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...

Hi guys!  Congrats on finished our last Level I FW!  I have attached my Level I FW C debrief here:   https://youtu.be/a9DqkQ6mWos    I hope y’all have a great summer break, and I am looking forward to catching up when we return to class! P.S.  The washer/dryer is running in the background of my video, and I did not realize until after the fact :)  

This project felt the most “OT” out of all the projects in school so far.   Personally, I execute very well but sometimes struggle coming up with creative ideas, so this project was challenging for me.   Even though it was difficult, it was very rewarding.   Having a real client in mind while designing an intervention made it more meaningful.   The most significant thing I learned during this project was how important it is to stay client-centered.   While I was brain-storming, I would come up with an idea; then I had to ask myself if Craig would benefit from this intervention and would he stay motivated while doing it.   If the answer was no, I continued thinking.   Being client-centered may require more effort but will have bigger and better results because of that hard work.   I can see how busy practitioners can lose sight of this essential pillar of OT, but it is crucial to keep it in the forefront of therapy.   ...

Last night my OT class had the opportunity to watch a local D-I professional wheelchair basketball team practice.  The Rolling Grizzlies is an athletic group of men who compete in the highest wheelchair basketball division.  What an experience it was getting to watch them play.  Not only did we get to watch, but the players let us take their chairs for a spin!  I played basketball growing up, so I jumped at the opportunity to try out one of the chairs.  Instantly I realized the arm strength required to shoot and pass the ball from a seated position as well as the coordination needed for pushing the chair and dribbling the ball smoothly.  It is much harder than typical basketball.  These men played for an hour and a half with hardly any breaks.  This shows what great physical shape is required to participate in this game. During my undergraduate career, I was fortunate enough to take an adapted athletics course where we learned about all types of ...

"As ALS kills . . . Transfatty lives" Patrick O'Brien was diagnosed with ALS at a very young age of 30 years old.  Before this diagnosis, Patrick indulged in film making, mixing music, creating art, and drinking beer with his friends.  After his diagnosis he still continued to do just that.  He emerged from behind the lens and put himself and life with ALS in the spotlight.  He very accurately and creatively illustrated the progression of ALS. Watching this film through my "OT lens" helped me understand truly how fast some neurodegenerative diseases can progress and why it is important to always be thinking one step ahead.  One day Patrick was using a walker, and the next he was in a power chair.  This progression is something a practitioner must always consider in order to stay ahead of future obstacles.  I paid close attention to the transfers and bed mobility shown because we just recently learned those techniques in Biomechanics.  It ...