April is Occupational Therapy Month and this year’s theme is “Occupational Therapy: Living Life to Its Fullest™.” Occupational therapy (OT) is focused on engaging individuals in meaningful activities of daily life (such as self-care skills, education, work, or social interaction) with the aim to enable or encourage participation in such activities despite impairments or limitations in physical or mental functioning. Occupational therapists assist individuals across the lifespan to participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations). Common occupational therapy interventions may include: Assisting children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, assisting people recovering from an injury to regain skills, and providing supports for older adults who are experiencing physical and cognitive changes. OT services may include: Individualized evaluation during which the client/family and the OT practitioner determine the person’s goals, customized interventions to improve the person’s ability perform daily activities and to reach his or her goals, and an outcomes evaluation to ensure that all goals are being met and/or make changes to the intervention plan. OT services can involve multiple environments such as the individual’s home, workplace, or educational institution and include recommendations for adaptive equipment and training on its use, and guidance and education for family members and caregivers. OT practitioners focus on the individual and adapt the environment and situations around the needs of the individual being served. OT can get drivers back into the driver seat! Learn more about driving and community mobility at www.aota.org/en/Practice/Productive-Aging/Driving.aspx. Search for a driving specialists at myaota.aota.org/driver_search/index.aspx.

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) will be hosting their 94th Annual Conference and Expo (#AOTA14) at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland from April 3rd through 6th, 2014. NARIC (@NARICInfo and @NARICenEspanol) will be at booth 360 next to the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (@ACRMTweets). Come visit us!

Have a question or need resources related to OT? Contact us in advance of the conference and our information specialists will get busy on answering your questions and/or finding the right resources! Contact us at naricinfo@heitechservices.com, by phone at 800/346-2742, or through our website www.naric.com!