Welcome to another OT News Break. 

This is the OT News you want to know!!

In this episode find out;

1. New federal rules could lead to the creation of insurance plans with little or no coverage for occupational therapy
2. CMS Proposes How to Identify OTA-Provided Service
3. Occupational Therapy Education Virtual Fair

As a professional I have come to know my job well.  So it can be increasingly bothersome for another, whomever it may be, to 'pigeonhole' what it is that I do.  A good example of this would be in the school settings where those not knowledgeable of our scope feels that we are the "handwriting specialist", when our duties encompass so much more.  To enlighten others of my professional abilities, I use the "Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process".

The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process, 3rd edition (hereinafter referred to as “the Framework”), is an official document of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Intended for occupational therapy practitioners and students, other health care professionals, educators, researchers, payers, and consumers, the Framework presents a summary of interrelated constructs that describe occupational therapy practice.

The purpose of this guide is to engage cities to become more age-friendly so as to tap the potential that older people represent for humanity. It describes the converging trends of rapid growth of the population over 60 years of age and of urbanization, outlines the challenge facing cities, and summarizes the research process that led to identifying the core features of an age-friendly city.

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.

Your OT knowledge is power. Information is liberating for both you and your clients, patients, and students. Education is the premise of progress, in every society.

Developmental Coordination Disorder is a marked impairment in the development of motor skills and coordination; this has a significant impact on child/young person’s occupations, particularly their self-care skills and their school life. This is why Occupational therapists are key to working with clients with Developmental Coordination Disorder is imperative. This study guide sheds light on protocols, research, and techniques, to enlighten OT’s/OTA’s on the treatment process.

1. The effectiveness of occupational therapy intervention for children with developmental coordination disorder: review of the qualitative literature – University of Salford Manchester
2. Children with developmental coordination disorders - Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
3. Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: At home, at school, and in the community – McMaster University
4. Developmental dyspraxia: A resource for educators: -Ministry of Education
5. Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) or Dyspraxia - A guide for parents
6. Special Education Support Service: Information on Motor Dyspraxia (DCD) – Special Education Support Services
7. Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire – DCDQ.CA
8. Developmental Coordination Disorder/Dyspraxia resource pack - Coventry Children’s and Young Person’s Occupational Therapy Service
9. Developmental Coordination Disorder: Practical tips for parents - Dyspraxia/DCD Association

Welcome to another OT News Break.  In this episode find out:

1. What’s going on with the OTD mandate
2. Passage of a Medicaid bill supporting OT and opioids
3. USC research showing benefits of OT in pain management
4. The Occupational Therapy job outlook up to 2026

This is the OT News you want to know!!

Alzheimer disease is a type of dementia. Dementia is a condition in which cognitive function—the ability to think, concentrate, and remember—is impaired. According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer disease makes up as much as 60% to 80% of all cases of dementia.

Alzheimer disease is a progressive condition. This means that it keeps getting worse. It usually involves memory impairment early on. Eventually, people with Alzheimer disease need help with daily activities because they lose the ability to dress, bathe, and feed themselves.

The role of Alzheimer caregivers can be stressful, frightening, and exhausting. But you can also feel great comfort in caring for a loved one who needs you.