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Rehabilitation throughout the Life Span

 

Research Faculty

 

Dr. Adina Hartman-Maeir

Naomi Gil

Orit Shenkar

Asnat Bar-Haim Erez

 

 

 

RATIONALE

  

Enabling our clients to regain their independence and control over their lives is a major focus of the occupational therapy profession. This vast task includes every aspect of life – from being able to dress (Activities of Daily Living) to maintaining a home (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living), working, driving and enjoying leisure activities. Occupational therapists view skill performance from many perspectives. We consider the physical, sensory and cognitive needs of an activity and assess whether or not special equipment or rehabilitative techniques are needed in order to enable independence. To participate in this rehabilitation process, the clinician needs to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the human systems (physical, cognitive, emotional), environmental factors, and available rehabilitative skills and equipment.

 

The School of Occupational Therapy of Hadassah and the Hebrew University is committed to training therapists to provide rehabilitation services for any client who needs it – from infants to the elderly. In order to enable us to reach these educational and service goals, we urgently require a laboratory that will provide a training and research facility for rehabilitative techniques and technology as well as function as a community-based treatment clinic to serve the community.   

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS

 

This laboratory is run by the staff of the School of Occupational Therapy of Hadassah and the Hebrew University with the assistance of professionals from various Jerusalem based clinics. 

 

1. Outcome evaluation tools

(in collaboration with the laboratory for the Rehabilitation of Individuals with Cognitive Disabilities)

Population: Individuals with functional, motor or sensory deficits

Goal: Measuring the effectiveness of rehabilitation intervention and equipment is essential.  We intend to develop evaluation tools that measure functional outcomes, translate and adapt existing tools to the ect will deal both existing tools to the Israeli population. Israeli population and assess the psychometric properties of existing tools.

 

2. Driving rehabilitation

(in collaboration with the Virtual Reality laboratory)

Population: Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury and geriatric populations

Goal: Driving is an essential part of independence in daily living.  Elderly clients and individuals after brain damage often wish to continue driving and frequently do so without being assessed as safe drivers. In recent years, many occupational therapy clinics in Israel have become involved in driving rehabilitation. However, there is still a need to provide a training laboratory for safe driving practice, develop a comprehensive assessment of driving skills and develop methods of assessment of treatment effectiveness.

 

3. Teaching skills laboratory for activities of daily living

Population: Various populations

Goal: We intend to build and promote a simulated environment for training purposes. Here, students and clinicians will be able to acquire the requisite skills to assist clients in gaining independence in their everyday living tasks. Training will focus on learning to assist in skills such as dressing and bathing, caring for the house and accomplishing tasks outside of the home. 

 

IMPLICATIONS FOR TARGET POPULATIONS

Rehabilitation of individuals from all population groups is a major focus of the occupational therapy mission. The School of Occupational Therapy of Hadassah and the Hebrew University is committed to providing their students with the best training. It is essential to expand existing evidence regarding whether the theory and techniques used indeed help patients. In addition, we hope to provide our students with an environment which enhances learning by exposing them to equipment used in the field and allowing them to practice their skills in a simulated environment.

 

 

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Image courtesy of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation



            
  
 


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