RSCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Great infographic on the long term effects of stress on the body. Infographics are easy to read for all populations of patients and they can be an easier way to communicate with diverse patients especially if there is a language barrier.

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.

Print out our checklist to use with your patients to help them develop individual stress management strategies. Click here to print now! Stress is a commonly under-recognized, untreated dimension of recovery, rehabilitation and medical intervention. While all patients seeking medical care experience stress, for individuals with disabilities the dynamics are not the same.

The checklist Richard mentioned is a great resource! Thanks Richard. I plan on using this in the future. :)

Great article about how to help our patients with chronic conditions manage stress that impacts their daily activities.  Personal stories of stress management coping skills and how to help our clients identify their personal triggers. This article has some great questions for patients to ask themselves when identifying their personal stress management techniques.

I found these tips for maintaining health and wellness for college students. Although some of these tips won't apply to clients, I think that applying some of these techniques in our own lives could potentially help us all to become better focused on learning. We have to take care of our own bodies in order to be able to treat clients.

Although we discussed work space ergonomics, I came across this tip sheet for carrying a purse/backpack. These tips are not only useful for us as students, but are also good strategies to recommend to our future clients.

The article is about seven different states of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Its touch occupational wellness as well, explains how to achieve a balance between work and leisure time. Its describes how to be able accept our feelings, rather than deny them, how to take on challenges, and recognize conflicts.

This article gives us helpful tips on how to manage stress while we are in college. It also tells us that stress can lead to serious health problems ( autoimmune illnesses, depression and anxiety). Its explains how to watch for signs and symptoms of stress and how to avoid to be overwhelmed. In article we can find how to manage our time while we are in college and different techniques to help us calm down ( meditation, breathing exercises and yoga).

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.

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.

Although we follow Ergonomics, work injuries can be caused by stress. This article is written by an OT that is also a Certified Hand Therapist. Some of Her clients tell her that their injuries started due to stress. She pin point 4 Interventions for 4 phases of stress. She also list 6 ways employers can make the work place be less stressful. I believe this article is a great resource for realizing stress may cause lots of difficulties but also encourages when we fell stressed, we need to think about these 4 intervention.

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.

Health and Wellness

I found this webpage concerning caregiver stress and burnout. It is an informative article regarding how to recognize stress leading to burnout. When I saw this, it reminded me of our class today and it lists tips on how to deal with our stress. Even if it's not caregiver stress, this could relate to anyone who is dealing with a lot of pressure.

The Wii isn't just fun and games. It has serious health benefits according to a new study. Published in the journal Radiology, researchers showed that the Wii Balance Board helped patients with multiple sclerosis, or MS, reduce their risk of accidental falls. The study followed 27 participants as they used the balance board for 12 weeks.

Findings are showing that even so-called mild concussion has long-lasting effects, including anxiety, personality changes and even Parkinson-like symptoms in older adults.

Why invest in expensive electrical air purifiers when you could purchase a few types of houseplants to clean and filter the air naturally and inexpensively? Photo Credit Much of the research on these beneficial houseplants has been done by NASA scientists researching ways to create suitable space station habitats.

Good information relating to OT and work

This recreation therapist describes the work hardening program that she has devised.