This past April at our national AOTA conference, two motions were passed that will change the way OTs work in the field of Complex Rehab Technology (CRT).  When Tamara Kittelson-Aldred and I wrote these two motions, we had no idea the impact this would make.  We are so proud to be a part of this project, and it’s great to have the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) behind us.  With our efforts including the Clinician’s Task Force, AOTA has decided to support the proposal to create a separate benefit category for CRT set forth by NCART (National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology).

So, where are we now?

The first paper includes Development of a Specialized Knowledge and Skills Document on Complex Seating and Wheeled Mobility in Occupational Therapy Practice. We have begun writing this AOTA Official Document with two other authors, Teresa Plummer, PHD, MSOT, OTR/L, ATP and Thelma Wakefield, OTR/L, ATP.  A final draft will be submitted to AOTA in February 2012, and reviewed by the Representative Assembly (RA) during the April national AOTA Conference.

The second paper includes Educating Occupational Therapists and Public Policy Makers Regarding Appropriate Access to and Funding of Complex Rehabilitation Technology (CRT) and Related Occupational Therapy Services for Individuals with Disabilities. This will be accomplished through a Policy Fact Sheet, which is also an AOTA document used to educate the public, policy makers, and stakeholders.  In the next week, we will begin writing this document with the assistance of AOTA.

As we move forward, we’ll keep posting updates to these two motions and our progress!

Cindi

Filed under: Industry News by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
No Comments »

Teaming up with Home Healthcare

With the growing number of seniors and individuals with disabilities, wheelchair mobility and seating in the area of home health is needed more than ever.  We are proud to announce that Seating Solutions is contracted with 11 home healthcare agencies in the Jacksonville, Orange Park, St. Augustine, and Gainesville areas and surrounding cities.  However, occupational and physical therapists need to know the fundamentals of wheelchair mobility, seating and positioning to first recognize and identify the needs of their patients.  Then, when appropriate, refer services to a mobility and seating specialist.  We are dedicated to helping therapists with identifying these needs and helping their patients obtain the proper equipment.

Teaching at University of Florida, Department of Occupational Therapy

This fall, I will be returning to University of Florida, my alma mater, to teach OT students the fundamentals of wheelchair seating and positioning.  This will be a wonderful experience!  I’m looking forward to learning and growing in my professional career as an OT and mobility specialist through this teaching opportunity.  Also, I’ll be able to apply and relate our current project with the American Occupational Therapy Association, which includes writing the AOTA official document “Specialized Knowledge and Skills Document on Complex Seating and Wheeled Mobility in Occupational Therapy Practice.”  With the two opportunities I’ve been given to help build the knowledge base and skills of future OTs, occurring simultaneously this year, what more could an OT ask for?

Filed under: General by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Monday, August 29th, 2011
No Comments »

FOTA August issue of FOCUS released and available online

We are in the beginning stages of this project….. writing the AOTA Knowledge & Skills Document for Complex Seating and Wheeled Mobility in Occupational Therapy Practice will be a great experience for all of us involved!  We are expected to have the first draft completed this spring 2012.

Filed under: General, Publications by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Friday, August 19th, 2011
No Comments »

My, my… how time flies!

As I’m going through some files and old OT Practice magazines I’ve kept over the years, I came across this February 2005 copy.  This was the year I took the leap from being a staff OT to being a full time private practitioner.  From 2001 to 2005, after starting my practice, I was still working as a staff therapist during regular working hours, then seeing my private patients after hours and during weekends.  I’ll never forget this year, because this was also the year Medicare coverage criteria and reimbursement policies started changing for durable medical equipment (DME) and directly affecting my practice and my patients.  I remember receiving e-mails on my blackberry while at Medtrade of the newly released policy changes, and it hasn’t stopped changing since.  Today, I look back and reflect on all that has happened over these last 6 years….. and a lot has changed.  As Medicare continues to cut reimbursement and implement competitive bidding, where will we be in another 6 years?

As we move into the second half of 2011, great things are on the horizon including our project in writing the AOTA Official Document “Specialized Knowledge and Skills on Complex Seating and Wheeled Mobility in Occupational Therapy Practice”.  I’m proud to be a part of this project and honored to work with such a great group of OT’s!

Filed under: General, Publications by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Monday, August 15th, 2011
No Comments »

Occupational Therapy

Dynamic and Empowering

Check us out on Facebook… Become a fan. Click:  Lottus Designs

We are excited to announce our new company Lottus Designs, Inc.  Services will focus on Environmental Modifications and Assistive Technologies  (environmental controls/electronic aids to daily living, and computer access) for children, adults and seniors.  Lottus will work with contractors and assist individuals and their families in finding funding for the services and products they need, as they are usually not covered by insurance.  Seating Solutions and Lottus Designs together will be able to provide comprehensive care and expertise to help seniors and those with physical disabilities stay in their homes independently and safely.  This will ensure compatibility between the durable medical equipment, the home/environmental modifications, and the assistive technologies.

When assessing a home, we recognize that the relationship between a person and a home is dynamic.  The person and his or her environment are two elements interwoven.  One cannot be assessed without the other.  There is more to a home than just the physical environment; there is also the personal, social, and cultural aspects of that home that make it a “home”.   By providing our home modification and assistive technology expertise, the relationship between individuals and their environment will grow that much stronger!

As we move forward, we’ll keep you posted on our progress.

Filed under: Home Mods & Universal Design by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Thursday, August 4th, 2011
No Comments »

Check out our latest article in the July 2011 issue of Rehab Management magazine.

Beyond The Wheelchair:  Home modification unites form and function by exploring a household’s big picture.

We are pleased to have Home Sweet Accessible Home in Jacksonville, Florida join our team of professionals who provide home modification and accessiblity services.

Filed under: Home Mods & Universal Design, Publications by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
No Comments »

The new wheelchair service provision guide is a valuable tool for our wheelchair mobility and seating industry.  Thank you to all who were involved with the development of this document.

Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology
Society of North America

“PURPOSE
The purpose of the Wheelchair Service Provision Guide is to provide an appropriate
framework for identifying the essential steps in the provision of a wheelchair. It is designed for
use by all participants in the provision process including consumers, family members,
caregivers, social service and health care professionals, suppliers, manufacturers, funding
source personnel and policy makers. This Guide does not specifically address requirements
associated with any particular funding source. It provides guidance regarding when funding
issues should be addressed in the process, and how to address them with the client, so that he or
she is able to make informed decisions”.

To view the full document, please click here and scroll down to download:  RESNA W/C Service Provision Guide

Filed under: Manual Mobility, Power Mobility, Seating & Positioning by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Saturday, July 2nd, 2011
No Comments »

Cindi and Scott Ross with Home Sweet Accessible Home, Jacksonville, FL

Aging-in-Place is a becoming a common term used among health care and service providers who care for seniors.  Aging-in-Place (derived from ‘age in place’) is the ability to live in one’s own home – wherever that might be – for as long as confidently and comfortably possible. Livability can be extended through the incorporation of universal design principles, telecare and other assistive technologies. These technologies also span categories of communication and engagement, health and wellness, home safety and security, and learning and contribution. (1).

Occupational Therapists are a vital part of the team in the aging-in-place service delivery model.  Part of AOTA’s 2017 Centennial Vision “is to meet society’s occupational needs”.  This can be done with seniors by helping them to age in place and “live life to its fullest”.  OTs are able to assess how a person may function in their home and participate in activities of daily living (ADLs).  We gather this information and make recommendations to improve a person’s independence and safety within their home, which may include things such as widening doorways, improving lighting, installing grab bars, and building a ramp or a roll-in shower.

A 2010 census shows our nation’s population is aging – Florida ranks 5th.  Between 2000 and 2010, the population 45 to 64 years old grew 31.5 percent to 81.5 million. This age group now makes up 26.4 percent of the total U.S. population. The large growth among 45- to 64-year-olds is primarily because of the aging of the baby boom population.

1.  Aging In Place Technology Watch

Filed under: Home Mods & Universal Design by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Thursday, June 23rd, 2011
No Comments »

March 2011 Issue of Rehab Management Magazine

Custom molding is one of my favorite areas of being a wheeled mobility and seating specialist.  Custom designing a seating system can be challenging, but most rewarding!  It is important to choose the right type of molding system that will best meet the needs of your client.

To view this article, please click on the link above.

Filed under: Publications, Seating & Positioning by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Thursday, June 23rd, 2011
No Comments »

AOTA Passes Motions for Complex Rehab Technology

NRRTS Directions Magazine Article – Click Here

By Tamara Kittelson-Aldred, MS, OTR/L, ATP and Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS

April 14, 2011, was an exciting day for many occupational therapists around the nation who specialize in complex rehabilitation technology (CRT). On this day, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Representative Assembly passed two motions related to CRT which will benefit current and future occupational therapists and the clients we serve who depend on this technology for their health and well being.

We became involved in this effort through the Clinician Task Force, a group of occupational and physical therapists, whose work involves providing wheelchair seating and mobility services to individuals with disabilities. In 2010, a small work group was formed with the goal of increasing public awareness and educating our professional associations about the proposal to create a Separate Benefit Category for CRT. Many therapists who specialize in this area of practice are heavily involved with organizations, such as RESNA. However, one focus of the work group includes fostering more support within our own professional associations. With our private practices located in Florida and Montana, we represent grass roots OTs who are passionate about working in this specialty area. Because we live on opposite sides of the country, we have yet to meet in person. However, through this project we have perfected the art of collaborating long distance.

AOTA has a mechanism which allows members to originate motions debated and voted on by the Representative Assembly (AOTA Congress) each spring. We were provided with templates and instructions requiring extensive work over a period of several weeks. Once written, the motions were reviewed by a committee and feedback was provided. Armed with the feedback, as well as the advice and assistance of Representative Assembly members and AOTA staff, we rewrote our drafts to create two motions for final submission. Then came the educational effort to garner support across the country so each state’s AOTA representative would hear from constituents about this issue and support our cause (we hoped). In the end, the motions were passed by a unanimous vote and with very little amendment.

The final motions:

Motion 5: Charge the AOTA Commission on practice to develop a Specialized Knowledge and Skills in Complex Seating and Wheeled Mobility document with a report (including content outline) to the 2012 Representative Assembly spring meeting.

The purpose of this document is to describe the knowledge and skills necessary for

occupational therapy practitioners to provide ethical and competent services related to Complex Seating and Wheeled Mobility. It will provide information about (1) an occupational therapy practitioner’s role in complex seating and wheeled mobility, (2) outline professional development and supervision guidelines, and (3) describe entry-level and advanced-level knowledge and skills.

Motion 6: Ask the AOTA President to direct the executive director to have the Public Affairs Division develop a Policy Fact Sheet on Complex Rehabilitation Technology to help guide the association’s advocacy efforts, with report back to the fall 2011 Representative Assembly online meeting.

The Fact Sheet is a document that AOTA’s Public Affairs officials will use to educate occupational therapy practitioners and public policy makers regarding appropriate access to and funding of complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) and related occupational therapy services for individuals with disabilities.

This summer, we will begin working with AOTA to develop these two official documents. Our vision includes expanding the education, knowledge, and skills of occupational therapy practitioners, and bridging the gap which has existed between OT wheeled mobility and seating specialists and other occupational therapy providers. This vision will provide a better service delivery model in complex rehab technology and related OT services. We look forward to future collaborative efforts between the Clinician Task Force workgroup and AOTA.

Filed under: General, Publications by Cindi Petito, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
No Comments »