Browse by Tags

It’s here. The last day of April and the last day of the 2012 OT Month. Although I’m sad to see it go, I have to admit that this has been the most social and successful OT Month ever (or at least in the four OT Months I’ve experienced working at AOTA). Thanks to everyone who has read...

I can’t believe that April is almost finished, but if you’ve been following Twitter, Facebook, this blog, OT Connections, etc. you will most certainly know that it has been a very social and successful OT Month! Attendees at AOTA’s Conference won’t want...

More than 400,000 Americans have Down Syndrome and it is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. Occupational therapy plays an important role in the lives of people with Down Syndrome (and their families) throughout the lifespan. Just 30 years ago the life expectancy...

We know that community mobility is an important part of well-being (that’s why we have an entire week devoted to older driver safety ), and when an individual cannot access the community it can lead to depression, isolation, decreased participation in meaningful activities, diminished wellness...

Happy OT Month! April is OT Month and to celebrate, I will be writing a post every weekday in April about how occupational therapy helps people of all ages live life to its fullest. That’s right—I’m using one of the top ten tips for promoting occupational therapy online ( tip number...

It’s Friday, which means it is a great time to declare just how great recess is. Remember recess? Running around the playground. Telling your friends from other classes all about your morning. Competing in pretty high stakes basketball games with the boys (What? That was just me? In my high top...

Shhh! Don’t tell the kiddos, but that play time they love so much… they are actually learning a lot through play. Yep, it’s an educational experience. I said, shhh! Playing is an important tool in a child’s life—it’s one of the primary goals...

We have 1.5 million men and women serving in the military and more than 22 million veterans. Returning to civilian life after the military is a transition that can be difficult for service members especially if they have injuries or mental health issues such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—they...

We talk about it a lot on this blog, but it’s for a good reason. Autism is a hot topic in not only occupational therapy but also in our society (did you see the recent news that the CDC is now reporting that 1 in 88 children in the U.S. have autism?). April is not only OT Month, but also Autism...

Success in school is not just about getting A’s in class, it is also about successful social participation. Children are expected to manage the demands of the classroom as well as behave properly at recess, lunch, and throughout the school day. How can a parent ensure that...

You probably know this, but AOTA is in Indianapolis right now ensuring that the 92nd Annual Conference & Expo goes smoothly for the 4,500+ occupational therapy attendees! Conference attendees get a special treat this afternoon when the director of MIT’s AgeLab , Joseph...

Falling in the home happens to one in every three adults over the age of 65 but half of those who fall never tell a health professional about it. Falling is a prevalent issue that can send people to the emergency room with serious injuries, but falls are preventable. If you (or...

Sometimes an individual can have a disease or a trauma (such as a brain tumor or a head injury) and the person appears to make a full physical recovery but still has subtle “invisible” cognitive impairments. What happens when that individual returns to work or tries to manage the household...

Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer for women and affects individuals both physically and psychologically. Aggressive treatments such as chemotherapy have physical, cognitive, and emotional implications and can make it difficult for individuals to continue participating in meaningful...

More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and that number is expected to triple by 2050. The U.S. has recognized the importance of planning for this growth by creating a national plan to combat Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is a loss of brain function due to damage to the brain...

Have a case of the Mondays today? It happens to the best of us. When those Mondays stem from not getting enough sleep, you will probably notice that it affects how productive you are at work. Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has called sleep...

We’re going to talk about exercise and wellness today and, with it being Friday and seeing as a (hopefully) beautiful Spring weekend starts in a few hours, maybe this post will inspire you to get up and move. Obesity is a problem that affects our entire society, but did...

When we say that occupational therapy helps people live life to its fullest across the lifespan, we really mean it! In fact, occupational therapy plays an important role in the lives of infants and toddlers. From birth to 5 years old, occupational therapy practitioners work with children to promote their...

When an individual has a critical medical condition like a heart attack or a spinal cord injury they are taken to acute care. The primary goal of acute care is to stabilize the individual’s situation and address threats to life or loss of function. One of the best ways for...

An occupational therapy student in Pittsburgh recently developed a program that provides uninsured Spanish-speaking and English-speaking clients who have diabetes the education and services they need to help manage their disease. Read more about her program here . Diabetes affects...

For older adults who are receiving occupational therapy services in their home, a main goal is to keep that person out of the hospital. Home health agencies want to reduce rehospitalization rates and they use occupational therapy practitioners to achieve this. Keeping people...

OT Month starts on Monday (can you believe it's already April?)! In celebration of OT Month, we decided to do something for YOU. Throughout April we will be featuring the favorite smartphone and tablet apps of AOTA members and staff . We’re calling it ‘Appy April. ;) ...