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Tag Archive for: O-Tip of the Week

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O-Tip of the Week: Getting to Know Your Devices

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 January, our O-Tip series will help you to get acquainted with your devices and the awesome accessibility features you may not be aware of.

Did you know that on both Apple and Android devices there are many accessibility options you can change to assist you with your unique needs?  Below is a quick primer on where to access these features on your smartphone or tablet.  In the coming weeks, we will delve deeper into some of the great features!

For Apple Users: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Android Users:

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Fall Prevention O-Tip of the Week: Keep Frequently Used Items Within Reach

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.

Keep frequently used items in easy to reach locations to reduce the need for using a chair or ladder to reach items in high cupboards or the top shelf of the closet.  If these items are required, ask a family member or neighbor to help you reach them instead of attempting to do so yourself.

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Fall Prevention O-Tip of the Week: Improve Grip and Visibility on Exterior Surfaces

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.

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Fall Prevention O-Tip of the Week: Let’s Get Physical

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.

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Fall Prevention O-Tip of the Week: Invest in Indoor Shoes

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.

Wearing shoes inside the home helps to ensure you always have a proper non-slip grip on all surfaces. If this isn’t comfortable for you, invest in a pair of indoor slippers or snug-fitting socks with grips on the bottom.

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Healthy Workplace O-Tip of the Week: Don’t Wrist Injury

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. 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and Healthy Workplace Month!  In celebration, for the month of October, we will be providing you with OT-Approved tips for a healthier day at work.

Keep wrists in a neutral position.  Whether it be for keyboarding, use of a mouse or desk work, it is important that wrists are maintained in a neutral posture. This avoids the potential for overuse and injury due to fixed postures of flexion. Try altering positions or using equipment such as a wrist rest to support the forearms.

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Healthy Workplace O-Tip of the Week: Follow the rule of 90

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.

October is Occupational Therapy Month and Healthy Workplace Month! In celebration, for the month of October, we will be providing you with OT-Approved tips for a healthier day at work.

For those who are required to maintain sitting positions for long periods of time at their workstation, the rule of 90 degrees should be followed. This means that while sitting at a desk, a person’s knees, hips and elbows should each be resting at 90 degrees. This angle falls in line with our natural body proportions and biomechanics, and helps support proper posture and body positioning.

 

To learn more about proper posture and positioning check out our OT-V video, Body Mechanics.

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Healthy Workplace O-Tip of the Week: Properly Set Up Your Screen

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.

October is Occupational Therapy Month and Healthy Workplace Month!  In celebration, for the month of October, we will be providing you with OT-Approved tips for a healthier day at work.

Many jobs today require long periods of screen time. If this is the case for your workstation, make sure that there is an arm’s length distance between your eyes and the screen. Also, make sure that the top of the monitor or screen is level with your forehead. This allows for the head and neck to remain in a neutral position by avoiding continued periods of looking up or down. If a job requires frequent paper reading or phone use alongside computer use, consider a document holder or headset.

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Healthy Workplace O-Tip of the Week: Put a Stop to Sitting Disease

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. 

October is Occupational Therapy Month and Healthy Workplace Month!  In celebration, for the month of October, we will be providing you with OT-Approved tips for a healthier day at work.

There are many negative health effects of sitting for extended periods of time.  Studies show that in the long-term “sitting disease” can lead to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and a decreased lifespan.  A great way to beat sitting disease is to build movement into your day.  We recommend setting a reminder, once per hour, to get up and move.  Walk around the office, take the stairs to the lobby and back up, physically go and talk to a co-worker.  However you decide to move, using regular reminders will help!

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Better Sleep O-Tip of the Week: Follow the 20-Minute Rule

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. 

Statistics Canada estimates that approximately 3.5 million Canadians struggle with sleep, an important daily occupation that is vital to our physical and mental health.  Therefore, for the month of September, we will be providing some of the best OT-Approved solutions to help you get a good night’s sleep. 

If you are struggling to fall asleep remember the 20-minute rule.  If you are unable to fall asleep after 20 minutes of trying, take a break.  Move to a different bed or the couch, pull out a book and read until your eyes are tired, or go to your kitchen for some water. After this break return to your bed try again.