Kudos to this young blind engineer who created an innovative new device – the We Walk. The We Walk is an upgrade to the well-known white cane used by those with visual impairment. Learn how this “smart cane” is changing lives in the following article.
Happiest: Blind Engineer Invents “Smart Cane” That Uses AI To Help Navigate
Our O-Tip of the week series we will be providing valuable “OT-Approved Life Hacks” to provide you with simple and helpful solutions for living.
For the month of November, Fall Prevention Month, our O-Tip series will provide helpful ways to prevent falls at home and in the community.
Exterior steps can become extremely slippery in wet, snowy or icy weather. Painting over your outside stairs with a mix of paint and sand will help to increase grip and improve visibility. Be sure to always keep your steps clear and use salt in the winter months to ensure steps aren’t a fall hazard.
Written by Justine Huszczynski, Occupational Therapist
November 20th marks the date when Canada adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Simply put, the UNCRC is a treaty that outlines the basic human rights for children and youth.
Among other rights, the UNCRC outlines “survival and development rights” which are explained as “the basic rights to life, survival and development of one’s full potential”. Looking into this a little deeper, Article 23 under the “survival and development rights” states:
“Children who have any kind of disability have the right to special care and support, as well as all the rights in the Convention, so that they can live full and independent lives.”
So, how is Canada ensuring that the rights of children with disabilities are being fulfilled? Of course, we have public healthcare which provides children prompt access to medical attention. But Article 23 goes beyond this. It also includes the right to services – therapy services perhaps – that children with “any kind of disability” should be able to access such that they can become independent adults and experience a fulfilling life.
While Ontario offers plenty of publicly funded early intervention services for children with disabilities (based on the availability of government-funded children’s treatment centres across the province), how are the outrageous waitlists for some of the most valuable services offered in these centres acceptable? For example, in 2013 the Toronto Star surveyed nine of the government-funded treatment centres and found average waitlist times ranging from one to four years for a child to receive intensive behavioural intervention (IBI) therapy.
So how does this follow the guidelines of the UNCRC? Honestly, it doesn’t. Simply having a service available to a child with a disability is not enough. The service needs to be provided. Long waitlists do not allow children to “live full and independent lives” but in fact can stifle a child’s development by denying access to programs that are most effective as “early intervention”.
Therefore, while we celebrate how far we have come to secure the rights of children, we need to look ahead and aim for a brighter future for those children that may need some extra support – sooner rather than later. An example of striving for a brighter future comes from the parents of one of my clients who devoted their time to being their child’s advocate when “he didn’t have a voice”. After this young client was denied services by one of the government-funded children’s treatment centres in Ontario, his parents scheduled a meeting with their local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) to advocate for their son’s dire need for early intervention services. As a result of the advocacy skills of my client’s parents, the MPP ordered the treatment centre to complete a reassessment and the child was granted the early intervention services that he absolutely deserved and required. During a conversation with the mother of this client, she stated, “It is my job to be make my child’s life better”. This statement is heartwarming, and perhaps we should view it as a challenge. A challenge for all of us – therapists, health professionals, teachers, citizens, governments– to truly make it our “job” to ensure children are given the best life possible. So take the challenge and advocate for our children – ask more questions, get second opinions, research the available charitable funding, schedule meetings with your MPP, school board trustee, and don’t take no for an answer.
Art therapy has traditionally been used as a way to enhance mental health and wellness, however, it now also a type of therapy used to improve physical health including pain reduction. Learn more about art therapy and its benefits in the following care of Psychology Today.
Our O-Tip of the week series we will be providing valuable “OT-Approved Life Hacks” to provide you with simple and helpful solutions for living.
For the month of November, Fall Prevention Month, our O-Tip series will provide helpful ways to prevent falls at home and in the community.
Did you know that taking part in regular physical activity including cardiovascular, strength-building and balance activities can help to prevent falls as you age? Speak with your physician or Occupation Therapist about which activities are safe for you and maintain a regular routine to help reduce your risk.
Canada’s population is aging. In 2015, there were almost 6 million people over the age of 65 – that is nearly 1 in 6 Canadians. As we grow older, we face an increasing risk of falls, accidents, disabilities, and illnesses. As a senior how can you stay safe and healthy?
Older adult health and safety is important for maintaining our ability to age in place of choice. Statistics Canada has highlighted the following safety risks for older Canadians:
These statistics demonstrate the increased risk to seniors for health and other safety concerns.
Occupational Therapists are trained professionals who address all aspects of getting people back to doing things they want to do, need to do, or have to do, but may be experiencing challenges when doing so. Occupational Therapists can support older adult’s health and well being through providing supports for seniors to maintain active social connects, manage changes in health conditions, and to continue engaging in activities that provide them with meaning and joy.
These are the following areas that an OT can help keep seniors safe and healthy!
Falls are the leading cause of injury among older Canadians with 20-30% of seniors experiencing one or more falls each year.
Occupational Therapy can help seniors prevent falls by assessing their functional status and reviewing the hazards in their environment that may put them at risk for falling. Strategies to prevent falls can be discussed, such as:
In 2011, 92 % of all seniors ages 65 + lived in private homes, and over 10 million seniors are living with a chronic condition. Older adults also have disproportionately higher rates of unmet care at home. Thus, ensuring these individuals function safely and independently at home is a high priority.
Occupational Therapy can help by assessing the home and the homeowner to ensure a proper fit between the person and environment to promote overall health and safety. Additionally, an OT can prescribe the proper assistive devices, education and help people plan ahead so they can “ age in place” without being at risk.
Remaining physically active as you age can help reduce, prevent or delay diseases and can help to manage stress, improve mood and boost cognition. Statistics show that 57% of Canadian seniors consider themselves physically inactive.
Occupational Therapy can help seniors remain physically active by:
Sleep is important for recovering from illness and injury, staying healthy, and ensuring people have sufficient energy during the day to accomplish life roles. Difficulty sleeping is a common and detrimental issue for people in various life stages.
Occupational Therapy can help seniors reduce sleep problems by:
According to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada as of 2016, there are an estimated 564,000 Canadians living with dementia – plus about 25,000 new cases diagnosed every year.
Occupational Therapy can help people with dementia or who have altered/declining cognition by:
For more information on how Occupational Therapists help improve the lives of older adults check out our infographic: Occupational Therapy Works for Seniors.
Resources
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/2012000/chap/pop/pop-eng.htm?fpv=3867
https://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/roadsafety/cmvtcs2013_eng.pdf
Turcotte, M (2014). Canadians with unmet home care needs.
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-006-x/2014001/article/14042-eng.pdf
http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?pageid=1454
http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?ChangeID=1&pageID=621
http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?pageid=1501
Solve the following:
puzzle care of thinkablepuzzles.com
1. Think Twice About It
2. Walk on Water
3. Space Invaders
4. You Are Always on my Mind
5. Keep on Smiling
6. It Doesn’t Add Up
Halloween is over, but for men across the world, it’s time to sport another new look: the Movember Moustache.
Movember is an extremely popular movement across the globe which involves growing a moustache for the 30 days of November in an effort to raise money and awareness about men’s health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancers, and mental health.
Movember began in Australia in 2003 and has gained global popularity ever since. If you see someone sporting an interesting moustache this Movember, congratulate them on supporting men’s health!