Students in the Penn State DuBois Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program presented the work and research they've completed over the past year during an exhibition this week. Students offered demonstrations of their work in the student union, displaying therapy devices that they've designed and built, and presented their research using poster displays.  They chose to offer the presentations during April because it is Occupational Therapy month, as designated by the American Occupational Therapy Association.  

"Everything they've done is related to therapy that's currently in practice in the field," said LuAnn Demi, instructor and campus coordinator of the OTA program.  She said the work students did this year helped them to learn the real-world applications for Occupational Therapy, and how it is used to help people with a wide variety of ailments. She continued, "The purpose of this research is to show the variety of places OT can be used and the variety of practice settings that there are in the field."  Demi noted that individual student research focused on areas including low vision, mental health, injuries, fall prevention, disaster relief, and more."

"Some used traditional methods for OT, and some students have worked on implementing emerging technologies," Demi said, noting that some students researched the use of iPad Apps in Occupational Therapy.  Some apps currently available to all iPad and iPhone users are designed specifically for Occupational Therapy.  They consist of games that stimulate various parts of the brain, which can be therapeutic for people with certain mental conditions. 

"These apps help people with autism by working on fine motor skills," explained student Molly Myers of Hillsdale, Indiana County, as she demonstrated a game on her iPad.  Another app that Myers shared was one that can be beneficial to Occupational Therapy professionals in prescribing treatment.  Using an image of the human brain, it allows the users to pin-point the functions that are controlled by each part of the brain.  Myers said, "It explains what parts of the brain focus on different tasks.  You just click on the part of the brain and it tells you what it does, and what diagnoses might affect each part."

Another group of students worked with more traditional devices that would allow people who have injuries, or who are recovering from surgery to complete household tasks.  Amanda Williams of Clearfield worked with her classmates to build a dog bowl outfitted with a high-standing funnel that would allow a pet owner to feed their animal without bending over.  Williams said, "The funnel would be helpful for someone who has had a hip replacement, so they can't bend past 90 degrees.  So, they can feed their pet without bending down." 

Williams and her peers also designed a device that holds a book in an open position, and another one that holds a plate and silverware at an elevated point above a table top.  She explained, "These are for people with neck injuries who can't put their head down.  The book stand also helps people with arthritis in their hands who want to read but have trouble holding a book." 

As the OTA students shared their research with other campus students, Demi was enthusiastic about how illustrative the presentations were of the many areas in which OT is used every day.  She said of her students, "They really impressed me.  They have really shown the variety of ways that OT can be used to help people in different practice settings."

Students in the Penn State DuBois Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program recently had opportunities to build upon their education with real-world lessons, while also reaching out to some special high school students. 

OTA students hosted Life Skills students from DuBois Area High School for a workshop on campus, where they participated in crafting activities and interactive video game play.  The Life Skills students are students who possess intellectual or developmental challenges.  Educators for both the Life Skills students and Penn State DuBois OTA students say the exercises are mutually beneficial.

"This gives them exposure, not just to a college campus, but experience in how to navigate through the community, how to interact with people, and how to behave in groups and in the community," said Life Skills teacher Dan Minns.

"It really gives us good experience working with children of different developmental abilities," said Rachel Wells, OTA student and president of the campus OTA Club.  "We'll work with a variety of patients with different challenges in our careers, and this helps us learn how to interact with them."

The activities OTA students offered provided fun learning experiences for the Life Skills students, while accurately simulating real-world occupational therapy situations. Making crafts and playing interactive games like those on the Nintendo Wii are tactics often employed by therapists in the field.

"Play is a big part of the work that we'll do, and a big part of OT," Wells said. 

Three Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students from Penn State DuBois recently made a presentation on their circular and extra circular work at the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association’s (POTA) annual conference in Lancaster, PA.  It provided the students with opportunities to showcase their accomplishments, and to network with professionals in the occupational therapy field. 

Accompanied by LuAnn Demi, instructor and campus coordinator of the OTA program, the students presented a poster session featuring photos and information about the hands-on learning experiences they've had while enrolled in the campus program.  Their presentation focused on CarFit, a clinic styled program that students offer periodically.  During CarFit clinics, students work with other health care professionals to help senior citizen drivers stay safe and comfortable behind the wheel.  Seniors who attend the clinic receive help adjusting their seats, steering wheels, and mirrors for maximum comfort and safety, in a way that best suits each individual.  Through their presentation, the students were able to show OT professionals the impact that real-world learning opportunities have had on their education. 

"This was a great opportunity for students to take knowledge they have gained during their education to a new level," Demi said.   "The students shared information and experiences they’ve had serving the community through CarFit with occupational therapy professionals in the field who hadn’t even heard of the program.  I think presenting a poster at a professional conference gave the students confidence and experience that will continue to benefit them in their future careers in occupational therapy."

The students said that they couldn't agree more.  OTA student Colleen Prechtl said, "Getting to be a part of the CarFit POTA presentation was a great experience. It allowed us to educate others in the OT field about this great program for senior drivers and how they can also get out in their communities to spread the word of how OT can help make this world a better place."

"I feel that the POTA Conference was a great experience for me because I was able to spread the word about the program, CarFit, as well as mingle with some other people of the OT profession," said student Katrina Anderson.

Students in the Penn State DuBois Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program recently worked with area senior citizen drivers to assure they are as safe as possible when behind the wheel.

The students collaborated with healthcare professionals at Christ the King Manor Nursing Home in DuBois to offer a CarFit clinic at the facility.  Drivers who attended the clinic learned how to best "fit" in their cars to ensure they are traveling comfortably and safely.  Small adjustments were made to parts of vehicles when needed, including the gas and brake pedals, steering wheel, seat, seat belt, and mirrors to achieve optimum safety and comfort.

"As we age, driving becomes more challenging.  Loss of vision, decreased range of motion, pain, lack of strength and diminished posture all can hinder our abilities behind the wheel," said Trish Hopkins, an occupational therapist at Christ the King Manor who helped to organize the CarFit clinic. "Whether it's specialized seats, mirrors, or techniques, CarFit will show you the tools available to improve your driving experience for years to come."

"This is the third CarFit event Penn State DuBois OTA students have hosted in DuBois in the past year and a half," said Penn State DuBois OTA instructor LuAnn Demi. "To date, approximately 20 OTA students have been trained to be CarFit Technicians.  This is a national certification and the students will be able to use this training in their future careers as OTAs, plus they provide a service to the community while they learn." 

"I love to work with people and this is such a great experience to get hands on education and work with occupational therapists, as well as people from the community," said OTA student Rachel Wells, of Reynoldsville.  "CarFit is a great program because it helps make older adults more aware of their driving environment and makes driving safer and easier."

Another student, Colleen Prechtl of St. Marys agreed saying, "During CarFit we not only get to help seniors to drive longer and safer, but we also receive hands on experience which will benefit our careers as OTA's."

Students were required to be certified by AAA and the AARP to participate in the program the CarFit program.

Students in the honors section of the Penn State DuBois Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program are helping elementary school students learn concentration and focus that will help them complete their school work and other tasks.  The six OTA honors students meet weekly with students in grades three, four and five, at Wasson Elementary School in DuBois, and lead the youngsters in a program called, How Does Your Engine Run?

"Using an analogy of a car engine, it helps children to identify how to get their engines just right in order to be able to concentrate on tasks," said senior instructor and fieldwork coordinator for the Penn State DuBois OTA Program Marge Pendzick.  "With different hands-on activities and discussions, the children learn to recognize when their engine is running too slow or too fast, and learn different strategies to change their engine speed."

Exercises in the program include arts and crafts, and object manipulation, and various other activities that require concentration and focus. One activity involved students filling balloons with dried beans to make a "stress ball".  This not only provided practice in concentration to make the stress ball, but the finished product can also be rolled through the hands to quell stress and anxiety later when students need some relief.

Other activities in the program teach techniques for controlled breathing, and for using sensory stimulation to regulate the body's energy.

"It helps students self-regulate and moderate their behavior using a sensory-cognitive approach," Pendzick said. 

For the Penn State DuBois students, it provides hands-on learning opportunities that will help prepare them for their career. 

"I want to work in pediatrics and work in a school," said OTA major Kylie McGarry of Curwensville.  "This is a really good learning experience for me, because I could end up using programs just like this when I start a career." 

Pendzick said the variety of therapy options used with real patients in this program provides invaluable lessons for her OTA majors.  She said, "It's nice for our students to work with these kids closely, learning how to change therapy if it doesn't work, or to stay with therapy that does work." 

This month, Occupational Therapy (OT) students at Penn State DuBois doubled down on service projects while also gaining some valuable experience in their field.  The students collected comfort items to donate to injured veterans at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Erie.  Then, to assemble care packages with the items, the Penn State students enlisted the help of Life Skills students from DuBois Area High School.  The Life Skills program is made up of young people with developmental challenges, ages 14 through 21.  Overall, the project benefits the veterans who will receive the packages, the Life Skills students who had the experience of helping with the project, and the Penn State students who had the opportunity use their education to guide the high schoolers through preparing the care packages. 

Beginning in early February, OT students placed donation boxes around campus to collect items for injured veterans who are currently hospitalized, who don’t have the resources to obtain the items themselves.  They asked for things like shaving cream, tooth paste, tooth brushes, combs, hand sanitizer, and other comfort or personal hygiene items.

"We did this to give back to people who have served our country," said OT instructor LuAnn Demi.  "It's important for students to see that there's a lot to do beyond doing your job; that you should reach out and help others in the community." 

The OT students said they did learn that lesson, through working with the Life Skill students, and by knowing they will provide comfort to veterans.  Student Chelsea Rearick of Byrnedale said, "It makes us realize why we're here, and that we can really help people."

Rearick also said the experience provided valuable insight for the careers that lie ahead of the students.  She said, "I think that everything we do like this helps prepare us.  In the medical field, you never know what you'll encounter from day to day." 

Classmate Stacy Otto of Curwensville agreed, saying, "This has given me a lot of help preparing for what I'll see when I graduate.  I'm dealing with people and really loosening up around them.  It's good practice."   

According to Gretchen Clark, a Life Skills teacher at the high school, arrangements like this are working for everybody.

"Some of the Life Skills students do receive occupational or physical therapy, so these Penn State students get the opportunity to work with people who have the kind of disabilities that they might work with in the future.  Our students also have a great time coming to the campus, working on project like this, and having this interaction.  It's great for our kids in and the Penn State students." 

Students in the Penn State DuBois Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program met face-to-face with potential employers during the OTA Job Fair held on campus on September 14.  A number of companies that are recruiting professionals in the occupational therapy field were on hand. The event is held specifically for students and recent graduates in this high-demand field, and designed to get them placed in their careers as soon as they are ready to enter the workforce.

"We want students to be aware of the opportunities that are here locally, as well as ones that are out of the area," said OTA Instructor Marge Pendzick.  She noted that employers who attended the fair ranged from local therapy-based companies, to large-scale care providers with locations across the country.  Currently, there is a great demand for people in the occupational therapy field across the United States, and here in Pennsylvania, making it a favorable career choice.   

"These graduates probably won't have trouble finding jobs here," said Chad Eppley, the director of operations for Benchmark Therapies, based in Huntingdon, PA, who represented his company at the fair.  "But if you look at regional demand, some places are even better than others.  In Pennsylvania, in places like Lancaster, Chester County, and Lebanon, there are three jobs available for each one of these graduates, and that's a conservative estimate."  

Even OTA students just beginning in the program attended the fair.  Though they may have some time left before they begin their career, OTA Instructor LuAnn Demi said the interaction with employers is still a good experience for underclassmen.  She said, "It gives them the chance to practice their professional behaviors and job interviewing skills.  It also gives them a reason to prepare a résumé, and see what kinds of opportunities are out there. " 

OTA student Carrie Flanagan, of Curwensville, will graduate in December.  She's now deciding where she would like to start her career, and found that she has plenty of options. 

"It's nice to see all of the facilities represented here. There is a lot of opportunity here, locally.  I would also consider moving away to work for some of these other companies that seem really great.  It helps a lot that Penn State DuBois does this for us."