Archive for the ‘Occupational Therapy’ Category

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Occupational Therapy for “finicky feeders”

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

A newly initiated program by the College of Health and Human Services called “Finicky Feeders” aims to pair Occupational Therapists with families in an attempt to help selective eaters.

Problems with selective eating can arise for children with sensory processing problems or intense sensitivity to certain stimuli, such as texture or smell. The causes can be wide ranging, leaving 40-70% of children diagnosed with autism with food selectivity issues.

The programme is currently being run in pilot stage with small populations. Five families and their children aged 2-8 are participating in hour long group sessions designed to help a “finicky feeder” to learn how to deal with foods they dislike.

A form of “systematic desensitization” takes place with the children participating in the program. Participants are gradually exposed to the food in stages until they can tolerate and eventually eat it.

The Finicky Feeders programme also helps Occupational Therapy students, as the fieldwork is one of the requisite modules making up a year of study. The programme is currently handled by seven Occupational Therapy students, one interdisciplinary health services student, and two independent study students.

Professor Michelle Suarez, Head of the Finicky Feeders programme, said that the students running the group are able to learn a raft of new treatment techniques. Furthermore, it enables them to build strong bonds with the children and their parents or guardians, ultimately providing a higher level of support and improving the patient experience.

Commenting on the effectiveness of the programme, Suarez says that it has been “running very smoothly”. She reports significant improvements in the dietary habits of the study’s participants, and hopes that the programme can be rolled out on a wider scale.

Original Source Western Herald

About Pathway Software

Pathway Software (www.pathwaysoftware.com) specialises in the design and development of patient information systems for Allied Health professionals.

Its flagship product, Therapy Manager, is an Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system specifically designed for Therapy Services to provide decision makers with the ability to track and manage clinical activity and analyse cost of care by patient, episode or service. The system also demonstrably reduces administration time and the costs of managing Therapy Services.

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Online OT journal to be launched

Friday, February 24th, 2012

Western Michigan University (WMU) are moving forward with their plans to launch an online Occupational Therapy (OT) journal.

The inaugural issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy is due to be published in Autumn 2012. It is thought the journal will be the first open-access publication for the OT profession and is due to be published four times each year.

The decision to launch the journal comes as $2 million in funding was directed towards the WMU Department of Occupational Therapy. Part of this amount has been set aside to investigate and launch innovative projects.

The journal will be available to readers and researchers worldwide, regardless of affiliation with a subscribing library or institution. The WMU state that new scholarly work will be available to a large audience that includes researchers, clinicians, therapists, students and the general public. This access to the most recent, relevant occupational therapy research is thought will benefit clinicians and ultimately their patients.

Emerging OT scholars are encouraged to submit, and an annual award will be given to the best article by a student or first-time publisher.

Manuscripts are now being accepted for review at the OJOT website.

Original Source Western Michigan University

About Pathway Software

Pathway Software (www.pathwaysoftware.com) specialises in the design and development of patient information systems for Allied Health professionals.

Its flagship product, Therapy Manager, is an Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system specifically designed for Therapy Services to provide decision makers with the ability to track and manage clinical activity and analyse cost of care by patient, episode or service. The system also demonstrably reduces administration time and the costs of managing Therapy Services.

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“One-stop” clinic improves recovery for hip and knee replacements

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

Conquest Hospital in East Sussex is pushing forward with their “one-stop” clinic to help improve the service for patients undergoing hip and knee replacements.

A scheme was originally introduced at the hospital as part of a programme of short-stay joint replacement operations, but it has now been extended into the orthopaedic department.

The purpose of the clinic is to educate and assess all patients who are due to have hip and knee surgery. It combines assessments from nursing staff and the physiotherapy, occupational therapy and research departments into a single visit for patients. Traditionally patients would have had to visit the hospital at least twice before such procedures.

Staff at the hospital assert that the system means that patients are better informed about their surgery, leading to reduced stress levels. Kim Boorman, the orthopaedic pre-operative assessment nurse states that “getting patients fully prepared before their operation really helps their recovery”.

“If people know exactly what they have to do following their procedure then everything is in place for them to return home as soon as possible” Boorman stated.

Furthermore, it increases capacity as only one appointment needs to be made, making the process more efficient for both staff and patients. Reduced costs have also come in the form of fewer bookings needing to be made for hospital transport.

Conquest Hospital assert that they have one of the lowest hospital length of stays in the country for hip and knee replacements. This is reportedly set to improve as a result of the “one-stop” clinic.

Original Source Hastings Observer

About Pathway Software

Pathway Software (www.pathwaysoftware.com) specialises in the design and development of patient information systems for Allied Health professionals.

Its flagship product, Therapy Manager, is an Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system specifically designed for Therapy Services to provide decision makers with the ability to track and manage clinical activity and analyse cost of care by patient, episode or service. The system also demonstrably reduces administration time and the costs of managing Therapy Services.

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Occupational Therapy to treat “bitter feelings”

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

Researchers at Concordia University have suggested that administering Occupational Therapy in an attempt to combat people’s “negative” and “bitter” feelings directed towards other individuals could potentially be key to boosting a patient’s physical health.

The research examined the relationship between failure, bitterness and quality of life, with the  findings indicating that persistent negative feelings towards others could make a patient physically ill.

Lead researcher Carsten Wrosch, Associate Professor of Psychology, suggests that in the worst cases bitterness that is harboured for long periods of time could lead to patterns of biological dysregulation. He asserts that negative emotions typically have the power to influence human biology, for example stimulating the release of cortisol into circulation communicating with the immune system. If immune dysregulation such as systemic inflammation occurs, Wrosch states that this increases the likelihood people becoming more susceptible to a host of different diseases.

The findings support work carried out in 2003 by the Berlin Free University, where Head of Psychiatry Michael Linden concluded that bitterness should be recognised as a mental illness. He argued that bitterness be named “post-traumatic embitterment disorder”, suggesting that giving the condition a name would ensure that sufferers receive the therapeutic treatment they need.

Original Source Mediplacements

About Pathway Software

Pathway Software (www.pathwaysoftware.com) specialises in the design and development of patient information systems for Allied Health professionals.

Its flagship product, Therapy Manager, is an Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system specifically designed for Therapy Services to provide decision makers with the ability to track and manage clinical activity and analyse cost of care by patient, episode or service. The system also demonstrably reduces administration time and the costs of managing Therapy Services.

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Virtual rehabilitation improves Occupational Therapy

Thursday, July 14th, 2011
Occupational Therapists (OT’s) at two skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in Las Vegas have begun offering virtual rehabilitation as an effective tool for elderly patients.

The OmniVR system implemented by the OT’s uses a 3D camera and specialised tracking software that captures a patient’s precise movement during six “skilled” therapeutic exercise categories. Patients can perform the exercises while seated, perched at a walking frame or standing unassisted while they access the new technology. An OT or assistant can stand with the patient, and a back walker is used if forward balance is unstable with the system sensing only the patient and not any other equipment or distractions.

Heather Gray, Rehabilitation Director and OT at Marquis Care, one of the centres using OmniVR has reported enhanced recovery and independence among the 55 patients receiving treatment at the centre who receives approximately 2½ hours of therapy a day in various capacities. Some of the modules of the software such as “virtual volleyball” encourages arm exercises, and the virtual chase and gardening games have demonstrably strengthened her legs and endurance of patients at the centre.

Tasks performed by patients receiving Occupational Therapy at the centre range from exercising to managing the full therapy kitchen or taking care of personal needs in the therapy bathroom. Patients at the facility are recovering from conditions ranging from strokes, surgeries and falls to dementia and degenerative conditions, and through effective treatment, the majority can return to independent living after a stay.

OmniVR is currently being used in about 4,000 skilled nursing homes, hospitals, outpatient clinics and home health agencies nationwide. Similar in it’s function to a number of other popular interactive game systems, users report similar ease of use of the suite of puzzles included in the system to assist with cognition. Some games are multi-player for group rehabilitation, encouraging competition between patients.

“It’s like a perfect adjunct to get the person to the highest level we can get them,” Gray said. “It’s a wonderful addition to our therapy department.”

Original Source Las Vegas Review-Journal

About Pathway Software

Pathway Software (www.pathwaysoftware.com) specialises in the design and development of patient information systems for Allied Health professionals.

Its flagship product, Therapy Manager, is an Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system specifically designed for Therapy Services to provide decision makers with the ability to track and manage clinical activity and analyse cost of care by patient, episode or service. The system also demonstrably reduces administration time and the costs of managing Therapy Services.

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Posted in Occupational Therapy | No Comments »

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