RSCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

This is a link to an awesome website for The Fontana Center.  The Fontana Center is a center for work rehabilitation.  It is owned and run by an OTR and also hires COTAs, massage therapy, and fitness experts.  This place is very holistic.  It offers seminars and workshops on ergonomics and preventing work place injury.  It also prescreens employees for companies to make sure their candidate can handle the physical aspects of the job that they are applying for…this saves the company lots of money in the long run.  The facility offers functional capacity evaluations and work hardening programs.  It also has fitness classes including water aerobics/therapy, yoga, and even classes for seniors.  This is great for fall prevention! I love this place…I wonder how many places like this exist in the US?

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!!

I feel all health care providers should read this article not just OT's. This article talks about how patients may be feeling after being diagnosed with cancer and how we should help them through this. They may not be able to do a lot of the things they were doing but these things are still important to them. It is our job to help them believe that there is still hope. As a health care provider and a daughter of someone that had been diagnosed with cancer, I totally agree with this article. Just because they are diagnosed doesn't mean they have to loose hope.

I know someone has posted about palliative care, but I wasn't sure of the difference between palliative and hospice. So, I began to research it and it made sense to me as to why it is better to get palliative care. It also said that it helps to increase the survival rate by 3 months. Also, here is another link to shows you the difference of each. http://www.stcam.com/hospice/palliative-vs-hospice/

This website stresses how serious work related kitchen fires can be. It states that commercial kitchen fires are the most common among all kitchen fires and can be prevented by following their simple tips. Kitchens in busy restaurants are cluttered with too many personnel and too little room to maneuver, this can lead to a scalding or fire accident easily. The suggestions on this website make it simple to reduce the risk.

This is a touching video of a boy hearing his mother and father for the first time. The Dr. Explains just a little bit on where the implant if located on the brain.

This peer-reviewed AJOT authored by Bracciano, McPhee, Rose details the appropriate use of physical agent modalities (PAMs) within the OT field. They discuss the facts regarding different categories of PAMs to include superficial thermal agents, deep thermal agents, electrotherapeutic agents, and mechanical devices. The authors explain the relevance of The Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and Ethics Standards as it pertains to the use of PAMs.

Great video about OT in someone with a physical disability

This is an on-line copy of the textbook Occupational Therapy for Physical Dysfunction, 6th Edition. The first edition of this textbook with authors Catherine Trombly and Anna Deane Scott, was the first textbook aimed at OT for physical disabilities. Pages 22-29 address the origins of Occupational Therapy a lot of which is being discussed in the Work Lesson. Afterwards, it discusses practice tools as being work programs, crafts and exercise, adaptive equipment, PAMs, and orthotics. It helped me to view these in this manner as a choice of possible patient treatments to feel more secure in entering field work in the near future. It also states that physical therapists establish individual motions before the OT works on movement combinations required for ADLs. The simplistic wording of this book helps me to have a greater understanding of the OT profession as a whole which is why I chose to share this site.

This on-line edition of Occupational Therapy in Oncology and Palliative Care edited by Jill Cooper does an excellent job explaining in layman terms the different aspects of cancer to include tumor classification, etiologies, symptoms, diagnosis and treatments. It then discusses the different reasons some OTs decide to work in this specialty and how the OT can better deal with the stresses they encounter in treating those with cancer. I would definitely read this in its entirety if I chose to work with cancer patients.

This AOTA article includes the definition of arthritis as well as OT's role in the treatment of arthritis. There is also a great tip sheet for treatment of arthritis by current need which can be downloaded for ease of use.

This is a printable tip sheet for people with arthritis. It has columns for what you want to do, tips for doing it, and how an OT can help.

Useful tips for how to help someone with arthritis, whether it is a family member or a patient.

This is an article describing work hardening in occupational therapy. It is promoting a rehab center, but gives a good definition of work hardening and how OT can help people return back to work. It promotes education to prevent injuries and teaches clients how to cope with symptoms of chronic pain.

Hospice Care is one type of Comfort Care

This is a article out of AJOT. It is about OT in the and how we can help people reach maximum potential in work environments. It goes through and gives examples of how this can be done. Best of all it is what we just covered today. I think it is very important we understand our role in this area. It is actually something I did not really think about until Teri explained it so well today. Also, everyone was very engaged in the the discussion and it makes it so easy to learn that way. Thanks.

I thought this article was very easy to read and informative at the same time. I liked the fact it was from the first Eleanor Clarke Slalge lecture. It tells about three different pieces of equipment: Tilt Table, Standing Table, and Bilateral Tilt Tables that encourage correct positions and body mechanics.

I know this does not have to do with anything we covered in Phys Dys. But I just wanted to make sure that everyone is aware of the advantages of joining AOTA. I think it is important for each of us to take part in this. I have had many tell me that our "fire" will die after a few years in the field, and being members of organizations will not be as important to us as it was as students. I want to challenge all of us, including myself, to break that stigma and make a difference. It has been an honor to be in class with all of you over the past three semesters, and you all have pushed me to become a better student and person. I feel we have a strong class, and all of you are very talented. Hopefully we will all stay in contact over the years, and who knows maybe even plan some reunions at the state/national conferences. I waited to post this until our assignment was almost over so I would not take up the feed. Take a second to make this commitment if you are a memeber, and if not think about joining. Thanks!

Thought this might be helpful this next week in studying for the test. This topic alarms me in a way, because it is so important we are competent in this area. We need to research as much as we can about it. This article goes into detail the characteristics of dysphagia and how to approach treatment. One interesting fact in the article is that polypharmacy is related to it.

Sleep Article

This article talks about an Occupational Therapist role in teaching a client how to manage their lyphedema through complete decongestive therapy. By doing this a client can have independence and can reduce the need of a daily caregiver.

I have not seen any stress management programs put into use during OT so this was encouraging to read. I can't imagine not using some of these techniques in the future.