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Archive for category: Sports and Leisure

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Top Activities For Family Day

Monday is Family Day in many provinces across Canada.  Family Day is a great reminder to take time to spend quality moments with those who matter most.

Take a look at our Top 10 Suggestions For Fun Family Day Activities:

1.       Take It Outside:  Though the weather outside is frightful… bundle up and enjoy some outdoor time together.  Take a walk, go snowshoeing, hit an outdoor rink or build a snowman.  Take time with your kids to connect with nature.

2.       Get Competitive:  Playing games is always a great way to spend quality family time together.

3.       Bake Something:  Kids love creating a yummy treat they’ve made themselves and can enjoy.  Check out some recipes from our Food For Thought page or take out a favourite family recipe book.

4.       Re-connect with Relatives:  Sit down together and write a letter, an email or skype with family or friends you haven’t seen in a while.

5.       Get Creative:  Get out your crafts and art supplies and get in touch with your creative side!

6.       Put on a Play:  Dramatic play is great for kids and can be fun for parents too!  Together write a script, put on some dress-up clothes and be dramatic!  You could even video yourselves and share with others.

7.       Dance Dance Dance!:  What kid doesn’t love a good dance party.  Turn up the music and get moving!  Dancing provides great cardio exercise and is fun for the whole family.

8.       Get Cultural:  Many museums and art galleries are open and hosting special events for families on Family Day.  Check with your local museum for special hours and events and enjoy some time as a family learning about something new.

9.       Cuddle Up:  After spending some time outside or being active, curl up with a snack, warm drink and a nice family flick!

10.   Talk to Each Other:  Family day is a great day for conversation around the dinner table.  Most days schedules can be too hectic to actually enjoy time for catching up on each other’s lives.  Make sure to make time to reconnect!

However you decide to spend your Family day, enjoy!

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Practice Safe Shovelling

Shovelling snow is not only a requirement (based on your municipality) and a way to mitigate liability, but it ensures your safety and that of others.  Shovelling can be strenuous work, therefore it’s important to use the proper tools and techniques to reduce the risk of injury.  The following from Toronto Paramedic Services provides you with some great information on how to shovel safely.

Toronto Paramedic Services:  Snow Shovelling

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Accessible Clothing Can Be Fashionable Too!

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)
Co-Written with Jacquelyn Bonneville, Occupational Therapist

As occupational therapists, we often see clients experience issues with dressing after an injury or as a result of a disability.  How do you dress when you have one arm?  Or, how can you don pants, socks and shoes when you have not feeling or movement in your lower body?  What about managing zippers and buttons with reduced fine motor control?  Spasms, reduced range of motion, the inability to stand for dressing, or body changes that make clothing options limited?  There are many reasons why dressing can become a problem.

As a society use fashion for several reasons – to manage the weather, for privacy from sensitive parts, and as an expression of ourselves.  Clothing and clothing choices are important.

Business-wear and athletic wear are two areas of fashion that are generally limiting for persons with dressing challenges.  For this blog we wanted to introduce some simple, but still fashionable and functional, adaptations that can help manage the task of dressing if this has become difficult!

Lock Laces or Elastic Shoe Laces

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Elastic and lock shoelaces are permanently tied, and allow for stretch of the shoe when putting it on or taking it off. This makes it a functional, inexpensive solution for anyone who doesn’t want to worry about their laces coming undone (especially athletes!), or for people who struggle with tying their shoelaces tight enough, or with the intricacies of actually tying the laces.  Note that often these are great in combination with a long handled shoehorn.

Nike Flyease LeBron Sneakers

Nike LeBron Flyease Sneakers (http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/pd/zoom-lebron-soldier-9-flyease-basketball-shoe/pid-10327129/pgid-10327127)

Nike recently announced their release of slip-on ‘wrap-around-fasten’ shoes that are fashionable, basketball style high-top sneakers (designed with basketball superstar LeBron James). Though designed for young adults with Cerebral Palsy initially, this shoe is suitable for anyone who wants some stylish sneakers, without the hassle of laces. See the press release for more information and a video explaining the story behind these sneakers.

Under Armour Magzip

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Zippers are often an integral part of our Canadian Fall and Winter attire to help secure our clothing to keep us warm. Zippers can actually be very challenging to co-ordinate for many reasons, and Under Armour tackled “fixing the zipper” in 2014 with their Magzip technology in a variety of unisex athletic-wear styles. The bottom part of the zipper is magnetic, meaning that it is far easier to ‘thread’ and pull up than a standard zipper, without sacrificing athletic hoodie style. See the press release for more information and a video explaining the technology.

One-handed Snap-Belts

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Standard business attire (or even picture day at elementary school) often calls for a nice belt, and there are many options available online for snap-belts that do not require the threading of a traditional belt such as the RD Adaptive Apparel Snap-Belt pictured here.

Rollin Wear Jeans

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Jeans are a staple of many wardrobes, but they certainly shift and move when people are sitting or standing. For people who spend a lot of time sitting, including office workers and people who use wheelchairs, jeans can be extremely uncomfortable; jeans regularly have rivets on the back pocket which can cause discomfort while seated, they have the same rise around the waist so when you sit they are either too low or bunch up, and the front button can dig into your waist when you sit down.

Rollinwear has designed a line of jeans designed for wheelchair users that offer an easier ring to work the zipper, a clasp instead of a front button, and are overall designed with the different body position of a person while sitting instead of standing. Be sure to look online for other companies offering similar adaptive jean designs!

Part of the role of Occupational Therapy is to have insight and knowledge about products that will help an individual function independently, without sacrificing style, priorities, or efficiency. For more information about customized products that may work for your individual needs, speak with an Occupational Therapist!

As a last inspiring thought, check out this link to the story of a beautiful athletic-wear teen model with Down Syndrome who is changing perceptions of disability, while being stylish at the same time.

 

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The Gifts of Music

Studies show that playing a musical instrument, at any skill level, can benefit your health in many ways including:  lowered stress, increased concentration, heightened math and reading skills, and more.  However, access to musical instruments can be difficult based on cost and availability.

Learn how one man’s legacy is inspiring instrument lending libraries across Canada aimed at helping others gain access to this excellent and healthy hobby.

The Globe and Mail:  Instrument-lending programs spreading at libraries across Canada

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A Guide To Toys For All Children

Toys R Us has published a handy guide for selecting and purchasing toys for children with differing abilities.  The guide recognizes that each child is unique, and has a different set of abilities,  and therefore makes suggestions based on which type of skill you are looking to build.   The guide also features safety tips and a listing of helpful Apps.  Check it out to help you find the perfect gift this holiday season!

Toys R Us:  Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids

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Meet The Newest Muppet

Sesame Street has just introduced a new character to their long-running show.  Julia, who has autism, has been introduced as part of the show’s See Amazing in All Children campaign.  Sesame Street is hoping to reduce stigma, promote inclusion and encourage conversations about Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Check out the following from Global News to learn more about Julia and this great initiative!

Global News:  Sesame Street introduces autistic character as part of initiative to reduce stigma

 

photo courtesy of Autism Speaks

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Christmas Gifts That Are OT Approved!

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

If you’re a keen and organized shopper, I’m sure you have the majority of your holiday gifts already purchased, and if you’re anything like my Mother had everything done and wrapped in August! However, if you’re anything like my husband, you are waiting until the 24th to think about Christmas.

Although Santa and his Elves are hard at work building the toys your children put on their Christmas wish list, there may be a few items you still need to purchase.

We consulted our talented team of Pediatric Occupational Therapists and are happy to provide you with some fun but functional gift inspiration. These are gifts that are educational and stimulate child development:

1. BOOKS: Although technically not toys, books make an excellent gift. Fostering a love of reading in children from an early age is essential in development of language and literacy skills, while building creativity and imagination. And so many types of books exist! Beyond regular books, pop-up books, and interactive books, there are even books where you can record your voice, or the voice of a loved one into the story so that person is “reading” to your child. This is great for those people in your life who are out of town and are not able to “read” bedtime stories in person.

2. TOYS THAT MAKE THEM THINK: Look for puzzles, games, shaper sorters, science kits and more. Problem solving through play is fantastic for the mind and will help them become independent problem solvers in life. But be prepared to explore and learn with them. Interactive parent-child time through new learning is also essential to development!

3. TOYS THAT GET THEM MOVING: We’re living in the sedentary age of technology where obesity is on the rise. Try some active toys like a skipping rope, scooter, ride on toy, a bike or winter sports gear like skates, skis or snowshoes. But with all riding toys, include the helmet too! Keeping kids active is extremely important for both their physical and mental health!

4. TOYS THAT BRING OUT THEIR CREATIVE SIDE: Fostering creativity in kids at an early age is important for their development. Looks for gifts that will encourage them to be creative like art kits, dress up clothes or crafts and supplies.

5. AN EXPERIENCE THEY WON’T FORGET: Too many toys to choose from? Why not treat the children to an experience instead. Consider tickets to a sporting event, a play, or musical or a child-appropriate concert. Special events like these create fantastic memories and can strengthen family bonds.

We hope you find some gift inspiration from our tips and with you very Happy Holidays!

 

Originally posted December 8, 2014

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The Detriments of Screen Time and a FREE “Technology Pass”

Co-written with Brittany So, Occupational Therapist

I was at a school Open House when I saw a mother calm her whining and crying 18 month old child with an iPad.  Astonishingly, he knew how to swipe it on, enter the password and manage the menus.  He launched a game and sat on the floor completely immersed in his game and oblivious to the parents and kids needing to step over him.  Was he just brilliant to manage an iPad like this from such a young age (is there a toddler iPad Olympics?), or perhaps he spends a bit too much time being pacified by technology?  I think the latter.

The sad reality is that more and more parents are using tablets as a calming mechanism for their children because it seems to work so effectively in the moment. However, professionals are now concerned about the serious long-term effects of constantly handing over a device to a child in exchange for, as Mr. Costanza puts it, “serenity now”.

Child psychologists and occupational therapists are finding that screen time is stunting the emotional development of children. Children are not learning strategies to self-regulate behavior since they are constantly masking their emotional problems with distracting games.  Along with this expensive self-regulating strategy comes delayed development in language and social skills, poor sleep patterns, and poorer performance in school. And, what about the temper tantrum that erupts when the tablet battery dies halfway to Grandma’s?

The Canadian Paediatric Association recommends no more than 2 hours of screen time for children a day.  A recent survey showed that children in grade 6-12 spend on average 8 hours a day in front of a screen. Another study showed that one in three children are using tablets before they can even talk. Screen time is becoming a serious addiction for our children’s generation and is associated with poor health related outcomes.

Fortunately, as occupational therapists that help people to regulate healthy behaviors, we have some thoughts and strategies to help eliminate the use of screen time in your household:

•         Set strict limits on the amount of time your children can use the tablet or computer each day (2 hours is the recommended maximum).

•         Use the tablet or computer as a reward system; it can only be used once the chores and homework are done (Change your wifi or device passwords daily or weekly and the kids cannot receive it until they have done their chores).

•         Ensure a timer is set for the duration of the allowed activity – and stick to it!  When it “dings” the child knows to return the device.

•         For every hour of screen time your children must engage in another activity (i.e. board game with the siblings, a craft, playing outside, going for a bike ride etc.)

•         Own one family device that requires sharing rather than each child having their own.

•         Make a rule that devices are only to be used in common areas, not in bedrooms.

As a mother of four, I have two household strategies in place: one is a cell-phone contract that my children must agree-to and sign prior to getting their own phone (in our house this is at age 14), the other is our “technology pass”.  This “pass” requires our kids to confirm, via checklist and parental inspection, that their chores and responsibilities are done, before they are “rewarded” with screen time.  Many of my friends have asked me for a copy of our pass, so I have included this below.  Feel free to copy, print, or modify to suit the needs of your family as well!

Bathroom is tidy

 

Being an occupational therapist is a blessing and a curse when it comes to parenting.  Our profession is all about productivity, function and self and behavior-regulation.  I hope that my firm approach to “OT-parenting” will be an asset to my children in the future.

 

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The “Bionic Model” Hits The Runway

Take a look at the newest model to take the stage during New York Fashion Week this year.  American Rebekah Marine, who was born without a right arm, refers to herself as the “bionic model” Check out the following from Time for more information on her modelling career and her appearance at this year’s Fashion Week.

Time:  Meet the Bionic Model Who Walked in New York Fashion Week