Nan with the Plan

What were the key takeaway points from the guest lecture today?  A few key takeaways from the Cody Stovall’s driving rehab presentation included the purposes of adaptive driving programs and what to look for during a driving assessment.  Driving programs assess individuals for safety and potential to drive, evaluate physical disability for adaptive equipment, and train individuals in the use of AE and/or compensation techniques for driving.  We discussed the components of clinical evaluations and behind-the-wheel assessments.  We discussed all the cognitive and physical skills required to drive.  This was very helpful because most of us who have been driving for years and years do not think about the attention, divided attention, vision, executive functioning and more skills it really takes.  Luckily, there are many adaptive devices and compensatory strategies to assist those who lack the natural abilities to drive.  While there are very expensive lif...

I was surprised how similar my two glyphs were when comparing them side by side.  My artistic abilities have not changed a bit since beginning OT school!  Three main difference stood out to me between the two glyph creations:  The hair, the glasses, and the signature. In my first drawing, the hair was very curly, signifying creativity is an important leadership quality over organization.  In my second drawing, the hair was much straighter, but with a subtle wave.  I believe organization is a key foundational skill to being a leader.  The presence of creativity can be very beneficial to addressing problems and developing solutions.  The length of the hair, however, is almost the exact same moderate length in both pictures, illustrating that introverts can be effective leaders to a degree. Secondly, I added glasses to the second drawing that were absent in the first.  Glasses signify I have had more experience in leadership roles that most o...

What were the key takeaway points from the guest lecture today?  Today’s lecture emphasized physiological changes with age and how nutrition plays a role in preventing and slowing these changes. We discussed physical signs and symptoms that are strong indicators of malnutrition beyond weight loss and appetite.  Grip strength and edema can be indicators of malnutrition that OTs can observe, document, and recommend further treatment from a dietician.  Proper nutrition is especially needed during hospital stays to improve patient outcomes and offset muscle atrophy.  Specifically, individuals lose the ability to heal wounds and build muscle mass without receiving proper nutrition.  Often times it can takes months for a healthy individual to recover muscle loss after an ICU stay, limiting his/her functional performance.  The effects of an ICU stay on an older adult can be much more debilitating and requires even more attention to proper nutrition to overcome mu...