Each year, many older adults suffer accidental injuries in and around the home or are victims of crime in their home. Falls, fires, or burglaries can result in substantial injury or even death.  As the population ages, problems with walking, balance, vision and thinking increase the risk of falls and other accidents in the home. A home safety assessment is an intervention targeted at maximizing a person’s function and their ability to live safely and independently in the community.

The questions on this checklist evaluate various aspects of safety in and around the home. For each potential safety hazard identified, one or more recommendations are provided, many of which can be accomplished with little or no cost.

Be it in the clinic, in home health, in a hospital, school setting, or where ever you may work, occupational therapists can feel burnt out.  We give all to our clients and to the profession.  Some of the situations we encounter may initially seem insurmountable but we ALWAYS find a way through.  This is for those that may be in a rut now, that may be in need of a Motivational Moment. 

From the time your child starts school, they should be eating the same type of food as the rest of the family but in smaller quantities. Choosing a wide variety of food from the different food groups is the best way to make sure your family is getting all the nutrients they need to stay healthy.

The NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scales are used by healthcare professionals to help diagnose ADHD in children between the ages of 6 and 12. Both parent and teacher assessment scales have two components: symptom assessment and impairment in performance. The symptom assessment component screens for symptoms relevant to inattentive and hyperactive ADHD subtypes. 

The International Institute of Therapeutic Intervention and Learning is a great resource for those utilizing brain entrainment and neurofeedback. Their soundscapes specifically target areas where a client may be having trouble. For those unfamiliar with Brain Entrainment, it refers to the capacity of the brain to naturally synchronize its brainwave frequencies with the rhythm of periodic external stimuli, most commonly auditory, visual, or tactile. The external stimuli elicit the brain’s ‘frequency following response’, encouraging the brainwaves to align to the frequency of a given medium. FFR can be useful because brainwaves are very much related to mental state. For example, a 10 Hz brainwave is associated with relaxation, so a 10 Hz sound pattern would help reproduce the relaxed state in your brain. I have successfully used it with varying conditions including; ADHD, ASD, PTSD, Anxiety, and Sensory Integration. However, one does not have to have a diagnosis to utilize brain entrainment. Positive research on brain entrainment continues to grow and expand.

Here is another quick question session from our upcoming NBCOT study guide.  As most know, preparation materials and study guides for national (NBCOT) and international OT regulatory boards can be excessively expensive. So, you just have to pay whatever fees associated with those study guides, because at the end of the day, you HAVE TO PASS these standardized tests to become occupational therapists.  We are building these quick question sessions for future OT's to be able to have access on all platforms; app, podcast, YouTube, etc.  Where you can watch on your device or listen to while you drive.  Stay tuned for the drop date and availability!

Children and youth who have intellectual disabilities or developmental disorders are at elevated risk for co-occurring psychiatric or behavioral problems. These young people pose a serious challenge for administrators, program directors and clinicians, especially when they present with aggressive or disruptive behaviors. When appropriate community services have not been organized, these youth can be among the most difficult and costly to serve. Across the country, their families report relentless stress, partly because it is very difficult to obtain the help they need.  This paper provides resources and strategies that have improved outcomes and lowered costs, while diminishing risk for institutional placements, referrals to juvenile justice and child welfare.

What can be done when parents disagree with the special education team or services being rendered?  This document can act as a guide to taking the appropriate steps to address parental concerns.  As an occupational therapist, my primary focus is not only bettering the child’s abilities to participate in all aspects of life (home, school, play, etc.), but empowering parents to fight for what they think their child deserves.

An occupational Therapist educated only at school is an uneducated occupational therapist.