Nova Scotia Society of Occupational Therapists (NSSOT)

Occupational Therapists play a large role in Pediatric health & wellbeing... Here is a look at where OTs serve children, youth, and families! Are there any other places you have seen occupational therapy pediatric services? List them below!

Over the next few weeks we will be looking into the role of Occupational Therapy with children & youth! Why is it important for occupational therapists to be involved with children & youth? Childhood is comprised of a series of highly sensitive developmental periods that are unique to each child. A missed opportunity to support a child’s occupational development at any stage in the cycle will have negative impacts across the life span. Early detection of developmental proble...ms coupled with an immediate intervention is critical to a healthy future. (CAOT Position Statement: Healthy Occupations of Children & Youth, 2009) Photo by: https://unsplash.com/@gio_aroundtheworld

Who are the Long-Haulers - those who were ill with Covid-19 and now are left navigating the health system with life-altering symptoms? Where does Occupational Therapy play a role in the treatment of these individuals? A piece by COPM explains... #CAOT #COPM #COVID19 #occupationaltherapy https://mailchi.mp/14aa/copm-april-2021-newsletter-4874941

We wanted to thank Sierra, Melissa, Angela and Ben for participating in our Occupational Therapy in Long Term Care Profile Series! They highlighted important areas that occupational therapists could further develop their role in LTC: -prevention of pressure wounds & other physical concerns -responsive behaviour education & management... -mental health supports -increase role in end-of-life care -increase focus on independence and quality of life -thorough ADL assessments Do you have any other areas you would add to this list? Comment below!

We wanted to welcome back Ben Boutilier for part 2 of his profile interview! Ben is an Occupational Therapist working in Long-term Care. 3) What ways do you feel occupational therapy could be further developed in the long-term care setting? With smaller caseloads, occupational therapists could provide a more thorough assessment of activities of daily living. Current culture in long term care settings is to do for due to nursing caseloads and time constraints. With increased staffing, occupational therapists could work with the individual to maximize independence, this in turn would help decrease many responsive behaviours (i.e. setting the resident up in the bathroom so that they can wash themselves, brush teeth, comb hair, etc. vs caregivers doing it for the resident because it is faster.

DO YOU WANT TO BECOME INVOLVED WITH NSSOT?? We are looking for passionate OTs to join our Advocacy Committee starting in January 2021. This committee will focus on raising awareness about the occupational therapy profession and supporting members of the profession. This committee will also focus on addressing challenges/barriers impacting our diverse clientele. The time-commitment would be 2-4 hours/month. We are looking for 3 more members, who are currently working in phys...ical and/or neuro practice areas, to join this committee: 1 from Western Zone 1 from Northern Zone 1 from Central Zone If this matches you and you are passionate about creating change or you have any questions, please send an email to our Advocacy Chair, Aly Pickard-Tattrie at [email protected]! We look forward to hearing from you! :)

Reminder about this upcoming event happening TOMORROW DEC 21ST from 7-8! We look forward to seeing everyone there !!

It’s that that time of year once again!

Meet NSSOT Board Member: Genea Teskey! Hometown: Fredericton, New Brunswick Area of Practice:... Role on Executive: Executive Director Description of your role: I am responsible for overseeing the administration, programs and strategic plan of NSSOT. Your personal goals for your NSSOT position for the next year: Working with the board to develop our new education and advocacy committees and delivering on the core mission of NSSOT promoting the profession of occupational therapy and supporting Nova Scotia occupational therapists. Fun fact about you: I have hiked in the Himalayan mountains.

Save the date!! The NSSOT welcomes you to join us at our virtual winter holiday social where you can connect with other members from across the province, play games like Music Bingo and Scavenger Hunts, and have a good time! Date: Monday, December 21st, 2020 ... Time: 7:00-8:00 pm AST Where: Zoom platform (link coming later) More details to come. Looking forward to seeing you this holiday!

Meet NSSOT Board Member: Lyndsay Duffin! Hometown: Thorndale, Ontario Role on Executive: Class of 2021 Student Representative ... Description of your role: To give a voice to students at board meetings, promote NSSOT events and opportunities to my class, and contribute ideas for future society events, campaigns, and decisions. Recently, I joined the NSSOT Advocacy Committee and have been working on bringing awareness to the many practice areas of OT across the province and promotions like this one! Your personal goals for NSSOT and/or your position for the next year: I would love to see the NSSOT continue to support different learning opportunities for members, especially facilitating student involvement in them. And, I hope to advocate for the many diverse practice areas within occupational therapy as well as how OT can best serve the needs of our clients! Fun fact about you: I’ve held the Stanley Cup!

Students from all programs have been impacted in one way or another by COVID-19. Whether it’s the shift to online classes, employment or work placements, they ...all had to adapt to the new normal to meet their goals. Joslin Holt and Aly Pickard-Tattrie are recent graduates of the Master of Science, Occupational Therapy Program at Dalhousie University in Halifax. During the last two semesters of their program, they had to complete a fieldwork placement and their final classes to wrap up their degree. Then COVID-19 hit and shifted everything. Learn how these occupational therapy students found new ways to learn and contribute during the pandemic. http://www.nshealth.ca//creative-during-covid-occupational

Meet CAOT Representative Karen Joudrey! Karen graduated from Dalhousie University’s School of Occupational Therapy in 2000. She has over two decades of experience with assessment and treatment of persons with psychosocial, physical, cognitive and/or neurological dysfunction in hospital, community, workplace, and in-home settings in Ontario and throughout the Atlantic provinces. In addition to maintaining her private Occupational Therapy practice, she serves as a Disability M...anagement Consultant for a prominent Canadian telecommunications company. As well, she holds an Instructor position in the School of Occupational Therapy in the Faculty of Health Professions at Dalhousie University as Coordinator of the Disability Management Certificate Program. Karen is on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. "My goal for NSSOT is to continue apply my diverse skillsets to nurture networking and mentorship opportunities among OTs (and hopefully OTA's!) in our province to advance the strength of the society and to promote awareness of our profession."

We are inviting you to learn more about Occupational Science topics and Dalhousie University's new Master of Science Occupational Science program during the O...ccupational Science virtual Mini Seminar Series presented by @dalhealth SoOT. First Seminar is this Thurs. Nov 19th at 12 noon AST. Click to learn more and sign up for free: https://buff.ly/3nyLsXe See more

You're invited to the NSSOT Holiday Social! Come join NSSOT friends from across the province for a night of fun, games, prizes, and socializing. The virtual event will take place Monday, December 21st 7-8pm AST on Zoom. Enter here: https://nssot.wildapricot.org/event-4059844... We hope to see you there!

Job Opportunity in Sydney https://www.redcross.ca//opportun/occupational-therapist-2

Meet NSSOT Board Member: Holly Buckler! Hometown: Halifax, Nova Scotia Role on Executive: Class of 2022 Student Representative ... Description of your role: I provide updates on what is happening with the first year class and advocate for student opportunities! Your personal goals for NSSOT: Continue to grow NSSOT over the next year and I hope that we can provide students with lots of learning opportunities! Fun fact about you: I played varsity soccer at Acadia University!

Volunteer Opportunities: Halifax The Municipal Clerk’s Office is currently recruiting volunteers for various boards and committees, including the Accessibility Advisory Committee. Follow the link below to access information on how to apply and browse the list of current opportunities! (Deadline for applications is November 9th, 2020 by 11:59 p.m.) https://www.halifax.ca//board/volunteer-boards-committees... Nova Scotia - The Province of Nova Scotia is also seeking volunteers for various agencies, boards, and commissions. Follow the link below to access information on how to apply and the list of current available positions! (Application deadline for Fall 2020 is November 23rd, 2020) https://novascotia.ca/apps/abc/CurrentOpportunities.aspx

Ready to offer another eOTo session to Student Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapists across Nova Scotia!