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Archive for category: OT Works Here

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The A to Z of OT: K is For… Kids Health

Occupational Therapists work with people of any age, including children.  Occupational Therapists can assist children in many ways including, growth and development, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, overcoming eating issues and more.  Learn about some of the many ways an OT can help children in our post, Occupational Therapy Works for Kids.

 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!

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The A to Z of OT: J is For… Job Demands Analysis

A physical (and cognitive) demands analysis goes beyond the standard job description, as these typically only define the job to be performed in terms of duties and roles. In contrast, a physical and cognitive demands analysis digs deeper into the job and clearly outlines all the different demands that will be placed on that worker in that position.

Physical components such as lifting, carrying, walking, and fine motor skills, along with cognitive demands like visual and perceptual skills, attention, and memory are important to understand and document.  Then, when hiring workers, these reports serve as a reference point for ensuring the right hire, and are also essential in making solid decisions about someone’s ability to return to a job after injury or illness.

Learn more about Job Demands Analysis in our post, The Physical Demands Analysis – Risk Reduction for Employers, Employees and Physicians. 

 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!

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The A to Z of OT: I is For… Injury Prevention

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  Benjamin Franklin

Did you know that in Canada falls are the leading cause of injury amoung older Canadians?  And that 20-30% of seniors experience one or more falls each year?  Falls are also the number one cause of both brain and spinal cord injury in seniors.  How can we put a stop to injuries caused by falls?  PREVENTION. Really, it is the best medicine.  Learn how Occupational Therapists help to prevent falls in the following episode from our OT-V video series.

 

 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!

 

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The A to Z of OT: H is For… Handwriting Help

One of the main reasons that parents seek Occupational Therapy services for their children arises from problems with printing and handwriting.   Although once taught in schools, the learning of this basic and essential skill is no longer part of curriculums.  While many children quickly take to printing, many have difficulties.  When difficulties arise, an Occupational Therapist can help.  Learn how Occupational Therapists help provide solutions to printing problems and make learning creative and fun in the following video from our OT-V video series. 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!

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The A to Z of OT: G is For… Goal Planning

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”  One of the main ways occupational therapists assist clients is by helping them set and achieve goals.  In order for a goal to be achievable, it must be a SMART goal.

Learn more about SMART goals and how an occupational therapist can help you achieve these in our previous post, An OT Knows How to Help You Achieve Your Goals.

 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!

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The A to Z of OT: F is For… Functional Creativity

The profession of occupational therapy is all about creativity in solving barriers to function.  However, often we come across problems for which no solution currently exists.  In those cases, we need to customize a solution that works for the client, their environment or care providers.

Personally, I have had great success with the local Tetra Society for developing creative solutions to problems that need a custom approach.  In one situation, my client who suffered from quadriplegia had the goal of feeding himself.  His elbow and shoulder flexion did not allow for his hand to reach his mouth.  With the help of his physiotherapist and Tetra engineer we were able to create a custom splint and modified utensils that bridged the gap between his hand and his mouth.  The material costs were $40.00 and the engineer was a volunteer.  In another situation my client, mobility impaired, wanted to attach his walker to his scooter so he could park his scooter and walk into the places he was visiting.  Tetra was able to custom mold a bracket for his walker at a cost of $10.00.  Another client also used Tetra under my encouragement to develop a bracket that would allow her to mount her camera so she could take photos from her power wheelchair.

Occupational therapy is about custom solutions to sometimes complicated problems.  But I believe that every problem has a solution and that as professionals we need to stay apprised of the options in the community that can help us to create customized solutions.  Take a look online for your local Tetra Society.

 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!

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The A to Z of OT: E is For… Ergonomics

What is ergonomics?  Ergonomics is a catch-all phrase for the process of ensuring the body is in an appropriate position when completing daily tasks. Sitting, standing, bending, lifting – all these movements require the proper ergonomic position of the legs, spine, and arms to promote comfort and productivity, and to reduce the risk of physical injury.  Proper ergonomics is often most important at work, as this is where you spend the majority of your time.

Everyone deserves to be comfortable at work – from the front line staff to the CEO. When people are comfortable they are happier, more productive, feel valued and supported, and are less likely to leave work due to physical injury from poor office ergonomics.

Below is our informative video, Ergonomics at Work, showing how an Occupational Therapist can help in your office by keeping people at work, enhancing productivity, reducing costs, and promoting employee morale and satisfaction.

For more information check out our post, Workplace Ergonomics, Laws for Work.   You can also download our free e-book, Cost-Effective Ergonomic Solutions.

 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along with The A to Z of OT and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!

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The A to Z of OT: Diabetes Management

Diabetes is ranked the 7th leading cause of death and affects over 29 million people in the United States.  Occupational Therapists help people with Diabetes in many ways including lifestyle adaptation, dietary changes, medication management and more.  Learn more about the benefits of Occupational Therapy for people with Diabetes in the following care of Diabetes in Control.

Diabetes in Control:  The “REAL” Diabetes Study Shows How Occupational Therapy Can Help Young Adults Better Manage Their Diabetes

 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along with The A to Z of OT and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!

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The A to Z of OT: C is For… Caregiver Support

Caregivers do not really “elect” the role. Most are not trained to be a caregiver, and really just try to do their best with the skills and resources they possess. However, where many fall short is maintaining their own health and well-being while dedicating their physical and emotional time to another person.  Occupational Therapists recognize the risk of caregiver burnout and work to encourage caregivers to take time to care for themselves.  Learn more about some of the strategies Occupational Therapists use to help care for the caregiver in our post, An OT Knows How to Care for the Caregiver.

 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along with The A to Z of OT and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!

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The A to Z of OT: B is For… Brain Injury Recovery

It is well known that brain Injury is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. In fact, in Canada, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is more common than breast cancer, spinal cord injury, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis (MS) combined.  A brain injury can cause many physical, emotional and cognitive challenges.  Recovery from a brain injury can often be a long and bumpy road.  Occupational Therapists help brain injury survivors with all aspects of living including, physical symptoms, their living environment, cognition and memory and more.  Learn more about Brain Injury, methods of prevention and how OTs assist with recovery in this post from our blog, ABI the Silent Epidemic.

 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and to celebrate we will be sharing a new series called the A to Z of OT.  In our attempts to further educate the public about what Occupational Therapists do we will be highlighting twenty-six of the awesome ways OTs provide Solutions for Living.  

We encourage you to follow along with The A to Z of OT and to add to the discussion by highlighting other awesome things OTs help with for each corresponding letter!