-op.

This is a short video demonstrating the use of a simulator which enables the client to practice movements prior to returning to work or other activities. Apparently the machine has several interchangeable parts to mimic different tasks. Notice that the data collected from the simulator is displayed on a computer monitor for quick feedback. This technology is mentioned on pp. 602-03 in our Early text.

This is a great resource for understanding spastic cerebral palsy.

This video was very insightful! They talked about different terms used such as "chair chaser" (look that up on urban dictionary), spinal cord injuries and sex, drugs that can be used to assist with sex, assisted devices such as a love wedge (helps with movement) and toys used for individuals with sensation issues. They also indicated that for some people sex is therapy. It can help alleviate pain.

This website gives "Best hobbies and activities for people with COPD". It also gives some tips on managing COPD. We could give these suggestions to our clients if their previous hobbies are no longer feasible or find a way to compensate their activities.

An issue that an individual with an amputee might have is moisture control. I searched for products available that might help with this. I came across this you tube video and they talk about how they developed a sock specifically for individuals with amputees. However, since then they now products for anyone (athletes). Here's a link to their webpage http://www.swiftwick.com/valor-liner-socks-60-ctg.htm If we were working with someone that had this problem, we could possibly offer this as a solution.

At my last fieldwork placement I got to watch a couple of driving assessments. Driving brings a person much freedom. Taking away the privilege can be devastating to some. This article gives some good tips on to talk with a loved one about their ability or non-ability to drive. I think the tips would apply to those of us who find ourselves working in situations where we would have to talk with client's about this subject.

This is a tough issue. I used to worry about my grandmother so much. She started having little fender benders. It is good for us to be aware as COTA's how significant driving or not driving can be to our clients.

The conversation regarding when someone should no longer drive could be quite hard. I found this website that gives advise on how to have this conversation. It discusses how to plan for it, how to bring it up, how to handle objections and the environment in which it should take place. It also talks about how to help the individual with the transition (finding other means of transportation, etc).

This relates to Unit 2 (the aging adult). I was talking with my grandmother and she made a statement, "it's hard to age gracefully". So, I went searching and I came across 10 tips on how to age gracefully. Most of them should be common sense and we've talked about them in class. Maybe we could give these tips to our older clients?

This is a great article to read. Chances are that we will one day work with patients who have dementia.

For those of you that may be interested in furthering their education regarding hand therapy. There is a lot of good information here on how to get started and what the current requirements are.

The website of the National Down Syndrome Society offers some valuable information for therapists and caregivers of individuals with Down syndrome to understand their sexuality and give appropriate sex education.

This movie is about a young woman with Down syndrome who gets pregnant and acts against all societal norms by fighting to keep her child. Unfortunately, the movie is in German, but even if you do not know the language, you will understand the plot.

This is about a retirement community in MO that uses technology like motion and bed sensors to monitor residents and enhance their safety.

This seems like about the only research out there on sex with an LE amputation. ABSTRACT: Sexual adjustment following lower extremity amputation was evaluated by interviewing 60 adults with recent amputations, 39 men and 21 women, after they had become independent in ambulation with a prosthesis. Among the men, 77% reported a substantial decrease in the frequency of sexual intercourse following amputation, while only 38% of the women reported a decrease.

This is a website that sells products to facilitate sexual intercourse for people who have SCIs or amputations. It is something I never realized existed!

In my health psych class I did some research on this subject. There are many disparities when it comes to healthcare for individuals who may not feel comfortable with doctors and other healthcare professionals. I think it should be a goal to understand some of these issues and make people comfortable communicating personal concerns, goals, and desires without fear of discrimination.

That's a lot of great information!

This talks about webinars and in-person training to help service providers of all kinds learn to work better with LGBT people. Some of them sound great! The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging is the country's first and only technical assistance resource center aimed at improving the quality of services and supports offered to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Established in 2010 through a federal grant from the U.S.