RSCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

This youtube video by Markerbot and Robohand shows how two men use a 3D printer to design and make prosthetic hands.  The 3D printer allowed them to make cost effective mechanical hands for boys born without hands.  The mechanical hands work due to 'tenodesis grasp'.  The video specifies the need for an OT to strengthen the wrist for better use of the hand and a need for an OT to fit the gauntlet and hand cap.  Is this the future of prosthetics?  The possibilities of 3D printing are limitless when being used to make not only prosthetic hands but various adaptive equipment solutions for all populations.

Great video Kellie!

This article describes our current education system of one that is inclusive to students of all abilities while at the same time struggling to find money to support students who need assistive technology to learn. There are a few technologies that can be used in the classroom that are a little cost or even free. Included are 8 tools that can be used by students with disabilities that can be used in the classroom or in online classes. A link was supplied that will help you find out exactly what is needed for the individual student and a group that helps provide technologies to students. Overall, a great resource.

This article is short, but provides definition for Assistive Technology and the different devices that could be used. Just thought this would be helpful to refer to because there are different levels from low levels to high levels.

I like this….makes a good cheat sheet…will be saving for future reference.

This was a good article to read about active aging. Active aging is continuing to participate socially, with families and friends, spiritual, economic affairs, etc. Being active as we age can help extend our life expectancy and quality of life. This article was a good reminder to me to stay active in my community, with my family, church family and friends as I age so as not to isolate myself as I grow older.

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.

A new study from UC San Francisco is the first to show that while the impact of life's stressors accumulate overtime and accelerate cellular aging, these negative effects may be reduced by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and sleeping well.

This article discusses a study/clinical trial evaluating whether stimulating the brain before rehab could yield greater gains in motor function. In this process called TMS therapy they apply an electromagnetic current to excite the brain, which they believe slows activity in the healthy area of the brain, which can become overly active after a stroke. They want to improve all aspects of the weak arm such as ROM and strength and to see at the end of the study if it would help with ADL's.

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 article was an eye opener for me regarding the hazards of sitting too long and not using proper sitting techniques. I now know now why I have mushy abs and limp glutes! I sit for hours at my computer without taking a break, resting or stretching. I also do not sit in an ergonomic position while at my desk. From this article I gained a great deal of information about how sitting too long can contribute to heart disease, over-productive pancreas, colon cancer, poor circulation in legs, foggy brain, bad back, strained neck, disk damage, mushy abs and limp glutes, just to name a few. It was really surprising to learn how just from sitting too long can create havoc on your organs, muscles and your whole body. Gives you something to think about!

I should put my laptop on the bar and use it standing up once in awhile!

I just thought this was an easy explanation b/w the two. It explains how adaptive technology is the adapting of existing tools or technologies, but assistive technology is just basically a broad term for the technology in general whether it be adaptive, assistive, or rehabilitative . It lists examples in the article. This just kind of helped me to understand the difference and wanted to share it.

We spend a lot of time sitting at our desks every day, and while it may not look like it, it can wreak havoc with our bodies. Here's how to set up a healthy, ergonomic workspace to keep you comfortable and injury-free.

This article supports OT in aging in place. This article provides evidence that the I-HOPE is an effective tool when evaluating barriers that elderly individuals are faced with as they age in their homes. By using the I-HOPE evaluation, it ensure the ability for individual to make adjustments and remain in a safe home environment. Safety evaluations are (I think) a billable service.

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.

This article lists the billing codes for both Therapeutic Exercise and Therapeutic Activities, the difference between the two, and how they work together.

"Good posture is an easy and very important way to maintain a healthy mind and body". I know that many of us could improve our posture when we are sitting at a desk or in a car, or standing, walking, and everything else. So, I found this article and it tells us how to get a better posture not only by standing straight, but strengthening your core muscles and training them to actually do the work. I had always thought it was about how you stand and sit, but it isn't and it makes sense now. Plus, if you are having headaches or back pain, this article might be something to consider reading because getting a better posture can help with that!

A quote says "The ability to conduct posture assessments in the workplace can assist with the prevention and control of musculoskeletal disorders." This short blurb contains a link to download the recently released report on workplace ergonomics

My supervisor during last semester's fieldwork told me that she had seen people wait up to a year to obtain funding for devices they desperately needed to improve their quality of life. This was due mostly to red tape and hoops you must jump through to obtain these funds. I feel it is extremely important to familiarize ourselves with all of the available resources in order to expedite this process.

EnableMart is your #1 source of Assistive Technology products. We are a world leader in assistive technology for those with blindness, low vision, hearing loss, learning disorders and other disabilities. EnableMart has been supporting the special needs community for more than a decade by providing all the most demanded learning curriculums, augmentative devices, large key and large print keyboards, Braille displays, alternative input devices, switches and amplified phones.

I thought this was a neat website. Kinda like a "Wal-Mart" for assistive technology. I think it's really important to know what is out there and how expensive things are so we can recommend to our future clients things that could help them.

Although we seldom think about them this way, most American communities as they exist today were built for the spry and mobile. We've constructed millions of multi-story, single-family homes where the master bedroom is on the second floor, where the lawn outside requires weekly upkeep, where the mailbox is a stroll away.

I found this really interesting as we're discussing ageing in place and accessibility in housing. One wonders how society as a whole will handle this issue as a huge demographic ages.

I found this article to be interesting because we are told that Therapeutic Activities is more relevant than Therapeutic Exercise and this article was about a study that showed this to be true. Although this article speaks about PT performing the test i feel it was great to read about the study being performed. Shows really what how important keeping this in mind as we enter the world of Future OTA's. The study was done on 20 patient receiving Therapeutic Exercise after a hand injury and 16 receiving therapy sessions using Therapeutic Activities that mimic ADL's after hand injury. After 3 weeks and 5 days the study showed that the Therapeutic Activities mimicing the ADL's seem to be more beneficial.