RU students and faculty featured at Occupational Therapy Annual Conference
Katherine Perry at the annual Virginia Occupational Therapy Association conference in Roanoke with her poster presentation "Exploring the Relationship Between Effectiveness of Pets and Pet Attachment in Reducing Loneliness in Older Adult Populations."
Twelve Radford University Department of Occupational Therapy students and three faculty members made presentations at the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association (VOTA) Annual Conference in Roanoke Oct. 24-26.
"The students worked hard on these posters, and they were very impressive," said OT Chair and Professor Douglas Mitchell. "VOTA is one of the oldest and largest state professional associations for occupational therapists, and we're excited that RU will be so visible at its conference this year."
Hannah Hames, a second-year OT graduate student, presented her research with a poster titled "Physical Activity in After-School Programs and its Effects on Reducing Obesity in Elementary-Aged Children."
"Obesity is such an epidemic and the conference was a chance to share what I have found," Hames said. "I want to find ways to help my future clients participate fully in life."
Other RU student presenters were:
- Mary Bennett – Is OT-SI Effective in Decreasing Challenging Behaviors in Children with Sensory Modulation Disorder (SMD)?
- Ashley Bowen – Substance Abuse and Intellectual Disability in Adolescents
- Kathleen Burch – The Potential of Occupational Therapy in Treating Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in OIF, OEF, and OND Veterans
- Patience Cantrell – Reducing Stigma Associated with Mental Illness
- Amanda Dennis – The Impact of Aquatic Therapy on Pain and Strength in Patients with Arthritis: An Evidence Synthesis
- Stephanie DeLuca, Sarah Garrison, Sharon Ramey, Mary Rebekah Trucks and Dory Wallace – An Introduction to Pediatric Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (P-CIMT) Research and Practice
- Ashley Gudman – The Montessori Method in Alzheimer's Care: An Analysis of the Effectiveness of the Montessori Method in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
- Emily Keohane – Effectiveness of Electrical Stimulation on Upper Extremity Mobility in Adults after Stroke
- Katherine Perry, – Exploring the Relationship Between Effectiveness of Pets and Pet Attachment in Reducing Loneliness in Older Adult Populations
- Carma Sample – Possible Occupational Therapy Interventions to Improve Sleep in Patients with Parkinson's Disease
- Brittany Vernon – The Effectiveness of Behavioral Interventions in Children with Autism on Social Interactions
The faculty presenters were:
- Vesna Cotic Costello, instructor of occupational therapy – Pediatric Feeding 101: Where to Start on Monday
- Laura Miear, instructor of occupational therapy, and Mitchell – Preparing High School Students in Special Education for Driving Through Use of the STISIM Drive Simulator
From left to right, the RU presenters at the recent Virginia Occupational Therapy Association Conference in Roanoke: Patience Cantrell, Amanda Dennis, Ashley Gudman, Brittany Vernon, Ashley Bowen, Hannah Hames, Emily Keohane, Mary Bennett, Kathleen Burch and Katherine Perry.
Occupational therapy is a science-driven, evidence-based profession that enables people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health and prevent or live better with undefined illness, injury or disability.
Occupational therapists (OT) enter the field with a master's or doctoral degree. After completion of supervised clinical internships in a variety of health care settings and a passing score on a national examination, OTs are licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia Board of Medicine.