Giving Back to the Community
OT Works! is pleased to continue to support two local initiatives that provide change and promote social justice: Project Change and Run for Water.
Change and staying active are central to the philosophy of occupational therapy. Our therapists facilitate change and meaningful activities to promote health and recovery.
Project Change Foundation provides financial and other support to early-stage charities in Canada with significant potential for creating social or environmental change.
In 2022, Project Change provided grants and support to Courage in Action, an organization that supports women with difficult circumstances by providing free resources to assist them in moving forward in their lives. Through educational sessions and conferences delivered by accomplished women, the charity aims to uplift and inspire their members to create new or different outcomes.
This year, OT Works! also participated for the fifth time in Run for Water. We joined 1500 other runners at Mill Lake in Abbotsford to make a difference in the community of Sizi, Ethiopia.
In 15 years of the event, Run for Water has raised over $4,000,000 to help build clean water projects in some of the most remote and marginalized areas of Ethiopia.
OT Works! also continues to support other organizations as they empower people in Canada and around the world, such as WWF and Plan Canada.
November is Fall Prevention Month
Everyone trips or loses their balance from time to time. While most falls do not cause severe injury, a simple fall from standing can cause significant injuries. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among Canadian older adults. 20-30% of older adults fall each year.
The good news is that there is much you can do as most falls are predictable and preventable. Everyone has a role in preventing falls. You can take simple steps to reduce your risk of falling.
11 Ways to Prevent a Fall
1. Improve your mobility and balance
- Include balance exercises, such as Tai Chi, Yoga, and dancing, as part of your routine
- Take your time to get up from bed and to turn, allowing your body enough time to adapt
- Talk to an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist about mobility aids.
2. Strengthen your muscles and increase your physical activity
Exercise is good for your heart and circulation, as well as your bones, muscles, and balance. It also helps to maintain a healthy weight and mental well-being.
- If you are inactive, start by choosing an activity you like and plan for how to incorporate physical activity safely into your routine.
- Look for group activities or classes in your community or get your family or friends to be active with you.
- If you have a medical condition, discuss your plans for physical activity with a health professional before beginning an exercise program and seek a supervised program.
3. Check your vision
Regular eye exams are important to address vision problems, as poor vision can increase the risk of a fall.
- Have your eyes tested each year by an optometrist.
- Reduce glare outdoors by wearing a hat or sunglasses and eliminate glare in your home by using light shades and curtains.
- Always keep glasses handy.
4. Check your medication
Taking multiple medications is linked to falls – the greater the number of medications a person takes, the greater the risk of any adverse reaction from medication, including falls. Some drugs, such as sedatives, are more likely to increase the risk of falling.
- Ask about a medication review of all your medications. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for information and whether any of your medications will cause unsteadiness or other side effects.
- Speak to your doctor or pharmacist immediately if a medication is causing side effects, such as becoming unsteady, dizzy, confused, or drowsy, or if you have a fall.
- Avoid taking medication and alcohol together – alcohol can add to the risk of falling by affecting your alertness, judgement, physical coordination, and reaction time.
5. Reduce your fear of falling
Fear of falling or loss of confidence sometimes occurs after a fall. This can lead to a cycle of stopping activities, which in turn reduces muscle mass and strength.
- Become aware if you are afraid of falling and how it is affecting your everyday activities and mobility.
- Discuss your fear of falling with family members and health professionals to find ways to take appropriate steps toward fall prevention.
- Be prepared before a fall. If you live alone, a personal alarm or cordless telephone can give you greater confidence to stay active in and around the house.
6. Use appropriate footwear
Wearing footwear that does not fit properly or has worn soles may increase your risk for a fall.
Foot problems such as ingrown toenails, fallen arches, misshapen toes, and decreased sensation with age and/or from diabetes can also contribute to falls.
- Wear walking shoes for daily activities.
- Make sure your shoes are firm and supportive around the heels and the instep of your feet. They should be flexible and have enough room around your toes.
- Choose footwear that offers good stability.
7. Keep good nutrition habits
As you get older, it is particularly important to maintain strong bones and muscles.
- Eat a variety of nutritious foods
- Tell your doctor if you experience reduced appetite or unexplained weight loss.
- If you are at risk for deficiency, seek advice from a dietician or your doctor about nutrition supplements.
8. Manage your health
Annual medical assessments are an important aspect of staying independent and ensuring ongoing evaluation and treatment of conditions that contribute to falls and fall-related injury.
- Have regular check-ups with your doctor to help prevent worsening of any condition you may have and to keep you as active as possible.
- Seek medical treatment if you feel unwell.
- Talk with a healthcare professional about incontinence. Loss of bladder or bowel control, frequency (going to the toilet often), and urgency (going in a rush) all increase the risk for a fall, especially at night.
9. Do a Home Safety Checklist
Falls are often due to hazards that are easy to overlook but also easy to fix. Making changes in your home to prevent falls is beneficial both for you and your family members. Most falls resulting in significant injury occur within the home, most within the living room or bedroom.
10. Check for hazards in the community
Paying attention to our surroundings helps everyone to be safe in our communities.
- Always try to use footpaths if possible. Avoid damaged footpaths or rough ground with loose or uneven surfaces.
- Be aware of curbs, changing levels, and slopes, especially at entrances to buildings.
- Always be aware of bicycles, toys, pets, or other objects which may be in the way, especially when using a walker that blocks the view of the area in front of you.
- Allow yourself time to cross roads safely and use pedestrian crossings if available.
- If you use public transport, take your time. Keep one hand free to hold a rail and always look at the step. Ask the bus driver to wait until you are seated before taking off.
- Check the weather. Be extra careful walking on snow and ice or going outside in extreme heat.
11. Get appropriate equipment
Specialized home modifications (e.g., grab bars, walk-in showers) and assistive devices (e.g., reachers, raised toilets) play a significant role in reducing the risk of falls and helping older adults maintain their independence within their home.
- Occupational therapists can provide information about personal and environmental assessments to help make life easier and safer, as well as guidance on proper installation and use of equipment.
How OT Can Help Prevent Falls
Occupational Therapists can help you prevent falls and put into practice the 11 steps listed above. An OT can help you with advice, ideas, and equipment. OTs manage your underlying fall risk factors and optimize your home design and environment.
Contact us
If you or someone you know is at risk for falls, contact us today.
Email: referrals@ot-works.com
Phone: 604.696.1066 ext. 1000.
Learn More:
- Fall prevention (Government of BC)
- Home Safety Checklist (Government of BC)
- Home Safety – with videos (Finding Balance)
10 tips to deal with Driving Anxiety
Many people avoid driving or being a passenger in a car because of Driving Anxiety.
Driving anxiety is intense fear, phobia, or distress at the possibility of driving or being a passenger in a car. These feelings can also appear in specific situations, such as driving over a bridge, at night, during winter, or being a front-seat passenger. In many cases, people are afraid because they think that something bad can happen to them.
Strategies to help
The good news is that there are tips and strategies to help you manage your symptoms and fear of driving. Here are 10 tips to help you:
1. Recognize signs of anxiety in yourself
Signs of driving anxiety include:
- Stopping the activity (e.g., you’ve ceased driving)
- Physical reactions (e.g., sweating, headaches, chest pains, dry throat, etc.)
- Plan driving routes that are very elaborate and longer than necessary, to avoid certain roads
2. Recognize what specifically triggers your anxiety (e.g., certain intersections, loud sirens, car screeching)
3. Plan your trip in advance:
- Know what route you will take
- Anticipate what challenges might arise and be prepared to deal with them
4. Avoid black and white, or absolutist, thinking.
- Being in a car does not mean you will be in an accident
- Accept that there are always risks with driving; cut those risks by driving responsibly (be alert, know your own limitations, don’t drink and drive, etc.)
5. Realistic thinking
It is important for your mind to stay focused on the task of driving and that your internal thoughts are positive and helpful for the goal of returning to driving. You can use Calming/Realistic Thinking anytime that you notice worry or doubt thoughts coming into your mind. When you recognize a worry or doubt thought, counter that thought. Here are some sample questions you can counter the thought with to help your thinking be more calm or realistic:
- Would most people agree with this thought? If not, what would most people think?
- What would I say to a friend if a friend was in a similar situation?
- What will happen if I continue to think this way?
- What is a more encouraging or useful way of thinking?
6. Learn to reduce your tension when at the wheel.
- Relax before, during, and after you drive
- When you are aware of yourself becoming tense, engage in the stress reduction management strategies that work best for you, such as playing music and breathing techniques
7. Return to driving in a graduated fashion
- Start small and slow
- Gradually increase the driving time (duration), frequency, and environmental stimulus (how busy the streets are)
8. Use affirmations to confirm that you’re doing the right thing while driving.
Reassure yourself that you are ok! Such as:
- I am driving carefully and within the speed limit. Careful driving is safe driving.
- Driving is a common, everyday activity. I am an alert driver participating in a common activity with care.
- I do not have to drive fast, I can drive in the right-hand lane if I want to travel slower than other cars.
- I have power and control over what happens to me.
9. “Safety Sack”
Prepare a bag or collection of objects that make you feel safe. This “sack” is something that you can then carry around with you when you travel in a vehicle to help you feel safe wherever you go.
10. Seek professional help
Seeing a counsellor, psychologist or Occupational Therapist might be helpful to manage your driving anxiety.
An OT can help
Together, you and your OT can identify triggers, develop calming techniques, create checklists and prompts, and develop a gradual plan to resume this important activity. Your OT can also help you practice driving – they can ride as a passenger in your car while you practice your strategies and build up confidence as a driver.
Occupational Therapists at OT Works! have experience with driving desensitization and can help you overcome your driving anxiety and get back to being a successful driver or passenger.
Contact us
If you or someone you know is looking for support with driving anxiety, contact us today.
Email: referrals@ot-works.com
Phone: 604.696.1066 ext. 1000.
October 27th is World OT Day
Today, OT Works! celebrates World OT Day! Every October, we also celebrate OT Month in Canada.
World Occupational Therapy Day was first launched on 27th October 2010. Since then, it has become an important date in the occupational therapy calendar to promote and celebrate the profession internationally.
The theme for this year’s event is ‘Opportunity + Choice = Justice’.
This year’s theme promotes how occupational therapy affords greater opportunity and choice to promote a more open and just society.
At OT Works! we rely on our values of Quality, Respect, Objectivity, Promptness, Creativity and Empathy to provide client-centered and meaningful care.
Occupational Therapists make a difference in the lives of many people around the world.
Today, we celebrate our team and reaffirm our commitment to helping people on their rehabilitation journeys.
To our OT Works! team and to all OTs we say Thank You!
Contact us and get started with an OT today. #worldotday
Find out more:
October 20 is Purple Thursday
Brain Injury Canada is supporting a new initiative from the Canadian Royale Purple Society – Purple Thursday.
On October 20, 2022, the Canadian Royal Purple Society is asking Canadians to wear purple to raise awareness of the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and brain injury.
Information about IPV & brain injury
According to the World Health Organization, one in three women will experience intimate partner violence in her lifetime. Most may also suffer one or more brain injuries as a result, since IPV often involves blows to the face, head, and neck. Brain injury in IPV can also happen from a loss of oxygen to the brain caused by strangulation. Often times, these injuries result from repetitive episodes of IPV occurring over many months or years.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) tends to happen behind closed doors, and there may not be signs obvious to people outside the household. Brain injury is often just as invisible, causing lifelong symptoms and challenges, but with no outward signs of disability. Clinicians may also not ask about intimate partner violence in their practice.
IPV is also extremely underreported. This happens for a variety of reasons, including:
• Shame and stigma associated with IPV;
• Fear of not being believed;
• Desire to keep the family together, and;
• A lack of recognition as to what constitutes abuse, causing victims to think it’s normal
Support for survivors
The following are some available supports for individuals who may need it.
• Shelter Safe – an online resource to help women and their children seeking safety from violence and abuse
• Women’s Shelters Canada – Shelters and Transition Houses United to End Violence Against Women
• Advocacy information about intimate partner violence and brain injury in Canada
• Facts about intimate partner violence from the Government of Canada’s Department of Justice
• SOAR’s HELPS Brain Injury Screening Tool
• SOAR’s Moving Ahead: Worker’s Guide to Brain Injury in Intimate Partner Violence
• SOAR’s Moving Ahead: Survivor’s Guide to Brain Injury in Intimate Partner Violence
Resources
• SOAR’s HELPS Brain Injury Screening Tool
• SOAR’s Moving Ahead: Worker’s Guide to Brain Injury in Intimate Partner Violence
• SOAR’s Moving Ahead: Survivor’s Guide to Brain Injury in Intimate Partner Violence
• Brain Injury 101: the ABI toolkit on brain injury caused by intimate partner violence
• Assessing Knowledge of Traumatic Brain Injury Among Intimate Partner Violence Service Providers
• Intimate partner violence and concussion/brain injury
Learn more about #PurpleThursday
https://www.canadianroyalpurplesociety.org/
Contact Us
If you or someone you know is looking for support with brain injury, contact us today.
Email: referrals@ot-works.com
Phone: 604.696.1066 ext. 1000.
October is OT Month!
Every October, OT Works! celebrate our incredible team of Occupational Therapists and the difference they make in their clients’ lives!
The theme proposed for OT Month by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) this year is I ❤️ OT! Join us in celebrating!
Here’s why Pamela Russell, OT Works! Clinical Director, loves being an OT:
“I love OT because it truly facilitates a connection between people; by being client centred, we hear their stories, we share experiences at a time they often feel vulnerable or alone, and together we develop tangible, practical, creative ways to regain meaningful occupations and quality of life.”
Our Occupational Therapists at OT Works! provide individualized, community-based rehabilitation to clients in their homes, workplaces and communities.
Our approach combines an understanding of our client’s experience with objective, functional information and medical opinion, to facilitate a meaningful and successful recovery. We provide active-based, goal-driven, client-centered therapy that considers the whole person.
Our values of Quality, Respect, Objectivity, Promptness, Creativity and Empathy guide our OT and business practices.
Aging in Place
One way to celebrate OT month is by providing more information to the public about the importance of OT.
Occupational Therapists provide a holistic approach to clients in their recovery, allowing them to get back to the activities they love.
OTs also play an essential role in aging in place. If you or your loved ones want to age safely at home, an Occupational Therapist can help.
Read more about how an occupational therapist can help you with aging in place: https://www.oteveryday.ca/aging-in-place
Occupational Therapy at OT Works!
All of our therapists at OT Works! are certified with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) and are skilled in treating clients with physical injuries, mental health, and brain injuries.
Our OTs serve the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Sea-to-Sky and Vancouver Island. To learn more about our services, contact us.
How OTs can help clients with Sensory Processing Disorder
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) affects how the brain processes sensory information. People with SPD have difficulties taking in, interpreting and responding to information from the environment. Things that may appear to be simple for neurotypical individuals, such as dealing with fluorescent lights at the grocery store or focussing on a conversation in a loud environment, may be overwhelming or intolerable for people with SPD.
In most cases, people with SPD have one or more senses that experience either too much or too little stimulation.
That’s because SPD disrupts how the brain receives, organizes, and uses the messages received through our body’s receptors. We take in sensory information through our eyes, ears, muscles, joints, skin, and inner ears, and we use those sensations – we integrate them, modulate them, analyze them and interpret them — for immediate and appropriate everyday functioning.
As Occupational Therapist and Developmental Psychologist A. Jean Ayres says: “SPD is like a neurological traffic jam in which the senses don’t work properly.”
Adults and SPD
Although more common in children, adults can also have SPD.
Adults with SPD may have difficulties at work, at home, in relationships, and their everyday life. Things like giving presentations at work or being in a crowded elevator with other people might be extremely difficult to deal with.
SPD goes undiagnosed or is misdiagnosed in many adults. It’s common that SPD individuals will have other diagnoses as well, such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, among others.
An Occupational Therapist (OT) can help
Occupational Therapists cannot provide a diagnosis to clients with SPD.
However, our OTs can provide adults with SPD with a Sensory Diet, which are exercises, tools, and techniques to help regulate their sensory response so they can react in an adaptive way to everyday stimulation.
Occupational Therapists at OT Works! have experience working with individuals with SPD and can help you live a fulfilling life, doing the activities that you love and that are important to you.
If you or someone you know is looking for support with SPD, contact us today.
Email: referrals@ot-works.com
Phone: 604.696.1066 ext. 1000.
Learn more about SPD:
SPD and Autism Specialist Moira Pena’s website
OT Works! supports Project Change Foundation
As part of our annual efforts to give back to the community, OT Works! continues to support Vancouver-based Project Change Foundation. Change is central to the philosophy of occupational therapy and our therapists facilitate change to promote health and recovery.
Project Change Foundation provides financial and other support to early-stage charities in Canada with significant potential for creating social or environmental change.
Our Business Director, Jason Russell, was interviewed by Project Change and shared the reasons we chose to support the foundation.
“We chose to donate to PCF because of its unique focus on helping local organizations early in their development.”
Read the full interview on Project Change’s website, and donate to their initiatives.
Pamela Russell presenter with CAOT-BC and ICBC “Working Better Together for Occupational Therapists”
ICBC and the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (CAOT-BC) co-produced the webinar Working Better Together for Occupational Therapists.
Pamela Russell (Clinical Director, OT Works!) was one of the two OT co-presenters, representing community-based occupational therapists in BC.
Pamela is a founding member of the CAOT Private Practice Business Network (PPBN) committee.
The team presented a document called “Roles of the Occupational Therapist and Recovery Specialist in Enhanced Care” during the webinar on July 13, 2022. This guide was developed through collaboration between the CAOT-BC Private Practice Business Network and ICBC.
“It was a privilege to be part of this collaboration. It took several months and many conversations. But in the end, we established common ground that will provide clarity in how we work together and optimize the recovery process for ICBC customers.”
Pamela Russell, Clinical Director at OT Works!
Occupational therapists can find the webinar and reference materials on the ICBC healthcare providers site (under Occupational Therapists/Resources).
At OT Works!, we work collaboratively with our customers, colleagues, and partners to facilitate quality care for our clients.
OT Works! is a group of community-based occupational therapists serving Vancouver, Surrey, Fraser Valley, Squamish/Whistler, Victoria and Vancouver Island. We have been providing meaningful OT and rehabilitation services to clients in their homes and workplaces for over 20 years.
Contact Us
Phone: 604.696.1066 ext. 1000.
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day
What is National Indigenous Peoples Day?
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This day to recognizes and celebrates the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
Although these groups share many similarities, they each have their own distinct heritage, language, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.
In cooperation with Indigenous organizations, the Government of Canada chose June 21, the summer solstice, for National Indigenous Peoples Day. For generations, many Indigenous peoples and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near this day due to the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year.
It’s a special occasion to learn more about the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and histories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
Celebrate by learning and respecting Indigenous Peoples
At OT Works! we celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day by learning their history and understanding how we move forward to support Indigenous communities.
Here’s what we are currently reading and researching:
- Native Land website: to identify and acknowledge the Native land we live, work and play on.
- Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network’s Indigenous Ally Toolkit
- Indigenous Peoples: A Guide to Terminology – Usage Tips & Definitions
- 23 Tips on what not to say or do when working effectively with Indigenous Peoples
- Indigenous Corporate Training Blog
At OT Works!, we strive to help others and in doing so make the world a better place. We support advances in education and culture, value diversity and inclusion, and advocate sustainable use of natural resources. We recognize that respecting Indigenous rights is an extension of our beliefs and practices.