Patents Pending...

How many OTs does it take to change a lightbulb?



NONE; we'll teach it how to change itself!!

Our ingenuity is obvious, and if we can't teach you to do it yourself....

We will use our creative minds and design something, and hopefully with this new handy-dandy tool and a little therapy you'll be out on your own again! Today we practiced this handy work and shared our prototypes with our peers:

This cardboard and tape, multifunctional tool can be used to open and shut cabinets, turn on and off light switches, and reach just about anything.

This excellent cardboard and tape stand  can hold your hairdryer, camera, laptop, and a table top, among many dozen of things...

And just in time for gardening....How about this energy saving device that you strap on your back!

At first glance this may seem to be only a cardboard briefcase--but it is a table, desk, sliding board, vanity, all in one!

What's that you ask?                   A fishing rod--for the REALLY, REALLY big fish!
(You only need one arm for this one too!)

This lunch tray is "Too Cool for School!"

 

Here are some links to various companies that take these cardboard and tape ideas and turn them into the "real thing".  

Maura and I had the chance to try some of these out at the AOTA Conference in April (see previous pictures).

Southpaw Enterprises: http://www.southpawenterprises.com/

(The sensory rocking chair is amazing!)

In the Fall, Fred Sammons, the OT who started Sammons Preston (now owned by Patterson Medical), came to talk to us about how his ideas turned into a company.

Patterson Medical, Sammons Preston: http://www.pattersonmedical.com/

 

If only I could catch their creativity!

Are you listening?

LIVING LIFE TO ITS FULLEST Podcasts

http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Podcasts.aspx#20 

• Episode 20 Children's Mental Health (May 2010)
• Episode 19 What Is Occupational Therapy? (April 2010)
• Episode 18 Yoga (March 2010)
• Episode 17 Disaster Response & Amputations (February 2010)
• Episode 16 Disaster Response and Preparedness (January 2010)
• Episode 15 Older Driver Safety (December 2009)
• Episode 14 Diabetes (November 2009)
• Episode 13 Breast Cancer Intervention and the Role of Occupational Therapy (October 2009)
• Episode 12 Make Your Home Fit You (September 2009)
• Episode 11 Backpack and General School Ergonomics (August 2009)
• Episode 10 Community Mobility for Seniors (July 2009)
• Episode 9 Home Safety (June 2009)
• Episode 8 Arthritis (May 2009)
• Episode 7 Autism (April 2009)

You can download these and listen to them on your IPod or simply listen to them on your computer while you are Facebooking, etc.

Are you Connected??

CONNECTIONS
 http://otconnections.aota.org/

Stay up-to-date and connected with other OTs from around the nation: Read blogs, join forums and discussions, look at pictures from AOTA happenings, join special interest groups, and read OT's Blogs!

This is how the AOTA is communicating with everyone now.  There are no more mailing lists.  (Please let me know if you need help, or if you think it would be helpful if I explain how to sign up and navigate this cite at our next RAMSOTA meeting.)

Ask questions, find OT friends in every town and specialty, and "be in the know."

What are you interested in?

Sorry for the silence.  Exams are finished!

There is still so much more about conference, and it is very hard to find a constructive way to post it all!  I did want to make you all aware that the AOTA has a link for you to download any of the presentations you are interested in. Maura and I (Ann-English) still plan to update, through this blog or through a presentation, you all on the sessions that we attended Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  However, I understand that we all have varying interests.  I encourage you to look through the posted presentations, find what you are interested in, and download the PowerPoint presentations for future reference.


http://www.aota.org/ConfandEvents/2010AnnualConference.aspx

Once you get to the above link, click on handouts.
This will open up a new webpage, "OASIS."
Click:  Browse: Explore sessions by Category, Type, or Date.
From there you can browse by Day, Session Type, Session Category, and/or Secondary Content Focus.
(Please note that anything in red will take you to a new page or open a new document.)
Once you are in the "Session Detail" scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the Presentation date, time, name, authors, etc.
If the Session has handouts that you can save or download you will see "Handouts"

Please shot me a message if you have any trouble.  I am happy to help you!