Hello almost Spring! I am sure someone out there knows the fact to my hunch that we can tolerate winter only for so long. I am calling that time as now. Over the past couple of weeks, the snow has started to melt, and trails are actually visible. There really is no going back at this point.
There is not only good weather coming our way, there are many good things happening in the occupational therapy profession and in general as well. OT Month will be in less than one month and with it comes opportunities to learn and engage with other OT professionals. A new normal is beginning to formulate for most facilities, schools, and institutions of higher learning. The vaccine availability is taking speed and getting to those that need it the most and COVID numbers are down.
While we are not out of the woods yet, some progress is being made in the right direction…we are peeking between trees and seeing some light!
Occupational Therapy
Watch Denny Hamlin, Driver of the #11 FedEx Toyota Camry Surprise Kelly of Access Trax! – YouTube Kelly is an occupational therapist and a small business owner that provides equipment and makes modifications to allow those with different abilities access the outdoors. Her company won a grant for 2021 and those funds help support her business. A bonus is having her company’s logo on the race car of Denny Hamlin. Very inspiring to watch her see the reveal of her logo on the car!
AOTA Conference Home AOTA Inspire 2021! Planning to attend starts now. This year’s conference is truly affordable this year. An all-access pass is $200 for April 6-April 30, with different price points, down to $0!
Spotlight Speakers – AOTA An opportunity to listen to speakers that will not only motivate, but also inform. Don’t forget to submit a question for Dr. Lorens.
Occupational Therapy Shifts From Tactile to Digital | Edutopia Excellent article on how provision of how we provide service has changed due to COVID and how one occupational therapist is reimagining her practice.
Top Down vs Bottom Up for Occupational Therapy–Buffalo Occupational Therapy Top-Down vs. Bottom-up Great summary of each approach and which one is most used in occupational therapy. We always hear Top-Down vs. Bottom-up, this podcast helps to understand what it means!
Shifting the Mindset From Clinician to CEO | OT 4 Lyfe This OT podcaster is slowly drawing me into the world of podcasts. I like that each podcast is comprehensive and a learning opportunity, not just talking, but also many resources. Nice place to start when looking to make the leap from a clinician to an entrepreneur.
Research
Driver Rehabilitation Utilization and Need Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults | American Journal of Occupational Therapy (aota.org) Having the difficult conversation with an older adult that it is no longer safe for them to drive can be cushioned by having a driving evaluation before that conversation.
Commercial Exergaming in Home-Based Pediatric Constraint-Induced Therapy: A Randomized Trial – Tien-Ni Wang, Yu-Lun Chen, Jeng-Yi Shieh, Hao-Ling Chen, 2021 (sagepub.com) Results found: “The Constraint Induced-Therapy (CIT) Group demonstrated greater improvement in self-care skills, whereas parental stress decreased only in the CIT-Wii group. CIT-Wii yields no significant difference in treatment effects from conventional CIT and may provide psychosocial benefits.” It is always interesting that CIT consistently improves function in the intervention group when compared to the control group. The results showing no significant difference with the CIT-Wii group and CIT group shows the positive impact of CIT on whole. Interesting article.
Occupational Therapists’ Perspective on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets (ICF–CS) for Schizophrenia | American Journal of Occupational Therapy (aota.org) I recently attended a talk about the role of occupational therapy with clients with schizophrenia. It was an excellent learning experience. Reading articles pertaining to mental health practice is also a good start to learn about this much needed practice area in occupational therapy.
Commercial Exergaming in Home-Based Pediatric Constraint-Induced Therapy: A Randomized Trial – Tien-Ni Wang, Yu-Lun Chen, Jeng-Yi Shieh, Hao-Ling Chen, 2021 (sagepub.com) Results found: “The Constraint Induced-Therapy (CIT) Group demonstrated greater improvement in self-care skills, whereas parental stress decreased only in the CIT-Wii group. CIT-Wii yields no significant difference in treatment effects from conventional CIT and may provide psychosocial benefits.” It is always interesting that CIT consistently improves function in the intervention group when compared to the control group. The results showing no significant difference with the CIT-Wii group and CIT group shows the positive impact of CIT on whole. Interesting article.
Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic: Occupational Therapy on the Front Line | American Journal of Occupational Therapy (aota.org) The impact of COVID will go on long after the emergency order is lifted. Understanding the impact now and can help in the future. This article provides information on the impact not just on clinical care, but also clinician care.
Tai chi may improve sleep among older adults (healio.com) Tai Chi also decreases fall risk. Great exercises and low impact.
Potpourri
How Exercise Enhances Aging Brains – The New York Times (nytimes.com) Volunteers who participated in pre-pandemic dance classes in Newark, N.J., showed improvements in memory centers in the brain.
Writing a thank-you note is more powerful than you think – Harvard Health Nothing is better than getting a personal thank you note.
30-Minute At-Home Yoga Flow Workout Video | POPSUGAR Fitness arm goals.
7 Day Healthy Meal Plan (March 8-14) – Skinnytaste My focus with this plan is not losing weight, but having someone else plan out a whole week’s menu of healthy meals.
Have a great weekend!
OT Research Corner 