Assistive technology: OT

So to cover the ACOTE requisites we have to have a module on learning about 'assistive technology' as used in an OT setting.   We participated in a 2 day lab last weekend which was interesting, but tough because we gave up our precious Saturday.  I had pictures to post, but my phone has blown up (figuratively speaking) and now there are in some digital limbo.  So what is assistive technology?  It is hardware, software, and peripherals that assist people with disabilities in accessing computers or other information technologies.



Items Covered in lab: Ipad, headmouse, track ball, software, keyguards, specialized keyboards, ergonomic devices, short cuts and how to use them (ie on Microsoft Word or shortcut commands for your pc), and dynavox (or similar related communication devices).
Cost: $30 up to several thousand dollars.  (This includes any software, peripheral devices, or other specialized equipment used.)

It was interesting that after having this lab, and typing up this blog the AOTA 1-minute update came into my inbox.  (Again, if you aren't signed up to receive it, its worth the minute(s) of your life.)

Its headlining story was about how Ipads are making it easier for patients with disabilities, (ie spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy (etc)) to participate in reading books easier, changing the channels on the tv, and communicating with simple commands than had been previously used.  There are pros and cons to any situation as well as the legalities behind creating new apps, but as a future therapist the Ipad and technology are making huge strides in the therapy and rehabilitation field.  I posted a 2 minute video (below) from CBS Miami news.  If you are interested in reading the story- (click onthe CBS Miami news hyperlink).  Very cool stuff.

In the lab we were shown how to use the software, hardware, and peripherals and we had to think about how they could be applied in the lab and to patients with different diagnoses'.  It was fun and interesting to learn the technologies and wrap our brain's around how they could be used.

**NOTE: I do not endorse any of the titles or brands above.  I highly encourage to research each of them and learn more about them and how they can be used in a therapy setting.  This is a point of reference blog of what we covered in our lab.

OTS Thoughts:  Technology is booming.  As if we haven't learned that fact.  In our lifetime we have had from the birth of the internet (for some of the readership) to the birth of the ipod/ipad.   In the economic situation that we are in, the use of technology is a huge step for us in the therapy field and rehabilitating patients to their prior level of function or to get them back to doing the things they love.  I am excited to be coming into the field and the possibilities of the newer technology helping out our patients.

YOUR INPUT: Let me know what you think of the Ipad and the apps, will it delete the need for other devices or drive competitors to decrease prices dramatically? Will the field work the apps into evidence based practice?  Will it drive companies like dynavox or other specialized companies out of the therapy realm? Post your thoughts/questions/discussion and see ya next week. Thanks for reading!

Unexpected Football season thus far...

So now that the fall semester has started, it brings to light one of my favorite occupations... watching football.  Since the University of Kansas is my Alma Mater, Rockhurst doesn't have a football team, and I now live in Kansas, I decided to cheer to add a KC team to cheer for this season.  This doesn't mean that I have let go of my roots (Chicago professional teams always), but I have broadened my scope of being a fan to the KC Chiefs. 


KU (left-a picture from the older stadium) is coached by Turner Gill for the second season. After last season it was painful to watch our limited amount of W's in the Win column, so I was hesitant for this season.  After 3 games, UNEXPECTEDLY KU has been 2-1, prior to Big XII play.  I am not sure how the season will end up but after seeing KU win in the final seconds against NIU and losses pretty bad against GT the other night, I hope for more of the same type of gameplay they showed against NIU.


Now onto the Chiefs... If you have watched any football the past two weeks you have seen the pain that has been the 2011-2012 Chiefs.  With major injuries and blowout losses this season is looking to be painful, I hope that they find a way to win- but we shall see. The Chiefs had an amazing season last year and UNEXPECTEDLY look terrible now. (Right- Picture of us at Chiefs Training camp in St. Joseph, MO)

The Chicago Bears- (if you are keeping track) have looked decent in the preseason and still have the same problems of a poor offensive line.  The Bears are 1-1 and hopefully will go well into the playoffs similar to last year.  UNEXPECTEDLY- I am unsure of what to think of how well this season will go- but either way I always enjoy watching my bears.

OTS Thoughts: After filling out my degree candidacy form the other day and having meetings to finalize our capstone project- the reality of this 3 year journey is starting to come to and end.  The light at the end of the tunnel is getting nearer and the 'grad school-itis' has started to kick in.  Each week we are slammed full of new and interesting info on Peds and Musculo assessments, but the fatigue of grad school has wore me out a bit.  The fall season never helps with all the football and cooler weather, but knowing that the goal is near keeps me charging forward.  I have always enjoyed the Fall semester and am excited that this is potentially my last fall semester of my college career.

Last comment- As I keep this blog going for the next couple of months- if there are any questions or topics you would like me to cover- shoot me a comment on here and I will do my best to cover it.  My ideas are primarily what is on my mind and what I feel will suit the reader the best with what is going on.  Thanks for reading.

-John

Summer's over... Europe trip...Last Fall Semester...EVER

Well, after a rough, but good summer semester filled with neuromanagement lecture and lab I made it through another semester. Since I am part-time, the neuroscience component was completed the summer before and neuromanagement helped bring the science to the application of neuro disorders that we, as OTs, will come across in the field. The lab helped teach us more about neuro diagnoses and what types of assessments we could complete to get a better idea of what is happening with the patient and how to treat him. The semester was capped off with finals and a consumer simulation. The consumer simulation was a random case with a patient that had Guillan Barre and myself and a fellow OT student has to assess what was going on with her, set up a treatment plan, adapt equipment, and see how much she had progressed 2 weeks later. The patient was a professor acting as a patient. It was a great learning experience and it feels like all the time and effort and learning that I have put into this program has started to come together.

             

After summer semester, My new in-laws took a trip to Europe. We back packed it to get the most bang for our buck and see as much as possible over 11 days in Central Europe. We started in Berlin, then to Prague, Czechy Krumlov, Vienna, Bratislava, and finished in Munich. It was an awesome experience and we saw a lot in that week and a half spent overseas. My next posts will be a little breakdown of a day by day what we did- and will have my take on travel tips. What worked and what didn't.

Fall 2012. We started class a few weeks ago- the 1st years are into the fun that is gross anatomy, and 'senioritis' or 'grad school almost graduating-itis' has hit most of us. Peds and Musculo are chocked full of information and are getting our class more excited to get into the field. Peds is helping get us in touch with the current pediatric research out there as well as different pediatric assessments and Musculo has been teaching us more about different PAMs (physical agent modalities) and how to work with different hand injuries. That is all I have for now, thanks for reading.

OTS thoughts: When we entered the program and over the past several semesters we have heard the phrase "After this program you will never look at people the same way." I think we had a general sense of what we were getting into as future OTs, but as I enter this final 'in class' semester I now see what our teachers were talking about. I now see people with disabilities differently, I view diagnoses differently, and my brain is stuck in an OT mode to look holistically at people and see what an OT would to for a patient to adapt, restore, modify the patient or context that they live within. I still have a lot to learn as I work into my level II fieldworks but I am excited for this semester and what my future as an OT holds.

Summer time in KC

So here is another post about the heat. This summer (especially the past few weeks) have DRAINED the life out of me and decreased my desire to get things done. Here is a random shot that I took of the temperature in the middle of the day (left). I haven't said too much about the heat because honestly, what can we do about it and secondly I wasn't sure what to think of it myself. Yes- obviously it has been unusually warm in KC, but its summer. Yes- its hot, but posting all over fb or complaining about how hot it is does nothing more than to point out the obvious. Yes- I don't feel like going outside and the a/c doesn't seem to be able to run enough to keep up with it (not gonna lie, a little concerned about the a/c bill this month). HOWEVER, with all that being said I have to count my blessings and allow those people that have it worse off than me (especially those stricken by the heat, ie homeless/working poor) to do the complaining because they deserve to complain. I saw on fb how someone posted about the heat and followed it up with the temperatures in the middle east where our armed forces are deployed and followed it up by 'we really shouldn't be complaining.'

SOO whether you have vented it in some social realm or kept it to yourself about the heat, I hope that it relieved some of the pressure that the heat has caused on your life. My other hope is that you count the blessings you have in your life, the heat will subside (someday, I hope), the pressures of life will still need to be faced in the morning, and more troubles will always be knocking on your door waiting to see how you will face them when you are faced with adversity.

OTS thoughts: First, a side note: For all the first year OTS's, you will be fine, especially if/when you made it through this QUICK summer semester. OK, The heat has made me re-evaluate myself and life and what I bring into the day to day 'workplace' which I currently call school. I haven't complained much about it, or really brought it up at all because it only was negative commentaries that I would bring up. The heat is acts on us, just like a difficult/unmotivated patient that gets so down and focused on the problems instead of the solutions. I need to keep him driven to reach his goals, and let him communicate some of his worries/problems before we can start making gain in his treatment. Yes, the heat is a burden but as I dig deep to finish the semester I hope you dig deep and internalize some of the complaints to get the tasks done that you are working on. Also, as I have said throughout- take a moment and count your blessings, especially for ice water and a/c.

More summer fun... stache bash

This summer has been filled with many opportunities to hang out with family and friends. One way that I have found to instantly click with my relatives and friends (and have a fun time) has been to bust out a sharpie marker and give everyone fake mustaches.




What you need...

1) A finger (preferably the index finger)
2) a sharpie (or other marker that will not rub off easily)
3) A willing spirit to have fun (obvious and necessary)

Directions: Apply the sharpie to the outside of the finger in the shape of the mustache that you would like to see. There are many options, so be creative and have a good time.


The best part is when you pass it along for 1st time stache-ers (I just made that name up as you can probably figure out) and my cousin wasn't too pleased that I taught her daughter this little trick. Either way my family and friends have busted out the fake mustaches at pre-wedding activities, wedding activities and the family reunion and it has always been a hit. It makes any gathering into an event thus the 'Stache Bash.

So if you are still reading, which I am sure that you are, thanks for reading and I hope that you incorporate the 'stache bash into your next gathering.

OTS thoughts: So besides that fact that I love to have a good time with others, you might be wondering how I could tie this into OT. Well, as a future OT, I will be dealing with many diverse populations. OTs work with all ages, and races, and people from many different backgrounds. We work in schools, hospitals, and in the community (to name a few.) Now, will I be using the 'stache bash in the hospital, or in therapy... probably not...However, I believe as a practicing OT practitioner I must be innovative to keep therapy interesting as well as find ways to connect with my patients to make them feel at ease to regain their quality of life that they had before therapy. This idea is simple, it modifies the situation, and its brings everyone to instantly have something in common- a fake mustache (or a real mustache if they already have one).

weddings and school and weddings

SOO this summer has been pretty fast and furious. My wife and I got married at the end of May, we have been to Minnesota, Chicago, and had several weddings and trips along the way.  Class has been busy and I have learned a lot about Neuromanagement, but the summer time is always hard to focus on school with so much going on.  The picture tothe left is of myself and my lovely wife at her cousin's wedding reception.  The wedding was beautiful and the reception was a lot of fun. 

The picture on the right is of my new brothers and father-in-law.  The reception was right across the street from Millenium Park in Downtown Chicago and they had wines and beers from all around the world.  It was a very cool idea and well done.

Since we were in Chicago- I have wanted to stop by THE BEAN, but for some reason we never make time when we go to see my family.  So I did the typical tourist thing and took a picture by the bean (left).  It is a pretty unbelievable site and always something fun for people that are visiting Chicago to take picture besides. It is about maybe a story or two high and is shaped like a giant lima bean.  It is a 'must see' if you are on Michigan Avenue and near Millenium Park in downtown Chicago, IL.

OTS thoughts:  Since occupational balance is part of life- I am finding it more and more difficult as I get older to find the energy and enough hours in the day to complete all the things that I want to accomplish.  Class is going well, but the travel and fun is hard to mix in with the hard work necessary to complete this master's degree.  So for now I am working to focus hard to learn about neuromanagement and balancing fun/friends/etc with hard work to be an OT someday.  

Back to school- Honeymoon Cook Islands

Here is a picture of our honeymoon destination. We were fortunate enough to go to the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. There are several islands and we were told through tripadvisor.com that Aitutaki was the prettiest and least touristy of them. The lagoon surrounds the islands and its smaller islands (picture left) the dark spots are the reef and the island lived up to its expectations of being less touristy with great people and overall beautiful.






We decided to roam around the island for a day as all of the island cruises were booked. So my wife and I tried to see all that the island had to offer via moped. The main road was one giant circle/oval with many roads intersecting it. The picture (left) is of myself enjoying some ice cream. The prices for food etc are a bit higher than the US, the NZD or New Zealand Dollar is a little bit less in exchange rate- but the island has to import many of its goods from New Zealand, Australia, and other locations.

We had a great time and I will be putting up more posts about the beautiful islands and our adventures.


OTS Thoughts: It was hard to leave such a beautiful place, but my wife and I did take note of the possibility of coming back to work with the local population. Their lives are much different from our in the states. They live very simplistically with tourism and local crafts being their main income. If I had more time I would have loved to see what the hospital had to offer as we heard that it was a pretty basic hospital (luckily we didn't need to visit it this trip for health reasons). OT on the island would be much different than what is needed in the states and I had not interviewed enough of the population to see how OT would be used. I would speculate from what I saw that we would deal with energy conservation, hand injuries, and some of the children in the school. The island more or less stabilizes a patient and then flies the patient to nearby New Zealand for more in-depth health coverage. We talked with a massage therapist that was trained in New Zealand for the purpose to come back to the island to work and we talked with our driver from the hotel that said she had never left the island.