Emily Cox, Kristina Nazzicone-Ferreira, and Gail Teachman
Read this article to learn about children’s involvement in research from the field of Childhood Ethics, and how researchers can think about child-focussed research differently.
Category Archive: Commentary
Riya Shah
Are you a post-secondary student that has used services like health and wellness but still need more support? Read this article to learn how OT can support your academics and mental health!
Commentary
By Kathryn Lambert, Molly Beauregard, & Nathalie Klinger
A central component of occupational therapy (OT) education is the opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and skills on clinical placements. Students typically participate in several placements, each under the full-time supervision of an occupational therapist. Approximately 5% of placements in Canada are classified as role-emerging placements (REPs) (1). In REPs, the placement setting is an organization that does not have an occupational therapist on staff. Two students work together to independently carve out a role for occupational therapy for the organization’s clientele over the course of the placement. While this role varies according to the nature of the organization, common components include the development of group treatment programs, the creation of educational resources, and the administration of equipment assessments, such as assessing a client with mobility needs for a walker. A professional employee of the organization supervises the students on-site, while a registered occupational therapist outside of the organization provides around eight hours of mentorship per a week.
REPs provide a range of potential benefits to students, the target organization, and the profession of OT as a whole. Through REPs, students and professors are able to initiate placement opportunities that facilitate student development of unique and timely skills. By definition, these placements fill healthcare gaps by providing OT services to clients who would otherwise have limited or no access to the profession (1,2). The increased use of REPs has led to an increase in both student willingness to work in non-traditional settings such as not-for-profit organizations and has also added to a number of new job opportunities in such settings (2). Successful REPs through the University of Alberta have resulted in the establishment of permanent OT services at both the Bissell Centre, a not-for-profit organization that supports low-income and homeless Edmontonians, and Henwood Treatment Centre, a residential addictions treatment centre in Edmonton (1).
Ronessa Dass and Dr. Tara Packham
Are you experiencing changes in your cognitive, emotional or physical health? Do you believe that you have long COVID? Read this article to discover if you or someone you know may be experiencing brain fog!
Ilakkiah Chandran
Older adults residing in LTC facilities continue to experience mental health challenges and illness. Without adequate care and support, many older adults are forced to suffer in silence. This article aims to provide recommendations to dismantle the barriers to mental health accessibility and efficiency in Ontario LTC facilities.
V. Armineh Babikian
Armineh Babikian, an occupational therapist (OT) from New York City, discusses her 2017 volunteer experience in Armenia providing OT services in rural villages and engaging in capacity-building for newly mandated inclusive education. As a current PhD student, Babikian reflects on her approach using a critical social lens and discusses the implications of her North American training in Armenia.
Stephanie Reischl & Rochelle Furtado
Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) capture treatment progress from the patient’s perspective. While patients should be involved in their development, often they are not. This article addresses benefits and barriers towards patient engagement, designing PROMs for capturing pain, and strategies on including patients in studies…all directly from a patient partner’s experience!
Ilakkiah Chandran & Anuijan Chandran
Companion-type robots are seen as valuable tools for ensuring social rehabilitation of older adults. Is that true? Are companion-type robots accessible, efficient, and effective in providing older adults with care they need and deserve?
Natasha Benn
Within media platforms, healthcare, and social circles, the negative consequences of falls are emphasized and elicit a fear of falling (FOF). A study showed that older adults view fall-awareness media campaigns as detrimental and exacerbated their fear. If instead patient education was focused on independence and balance interventions, it could prevent the development of FOF.
Jessica Otoo-Appiah, Lizzie Houlding, Lauren Humphrey & Anonymous
When healthcare workers discuss the intersection of health and work, rehabilitation therapists are often not at the forefront of these conversations. However, unsafe workplaces affect our patients and communities. This article discusses the impact of precarious work on health and the rehabilitation sector’s role in changing it.
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