2012

P.O. Box 1459,

Englewood, FL 34295 www.flota.org

Fall Edition Official Newsletter of the FOTA

FOCUS

Looking Forward

To Fall Conference

Gear Up for

Tampa, 2012

Powerful

Widely Recognized

Science-Driven

Evidence –Based

Globally Connected

Diverse Workforce

Meeting Society’s

Occupational Needs

Support

Develop

Represent

For the advance-

ment of practice

To better serve

the consumer

Clear Compelling

Public Image

Expanded

Collaboration for

Success

Power to

Influence

Membership

equals

responsibility

Sharing the Vision for Occupational Therapy In Florida

Brent R. Cheyne OTR/L Editor

Editor’s Notes: How Will You Gear Up? A Shared Vision

AOTA Centennial Vision Statement

“We envision that occupational therapy is a powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence-based profession with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society’s occupational needs”

FOTA Vision Statement

“As a collective body, we envision that FOTA supports, develops, and represents occupational therapy practice that is powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence based with productive connections and a diverse workforce that meets the needs of the consumer.”

As the November Conference approaches, our conference theme beckons, “Gear Up for 2017!”, a call to prepare and to energize yourself as an OT professional for the celebration of AOTA’s Centennial Vision. In order to “Gear Up” for the FOTA Conference, it is important to reflect on the FOTA’s commitment to align its’ vision for Occupational Therapy practice in Florida with the national version.

So…..How will you Gear Up? Start with a Shared Vision:

The question to be asked is, “How will you Gear Up?”. As OT clinicians, educators, students, and exhibitors meet in Tampa, we can

gather with a shared vision. FOTA members and leaders can look to their vision statement and to the overall strategic plan for the or-

ganization. (FOTA Strategic plan is available on www.flota.org) How to Gear Up:

Collaborate for Success: The conference offers many

opportunities to network, make productive connections,

educate, and inspire, and be inspired! A chance to meet

mentors and develop leadership, learn of new innovations

and potential partnerships.

Realize the Power to Influence: OTs across Florida will

have the opportunity to discover and share efforts to advo-

cate for our profession and our clients, and contribute to

the effort to become involved in Governmental Affairs and

Legislative issues at the state level.

Create a well prepared, diverse workforce: Whether it

be educational sessions, roundtables or poster presenta-

tions, the exchange of knowledge and sharing of perspec-

tives from a variety of levels of experience, age, or variety

of cultural backgrounds leads to the professional develop-

ment of all.

Make Science-Driven and Evidence-Based practice a

priority: The scientific process is contingent upon ongo-

ing interactions, healthy skepticism, debate and discus-

sion, all of which are a prevalent part of the atmosphere of

the conference.

Promote the Participation of Consumers: The opportu-

nity to involve the consumers in our association is a high

priority as we explore ways to develop that relationship

and engage them in a dialogue that improves the quality

of services available across the state.

Have a Clear and Compelling Image: Your participation

in FOTA will continue to define who we are, what we

achieve, and how we are perceived.

Develop a Commitment to Involvement: FOTA mem-

bership has benefits but also involves responsibilities.

Finding ways to get involved with your association will

enhance the benefits of the membership experience.

Welcome from the President Hello fellow Floridians! I hope you have heard the buzz about this year’s FOTA Annual Conference being held November 2 -3 hosted by NOVA Southeastern University in Tampa. I am particularly excited about the programming that will be offered, both professionally and socially. Professionally, you will have the ability to earn up to 15 CEUs through a variety of educational institutes, work-shops, poster sessions, short courses, and special interest round tables. In addition, Hector Picard will be delivering an inspiring Keynote address, one that should not be missed. Socially, includes the President’s reception, student and professional poster presentations, FLOTEC reception and student mixer, and of course the FOTA Membership meeting. We are very much looking forward to the opportunity of meeting many new faces and reacquainting ourselves with old friends, classmates, colleagues, etc.

As all of you know, it has been a hectic time in the world of healthcare. There are many decisions to be made regarding reimbursement, who is going to get it, and how much. This past year, the FOTA leadership has had close commu-nications with national and local representatives to get our positions heard to avert potential dangerous situations that impact our scope of practice. To con-tinue to facilitate such an impact, we need everyone’s support more than ever!! The good news is that our membership drive this past year has been a suc-cessful one; most notable is the increase in numbers joining FOTA. Much of this thanks is to YOU and I continue to challenge our present members to get a friend to join and get on your soap box speaking to the critical nature of advo-cacy. So, let’s make this year’s annual conference a fruitful one. These meet-ings are intended to hear your ideas on what needs to be done in our profes-sion at the grass roots level. To this end, state membership in FOTA is an op-portunity for the sharing of ideas and an opportunity to increase you knowledge of you profession. So in closing, join if you are not a member, renew if you are, so we can increase our numbers to be a more influential entity moving forward to protect the profession that we love and the individuals who we treat.

Best,

Kurt K. Hubbard, PhD(c), OTD,

OTR/L

FOTA President

Backpack Awareness

FOCUS on Students

At the beginning of this year, our professor Robin Richmond-OTR/L expressed her interest in participating in a backpack event to promote backpack awareness. A few classmates and I started investigating where we could find such an event in which to partici-pate. I got in touch with Shawna Butler, director for Family Fundamentals of Polk County, a division of the United Way. Family Fundamentals hosts a Back to School Bash every year at the Lakeland Center and gives out 3000 backpacks and school sup-plies to those in need. In addition, free physicals and immunizations are offered as well as numerous other services. Shawna agreed to let our class set up a booth at the event to promote backpack awareness.

Once we had reached an agreement to set up a booth, it became time to start collecting donations of school supplies which we could hand out to the children. We ended up with a few thousand pens and pencils as well as toothbrushes and toothpaste to hand out to the parents and their children.

The Back to School Bash took place on Saturday, August 4th This year’s theme was “Healthy Body=Healthy Mind.” Even though we were out of school for summer vacation, many came together to donate their time for the event. The event had a total of over 500 volunteers and welcomed over 5000 people through the doors. Those volunteering for the Polk State College Backpack Awareness Booth were; Robin Richmond-OTR/L, Craig Bowen-OTA/S, Eddrena Thornton-OTA/S, Teresa Aguirre-OTA/S, Amy Williams-OTA/S, Whitney Cline-OTA/S Larry Gronholm-OTA/S, Kelli Ginn-OTA/S, Michael Williams-high school volunteer, Trevor Bates-high school volunteer, Virginia Bowen-volunteer, and Vernon Dean Aguirre who photographed the event.

Our booth was 30 feet long and we were set up with scales and a weight ratio chart. We weighed each child in order to educate them and their parents about the maximum weight that should not be exceeded in each backpack based on total body weight. We then properly fitted each child for their backpack and each parent left with a copy of AOTA’s Backpack Strategies for Parents and Students Document. Each child that was fitted also received free school supplies. Throughout the day, many parents revisited our booth to have their backpack weighed with the gathered school supplies to see if the weight was within guidelines. The parents were very appreciative of our efforts to educate them and expressed the fact that they wished someone had done this for them as children.

After a long 8 hour day, our crew was exhausted, but we walked away energized from this successful event. Shawna Butler was

so happy with what we did, that we were invited back to continue participating in this event in the future. It’s a legacy that we can

pass on to future OTA students attending Polk State College. I highly recom-

mend looking into volunteering at an event such as this and educating the

public about backpack awareness and Occupational Therapy

.Craig Bowen-OTA/S Polk State College

FOCUS ON CONFERENCE:

http://www.flota.org/2012-conference-home

FOCUS SEPTEMBER 2012 FOTA CONFERENCE NEWS REGISTER NOW and GEAR UP FOR 2017!! Registration is now open for the next FOTA Annual Conference to be held November 2 & 3, 2012 at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Tampa campus. Don’t delay! Deadline for Early Bird discounts is October 19!! After that, all registration categories go up by $25. Conference atten-dees can earn up to 15 CEUs if they attend one of the five Institutes, the poster session, keynote speaker and educational sessions. There’s plenty for students to do too – all regular conference educational events, the student mixer Friday evening and a special Saturday round table just for students chaired by FOTA president Kurt Hubbard. Go to www.flota.org for registration forms, all conference schedules, and infor-mation. By the way, basic conference registration fees are UN-CHANGED from the last two conferences. CONFERENCE SCHEDULE Registration and packet pick up starts at 7:30am Friday, November 2 at NSU for those attending any of the five optional Institutes scheduled 8-12noon. Institute attendees will have lunch provided 12-1pm. This is also when the first of four unopposed Exhibitor sessions is offered. Non-Institute attendees can pick up their registration packets or register on-site anytime starting Friday at 10am. Please note there is NO FOOD other than snack machines on NSU campus. Friday lunch for non-Institute attendees is on your own. Please see www.flota.org for a list of nearby restaurants and eateries. On Friday afternoon between 1pm-3pm, there are educational offerings: two hour workshops, one hour short courses and SIS roundtables. From 3-4pm is the second unoppposed Exhibitor session. At 4pm, the remain-der of Friday’s conference events move to the Sheraton Tampa East Hotel (.6 miles east of NSU). Friday events at the Sheraton hotel: 4-6pm poster presentations; 5:30-6:30pm Presidential Reception including free hors d'oeuvres and cash bar; 6:30-7:30pm FOTA business meeting and Award Ceremony; 7:30-8:30pm Keynote speaker Hector Picard; 8:30-10 FLOTEC Reception and student mixer free to all conference attendees. Look forward to a chocolate fountain and FUN TIMES!!!. Saturday November 3 events start at 7:30am. Come enjoy coffee and breakfast bites included with your registration fee. Visit the Exhibitors for an unopposed hour. Educational sessions start at 8:30am. Sat. lunch is provided for all conference attendees and will be served between 12:30-2pm. During this time, Exhibitor sessions are again available unopposed. Educational sessions continue from 2pm and all conference events end at 4pm. See complete conference schedule of all events at www.flota.org. FRIDAY MORNING INSTITUTES Institutes are optional and all are geared toward the OT and OTA practitioner. Remember that your Institute fee includes morning coffee and Friday lunch plus 4 CEUs. There is an amazing selection of Institutes to pick from this year. Consider these titles and the expertise of these presenters! 1. “Institute Community Based Dementia Care”. Dr. Whaley, PhD, OTR/L & Dr. Rachelle Dorne, Ed.D., OTR/L. 2.”Diving into Evidence Based Practice – the Journey Begins!” Elise Bloch, Ed.D., OT/L & Wendy Beth Stav, Ph.D., OTR/L, SCDCM, FAOTA 3.“Resilience: A Proposed Frame of Refer-ence in Occupational Therapy to Overcome Adversity” Nicole Quint, DR. OT, OTR/L. 4.”Let’s Talk Structure, then Function: Vestibular System in Occupations” Ricardo C. Carrasco, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA; Kendall Morris, PhD; Melissa Lazinski, DPT, PT, OCS. 5.”Orthosis Fabrication Practicum” Toni Thompson. MA, OTR/L, C/NDT & Erica Goldin, MS, OTR/L. WOW!! For a complete description of Institutes, refer to www.flota.org.

EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS Guaranteed - There is something for everyone! All areas of practice and all skill levels are represented this year. Work-shops are two hours in length and include a lineup of 10 differ-ent sessions being offered at various times. Short courses are one hour in length and there are 11 to choose from. This year we are pleased to have a record number of 13 SIS Roundtables at conference. The SIS Roundtables offer you a chance to have a discussion with colleagues that share your area of practice or perhaps you want to hear what’s going on in an area with which you are less familiar. Don’t forget that by attending events Fri-day at the Sheraton Hotel, you can earn even more CEUs: 2 CEUs at the poster presentations and 1 CEU at the keynote address. Posters are presented this year by six professionals and many students in both OT and OTA programs. (Student posters will be judged and both OTs and OTAs winners will be announced at the Award Ceremony). KEYNOTE: “DON’T STOP LIVING” by HECTOR PICARD We are very excited to have the dynamic and motivational speaker Hector Picard on Friday evening 7:30-8:30pm. Mr. Picard is a tri-athlete and bilateral upper extrem-ity amputee! Mr. Picard shares his story of facing and overcoming huge hardships in everyday life and in the competitive world of triathlon racing. As occupational therapy practitioners and students, we are sure to find inspiration in Mr. Picard’s story. Check out his website www.dontstopliving.org and make sure you include this keynote presentation on your conference schedule. VENUES Conference educational sessions and exhibitor displays on both Nov. 2 & 3 will be housed at NSU, 3632 Queen Palm Drive, Tampa. NSU Tampa is easy to find – just south of I-4 and a little east of I-75 from exit 260, Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd. Other conference events Friday afternoon and Friday evening will be held at the Sheraton Tampa East Hotel, 10221 Princess Palm Avenue, Tampa. Hotel events include: poster sessions, Presi-dential Reception, Keynote speaker, FOTA membership meet-ing and awards ceremony and FLOTEC / Student Mixer. NSU and the Sheraton are only .6 miles apart.

Join Us In Tampa Nov. 2nd & 3rd

http://www.flota.org/2012-conference-home

ACCOMMODATIONS The Sheraton Tampa East Hotel is the official conference hotel for the Nov. 2012 conference. FOTA has secured a block of rooms for con-ference attendees at this newly renovated hotel. Each room is beautifully decorated and comes with a bal-cony! The rate for

rooms with either a king bed or two double beds is $99. Deadline for this FOTA special rate at the Sheraton is October 3, 2012. Place and confirm your Sheraton reser-vation online at www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/FOTA or call 800-325-3535 and ask for the Florida Occupational Therapy Group Rate. A block of queen studio suite rooms are also available at

Staybridge Suites Tampa Sabal Park, 3624 North Falken-

burg Road, Tampa 33619 for $95 per night Reservations

can be made by calling (813) 227-4000 or

(800) 238-8889 or on-line at http://

nsu.notlong.com . Group name to use: “Nova

Southeastern University FOTA”. Deadline for

the FOTA special rate at Staybridge Suites is

October 19, 2012.

EXHIBITORS Conference schedule this year allows for FOUR unopposed Exhibitor session timeslots – two each on Friday and Saturday for a total of four and a half hours spread over the con-ference. Conference attendees who take ad-vantage of Exhibitor sessions will be eligible to participate in several FOTA door prize drawings!! Information about the door prizes is available in your registration packet at con-ference. You’ll have a chance to WIN FREE FOTA MEMBERSHIP or FREE REGISTRA-TION AT 2013 CONFERENCE plus other prizes. See your representatives at the FOTA booth. FREE FOOD EVENTS Institute attendees will enjoy Friday morning beverages and Friday lunch included in the Institute fee. If you are not attending an Insti-tute, Friday lunch is on your own. See www.flota.org for list of restaurants nearby. All conference attendees (including Institute attendees) can enjoy a hot or a cold non-alcoholic drink Friday at 4pm at the Sheraton while participating in the student and practitioner poster session. Friday from 5:30-6:30pm is the Presidential Reception at the Sheraton. Expect hearty hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Saturday morning when you arrive back at NSU, there will be breakfast beverages and light bites. Saturday at noon, you will have a delicious box lunch waiting for you. Conference registration fees cover so many food events!! SATURDAY SIMULCAST TO FAMU This year for the very first time, a portion of the Saturday FOTA conference educa-tional sessions will be simulcast LIVE to FAMU in Tallahassee.

FOTA is embracing available technology in an effort to include more OT prac-titioners and students who because of the travel involved, may not be other-wise able to participate in our annual conference. How exciting!! For those of you in the Tallahasee area interested in attending or helping with this event, please contact Deb Oliveira at debora.oliveira@famu.edu Bottom line, conference this year will be INCREDIBLE!!! Top notch, current, relevant continuing education sessions, many free food events, fantastic key-note speaker, multiple exhibitor display times, opportunities to meet up with or make new friends and colleagues……What a great way to “Gear Up For 2017!” QUESTIONS? The Conference Planning committee is working hard to bring you an outstanding and memorable confer-ence experience. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, don’t hesitate to contact me at viz-varyot@gmail.com. I’ll do my best to respond as soon as possible.

Elena Vizvary, MS, LOT FOTA VP and Education Chair vizvaryot@gmail.com

Ob·ser·va·tion - noun \ˌäb-sər-ˈvā-shən, -zər-\ : an act or instance

of observing a custom, rule, or law : OBSERVANCE : an act of recog-

nizing and noting a fact or occurrence often involving measurement

with instruments <weatherobservations> : a record or description so

obtained: a judgment on or inference from what one

has observed;broadly : REMARK, STATEMENT: the condition of one

that is observed <under observation at the hospital>.

In OT school many of us remember the first semester and probably one of our first classes was titled Introduction to Occupation. In this class one of my assignments was to go out in the world and ob-serve. I had to go to a playground and observe children at play. My first thoughts were , “ What a waste of time! What does watching kids have to do with Occupation?” I really wasn’t sure at this point what OT was all about and I really wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be doing with this assignment. It wasn’t until years later that I realized the skill my professors were trying to perfect was the super power of observation. I call this a superpower because it is so sub-tle yet once you master the ability to observe you really improve your ability to be a good Occupational Therapist. The best part is you were born with this ability and your life experiences have im-proved your ability to use this skill. As a student and newer therapist (many years ago) I was obsessed with learning how to treat pa-tients, at first to impress my field work educators, then to help my patients. It was about 3 years into being an OT that something clicked. I realized that just watching my patients long before trying to evaluate or treat them gave me a wealth of information. I was finally using the skill of Observation. Having this superpower made me want to share it with others.

The OT Superpower you were born with……

1.- Name the 2 sensory tracts that reach consciousness

2.- Name 3 deficits produced by CN#3 (occulomotor) lesion

3.- Schwann cells make up the myelin sheath in the PNS. What

cell makes it in the CNS

4.- At what vertebral level does the adult spinal cord end

5.- Where are Panama hats manufactured

6.- Thickness of the cerebral cortex

7.- What structure makes up the walls of the third ventricle

8.- The primary motor cortex is found in what Brodmann’s area

9._All sensory information synapses in the thalamus except…

10.- In what 2 ways is CN#4 (trochlear) different from all other

CN

Neuro Trivia Quiz By: Beatriz Howell, Dr.OT, OTR/L Region 7 Neuro SIS Chair

Answers

1.- medial lemniscus and spinothalamic

2.- ipsilateral ophthalmoplegia, i.e. ptosis, mydriasis, and down and out syndrome

3.- Oligodendrocytes

4.- Between first and second lumbar vertebral levels

5.- Oops! Wrong question, but they are manufactured in Ecuador

6.- 1.5- 4.5mm (the thickness of your credit card)

7.- The thalamus

8.- Brodmann’s area #4 in the frontal lobe

9.- Olfactory

10.- the only CN that emerges dorsally in the brain stem and immediately decussates to the contralateral side

Assessment

One wrong answer – you have a pretty well convoluted brain

Two wrong answers – your cerebral cortex is probably 4mm thick

Three wrong answers – you’re losing neurons

Four wrong answers – you need a brain transplant ;)

Having many Level 2 Occupational Therapy students and being a

guest lecturer at the local university I have been able to share this key

skill. I always tell OT students that I will be helping them develop their

Superpower of observation. I constantly tell them to go and observe the

patient. My students and I spend many sessions of just watching some-

one engage in their daily occupations. I stress the fact that after many

years of watching patients and I am now able to anticipate what comes

next or how to intervene . I am constantly asking my students what did

you see verses what was wrong. I have found that just focusing on

observation in the first few weeks of a Level 2 internship makes stu-

dents more aware and better able to problem solve in the coming

weeks. By watching someone do their basic Activities of Daily Living,

you get a sense of who they were, how they do things and what areas

might need improvement. You can see what is functional and what is

dysfunctional In a simple task like brushing teeth, we gleaned so much

from just watching. Anyone can see things like incoordination and

weakness. But by stepping back and just observing you realize some-

times you see so much more. In order to observe, you have to throw

out what you expect to see and just watch ! By watching someone

brush their teeth I see so many more things now. I see preservation; I

see lack of motor planning (apraxia), and poor problem solving. All

from just being present and observing. I will eventually intervene and

use the rest of my OT

skills, but if it weren’t for

my superpower of

observation, I

would have never

learned how to be

an affective OT.

PHYSICAL DYSFUNCTION SIS Chair

Ilse Salcedo, MOT,

OTR/L

Shands Hospital

The following is a summary of a survey I developed and imple-mented during my doctoral studies at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. It was completed in October of 2011. The survey consisted of 20 multiple choice questions related to the respondents; training in EBP, use of EBP & the barriers they face in adopting these practices. Participation was requested by the State Project Director for Working with the Experts. The Florida Department of Education’s Working with the Experts provides professional developmental for occupational, physical, and speech therapists that provide these services to students in Flor-ida’s public schools. She sent an email to the district coordinators in all 67 counties asking them to disseminate the survey link to their employees.

There were 60 participants representing 25 different counties. They were all current school-based occupational therapists in Florida. Their years of experience ranged from less than 1 year to over 30 years with the highest percentage falling between 6-10 years. There was also a wide range found in caseload size which varied from less than 25 to more than 65; with an average of 41-45 students per week.

As expected, it appears that evidence-based practice was not a focus of entry-level occupational therapy training until the late 1990’s. On the other hand, all of the participants who graduated after 2001 reported that EBP was at least addressed, if not a main focus, of the entry-level education. Not surprisingly, 87.5% of the participants with a post-professional degree reported that EBP was a main focus of their studies.

Florida OT Evidence-Based Practice

Evidence-Based Practice Survey of School-Based Occupational Therapists in the State of Florida

By: Jennifer Villalobos, OTD, OTR/L

Lack of time was the most common barrier to EBP reported. This is not surprising, as it has been mentioned in previous articles [Dysart, et al. (2002), McCluskey (2003) & Bennett, et al. (2003)]. It was surprising, that there did not appear to be any correlation between lack of time and a high caseload; nor, was there any correlation found between caseload size and use of EBP.

Of the 8 participants who reported never using evidence to guide their practice, 5 (or 62.5%) also reported that they did not know where to access the information or how to search/navigate databases. Interest-ingly, almost 30% of the participants who did report using evidence also reported they did not know where to access this information.

These finding indicate that, along with lack of time, a lack of training many be a significant factor in the use of EBP. The preceding state-ment is strongly supported by the large number of participants (86.7%) who report that they would like to take a training course in EBP. When asked if they were open to adopting EBP in the future, if they have not already, 95% of the participants reported “yes, I think it could improve my outcomes”.

Overall, it appears that a large majority of school-based occupational therapists in the state of Florida that were surveyed: 1) strongly believe in the value of EBP, 2) are currently attempting to utilize evidence to some degree, and 3) report a desire for training to assist them in adopt-ing EBP in the future.. (References available from Author)

A storm has been brewing in this country for some time in the warm waters of the legislature; a storm that will certainly make landfall in Florida and bring a significant surge of changes im-pacting healthcare for elders in our state. The current fiscal cri-sis that has reached unprecedented levels, the impending se-questration process and the implementation of The Patient Pro-tection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; Pub. L. 111-148) would demand accountability and occupational therapy innovation in service delivery.

ACA proposes to improve access through mandated benefits, improvements in service delivery efficiencies as well as cost re-duction measures. This dichotomy poses potential opportunities, but also challenges for occupational therapy practice. Occupa-tional therapy services are included under the essential health benefits; however, guidelines for implementation remain unclear. Restrictions in the number of client visits as well as in the scope of services covered are foreseeable. Medicare coverage, said to reach insolvency by 2024, will also face costs reduction meas-ures. The nature of changes and how they may impact the scope and quality of services is to be settled, as many of the measures have not been announced yet.

The needs of elders in our state were identified in a recent sur-

vey of Florida elders 60 years or older (N=1, 100). The survey

revealed that about 17 % of elders require assistance with basic

ADLs, while about 51 % require assistance with IADLs such as

housekeeping. Almost half of these elders reported living with a

spouse and 1: 5 were caregivers.

Yet, the majority of them were not receiving any agency assis-

tance such as emotional support, information about resources or house-hold help. Furthermore, about 10% of respondents were not receiving needed mental health intervention, only about 10% were attending senior center programs and 24 % were not engaged in any type of regular ac-tivities programs. The survey highlights potential areas for increased occupational therapy involvement.

As the wind gusts of this storm blow through our state, the leadership and resourcefulness of occupational therapists will be critical in assuring an outcome and accountability driven approach to gerontology practice. Reaching elders at all levels of the rehabilitation continuum is critical to achieve continuity of care and enhanced outcomes. Initiatives such as self-management and prevention including fall prevention, mental health programs, Alzheimer’s disease and chronic disease management, low vision, home modifications, older driver initiatives and wellness are all opportunities for increased professional engagement. Using best prac-tices in service delivery, as well as educating caregivers and the public on the role of occupational therapy is paramount. Occupational thera-pists working in gerontology practice are encouraged to stay informed on legislative issues so that we position ourselves well to meet the chal-lenges of emerging healthcare models. Reinforcing our core commit-ments of client centered care, beneficence, veracity, justice, autonomy and prudence would strengthen the pillars of the profession’s storm shel-ter.

*References available from writer upon request

Belkis Landa-Gonzalez, Ed.D., OTR/L Director and Associate Professor Occupational Therapy Program College of Health Sciences Barry University bgonzalez@mail.barry.edu (305) 899-3222/3213

SIS Gerontology: Forecast: Hazy, a storm in the horizon

A Special Thank You from FLOTEC

FLOTEC Chair Pam Kasyan presents an Award of

Appreciation to Saritza Guzmán-Sardina of Polk

State College for her dedication and service in her

terms as a Chair of the Florida Occupational Ther-

apy Educational Consortium. Thank you Saritza!

Thank you to our other executive officers Robin

Richmond (Secretary) of Polk State College, and

Tammy LeSage (Treasurer) of The University of St.

Augustine.

Welcome to our new Chair Pam Kasyan of South

University, and Treasurer Diane Habegger of

Keiser University. Robin Richmond will continue in

her capacity as FLOTEC Secretary..

Look for our FLOTEC booth at the FOTA Conference, and our annual FLOTEC Mixer that takes place Fri-

day, November 2nd, at the Sheraton Hotel after the FOTA Presidential Reception.

Florida Occupational Therapy Educational Consortium (FLOTEC) The Florida Occupational Therapy Educational Consortium is an organi-zation dedicated to the development, implementation, and support of quality fieldwork education for OT and OTA students. The partnership between education and practice provides leadership for fieldwork education programs and clinical faculty development. Through open discussion, networking, and aggressive exploration of opportunities and visionary ideas, the group fosters and sup-ports dynamic fieldwork education environments for fieldwork faculty and students.

Join Us at the Tampa Conference for the FLOTEC Mixer!

Working Together for Excellence in Fieldwork Education.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding – a new sport, a new realm for therapists to master

The popularity of the modern sport of Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP) has its origin in the Hawaiian Islands. In the early 1960s, the Beach Boys of Waikiki would stand on their long boards, and paddle out with outrigger paddles to take pictures of the tourists learning to surf. The sport benefits its participants with an overall body workout especially associated with strong dynamic stabilization skills. SUP is gaining popularity at warm coastal climates at the recreational, cross-training and competitive levels.

The rise in popularity of SUP is due to the fact that, unlike surfing, paddleboarding is very easy to learn. Within one hour you can be-come very comfortable in the water and on your board. It does not discriminate from the young, the ever-growing baby boomer popula-tion and the active elderly population. In the competitive world, there are at least 30 racing events for amateurs and pros scheduled in the East Coast alone! The higher the participation, the higher possibilities of injuries sustained especially overuse syndromes of the shoulders and elbows.

On April 21st, the “Stand Up Paddle Boarding 101+” seminar was held in St Petersburg by Therapeutic Interventions of West Florida (TIWFL). Almost 40 physical therapists and occupational therapists participated in this one-of-a-kind event. The class was divided into two parts: Geraldine Nuevo, PT (SUP boarder and member of TEAM USA Dragon Boat racing team) was the instructor for the land-based por-tion which included the breakdown of the sport’s biomechanics, creat-ing an effective training program for increased output in SUP, a dis-cussion of common injuries, their prevention, and utilization of SUP as a tool in the rehabilitation of patients with orthopedic, neurological, respiratory and other conditions. Nuevo stated that one of the most common injuries is shoulder impingement due to the repetitive nature of the sport and the intensity of the stress placed on the shoulder throughout its range of motion.

Proper measurement of the paddle and demonstrations of exercise routines for increasing lower body, upper body and trunk strength us-ing body weight for resistance, hand weights, Swiss ball and a bal-ance board were performed by the participants. The difference in mechanics of the other paddling sports such as dragon boat racing; outrigger paddling and rowing were outlined.

The second part of the class was held in the water where the partici-pants had hands-on experience on the board and instruction – proper mounting, transition from kneeling to standing, breakdown of a stroke and turning – by Chase Kosterlitz, world champion paddle boarder. Kosterlitz competes throughout the world in Stand Up Paddleboard endurance events.

Kosterlitz outlined the components of a stroke as follows:

“Reach - The distance you are reaching forward to put your blade in the water. Reach as far as possible each time you stroke. Sometimes reach is over-stressed. You need to reach only as far as you feel comfortable. If you are off balance you will be counter-productive in your stroke.

Catch - The part of the stroke when the blade enters the water. Make sure your have reached as far as you are comfortable. Al-low the blade to completely enter the water before you begin your power phase. The catch should be as clean as possible with no splashing.

Power Phase - This is where you are applying the power to your stroke. Use your entire body for this part of the stroke as the arms are much weaker than the rest of our body. Use the rotation of your torso, hips and shoulders to drive your paddle. Do not pull too far back as this will decelerate the board. Grip lightly on your paddle without using your thumb to work on not using your arms during slow technique practice.

Release - After the power phase you will be releasing the paddle from the water. Similar to our catch, we want as little splashing as possible. Feathering the blade is helpful in creating a smooth re-lease and setting yourself up for the catch. You can achieve feathering by dropping your top shoulder, by ‘breaking’ your wrist inward, or a combination of both.

Recovery - Relax your entire body during the recovery phase. This will help create a rhythm and allow your body to reach as far forward as you are comfortable to set up the next stroke.

IMPORTANT TIP

When practicing your stand up paddle technique you are not working to make performance gains. This means do not paddle like you are trying to race. Slow down. You should be paddling at no higher than 60% effort in the very beginning and then slowly increasing intensity as you progress. Technique work is designed to build a foundation for stand up paddle efficiency. We want to put in the least amount of effort for the most amount of reward. The more efficient our paddle stroke is, the faster and longer we can paddle with less fatigue.” (http://watermonkeysup.com/blog/stroke-breakdown/)

Participants received 4 hours of continuing education credits thru the Florida Physical Therapy Association and the Florida Occupa-tional Therapy Association. The next class in St Pete Beach is on

October 13, 2012. Contact Karen Gonzalez at kar-gonz@tampabay.rr.com for information.

SUP , that looks fun!

Proper stoke mechanics while using elastic

bands for resistance

Participant on a balance board while performing a

stroke with an SUP paddle

Core strengthening thru planking

Shoulder girdle strengthening with

trunk stabilization. Increasing core stability with resisted

stroking

Stand Up Paddleboard and safety equipment.

Transition from kneeling on the board to standing

OT’s and PT are paddling away!

Kosterlitz leading the group while the others look on.

One of the reasons why SUP is becoming the fastest growing sport and recreational activity – it al-

lows exploration of your surroundings and get a great work out while you’re at it! Gonzalez, Kosterlitz and Nuevo – post seminar

So, these two definitions are relatively contrary. This is sure to

spike a debate and I feel assured of my stance on it. I believe

the later speaks more to the profession of occupational therapy

and not an “academic discipline” (Larson, Wood, & Clark,

2005).

Next, I should reflect on the term “occupational performance”.

Christiansen, Clark, Kielhofner, Rogers, & Nelson (1995) report

that, “the physical and mental abilities and skills required for

satisfactory engagement in a given occupational pursuit consti-

tute the performance dimension of human occupation, often

referred to in the occupational therapy literature as occupa-

tional performance” (p. 1015). Likewise the area of

“occupational performance” has interestingly been one of the

most studied in the profession which gives rise to the terms

“function” and “purposeful activity” being used as synonyms for

such (Christiansen, Clark, Kielhofner, Rogers, & Nelson, 1995).

Similarly, Baum, Edwards, & Hinojosa (1995) note that “the

unique term used by occupational therapists to express func-

tion is occupational performance” (p. 1019). Occupational per-

formance is at the core of the vibrant relationship between an

individual, their engagement in occupation(s), and the sur-

roundings of their existing environment (Baum, Edwards, &

Hinojosa, 1995, p. 1019). My mind is beginning to get a bit

more settled on the understanding of all these terms and their

interrelationship. Perhaps, I should not worry so much if they

do happen to come up in conversations at the party.

Now, I have a couple more terms that I should consider a bit

further; both of which are aforementioned. I believe that these

two terms are very important, and it is unreasonable to think of

occupational therapy without them; function and purposeful

activity. ….CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE>>>>>

How To Describe Occupational Therapy ?

www.flota.org

As I am getting ready to go to a party, I am thinking about what

I will say to others when they ask me what I do for a living.

Well… then I contemplate on the word, “living” and how much it

has to do with my profession. After all, the slogans for the

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) include

“Building Skills for a Better Life” (Waite, 2012) and “Living Life

To Its Fullest” (McKenna, 2011). Next, I begin thinking about

other terms that are related to occupational therapy such as

occupation, occupational science, occupational performance,

function, and purposeful activity. Oh my, I am getting really

concerned about how I can explain the role of occupation as it

relates to the treatment that occupational therapists provide.

Furthermore, will I have to mention physical therapy first before

I explain what an occupational therapist does? That is getting

really old! I am thankful that I am slow at getting ready because

I have much to think about.

First, I am only going to think about the meaning of

“occupation”. According to Christiansen, Clark, Kielhofner,

Rogers, & Nelson (1995), “occupation has been used to refer to

an individual’s active participation in self-maintenance, work,

leisure, and play” (p. 1015). Additionally, there is a genuine con-

sensus that all occupations are holistic in that they comprise emo-

tional, spiritual, and physical components (Christiansen, Clark,

Kielhofner, Rogers, & Nelson, 1995). Nevertheless, depending

on what context “occupation” is used in there is ambiguity in its

true meaning. Likewise, to make things even more complicated,

Nelson (1996) defined occupation as “the relationship between

occupational form and occupational performance and defined

related terms, such as meaning, purpose, developmental struc-

ture, impact and adaptation” (p. 775). He further noted that these

terms constitute what is known as “therapeutic occupation” which

is a type of occupation (Nelson, 1996, p. 775). At this point my

mind is getting extremely boggled, and what I thought was a good

way to explain my profession to the lay person has become quite

complicated.

Next, I considered the term “occupational science”, and I know as

an educator that this terminology is sure to come up if I see an

academic colleague. Anyways, I should refresh my memory.

Larson, Wood, & Clark (2005) put it quite simply when they

stated, “occupational therapy is a profession and occupational

science is an academic discipline” (p. 15). Additionally, they em-

phasize that “occupational science, because it focuses on human

behavior, should be thought of as a social science akin to anthro-

pology, sociology, and psychology and not as a single theory,

model, perspective or frame of reference for occupational ther-

apy” (Larson, Wood, & Clark, 2005, p. 15). It was interesting as I

remembered some of the history of “occupational science”. Hen-

derson, Cermak, Coster, Murray, Trombly, and Tickle-Degnen

(1991) stated their definition as follows:

We believe that occupational science

comprises not only the study of occu-

pation (self – care, work, leisure) but

also the components of function re-

lated to occupational performance

(e.g., movement, cognition, emotion).

Furthermore, we propose that research

in occupational science should not be

restricted to treatments involving pur-

poseful activity. To address fully the

domain of occupation, we must study

facilitatory agents that are not tradi-

tionally called purposeful activity. (p.

370)

P.O. Box 1459,

Englewood, FL 34295

The main understanding here is that the performance of occupa-

tion has much more richness of meaning because of the many

dimensions that it holds including: “contextual, temporal, psycho-

logical, social, symbolic, and spiritual” (Christiansen, Clark, Kiel-

hofner, Rogers, & Nelson, 1995, p. 1016). Whereas function

and purposeful activity do not captivate the scope that perform-

ance of occupation does.

Fisher (1992) discovered that “function” can be classified into

three categories based on “impairment, disability, and handicap”

which is interesting (p. 183). However she does emphasize that

“occupational therapists frame function in occupation or the abil-

ity to perform the daily life tasks related to activities of daily liv-

ing, instrumental activities of daily living, work, and play and lei-

sure” (Fisher, 1992, p. 184). Hinojosa & Kramer (1997) further

clarify “function” and purposeful activity”; they explain purposeful

activity as “goal-directed behaviors or tasks” (p. 865). Moreover, they again use the term “function” as an “equivalent to performance” as I

already alluded to (Hinojosa & Kramer, 1997, p. 865; Christiansen, Clark, Kielhofner, Rogers, & Nelson, 1995, p. 1015).

Well……I believe I am ready for the party. I have contemplated on all these key terms that might come up in conversations that I have at

the party. Perhaps, I’ll have the opportunity to make a new friend and introduce them to occupational therapy which is always fun. Oh

no!!!!! I just thought of something. What if a practitioner, scientist, or educator asks me about “High-Definition Occupational Ther-

apy” (Clark, 2010)? OK, I have a solution. My husband is driving me to the party, so I have time to review this very important inaugural

presidential address of 2010.

OT Description continued….

Kathy Sessler, MSHS, OTR/L

National Dean of Occupational Therapy Studies

Remington College, Inc.

The AOTA has proposed that when occupa-

tional therapists use the term function, they

refer to an individual’s performance of activi-

ties, tasks, and roles during daily occupa-

tions. Purposeful activity has also been rec-

ognized as a term to describe engagement in

the tasks of daily living, with the use of this

term emphasizing the intentional, goal-

directed nature of such engagement

(Christiansen, Clark, Kielhofner, Rogers, &

Nelson, 1995, p. 1016).

PO Box 1459

Englewood, FL 4295

(954) 840-3682