Description:
Low vision rehabilitation requires patients to learn new ways of doing everyday tasks through adaptations including the use of low vision assistive devices. Low vision assistive devices have been found to maximize self care, leisure, social participation, employment, and play engagement for patients with visual impairments including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma (Copolillo and Teitelman, 2005).

Although these devices can be beneficial and promote quality of life for patients with low vision, barriers to using these devices during daily activities have been noted. These barriers include a patient's level of acceptance and insight into their vision changes, the availability of low vision rehabilitation within the community, the complexity of the device itself, and characteristics of the device including size, weight, magnification, and field of view. To diminish these barriers and promote the continued use of the device, a client centered evaluation and treatment plan is necessary.  This presentation will identify characteristics of various devices that may be beneficial or hinder use during daily living skills.

Speaker Biography:
Karla Sternberg has been an occupational therapist for over two years. Currently, Karla practices as an Occupational  Therapist in the Vision Impairment Outpatient Rehabilitation program at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, in Houston, TX.  In 2007, Karla obtained a Masters of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree from Texas Woman?s University in Houston, TX and in 2009 she became a Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT) through the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP).  Karla’s previous experience includes collaboration with a neuro-ophthalmologist and development of a low vision program at a world renowned cancer institution based in Houston, TX.

Amy Wheeler has practiced as an occupational therapist for 12 years since graduating with her masters degree from Rush University in Chicago, Illinois. She has experience working in state and private health care systems working with adults with multiple diagnoses. Currently she works for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Houston, TX where she works as a blind rehabilitation outpatient specialist in low vision rehabilitation in community / home based care.

Learning Outcomes:
As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Participants will have a better understanding of current literature and research regarding compliance with assistive technology use.

2. Participants will be able to verbalize the advantages, disadvantages and training strategies of various assistive devices including both low technology devices and high technology devices.

3. Participants will be able to identify strategies to promote continued use of assistive devices as well as to promote the collaboration and communication with the referring physician.

 

Additional Information: http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3628

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CEUs
This activity is offered for up to 0.2 CEUs (1.5 hours of instruction).

To register for CEUs, click on the link below to download the Evaluation and Learning Assessment Form, complete the form, and save the file using this file name model:

2011-ATIA-Webinar-AT11-WEB13-Training.rtf.

Then send the file as an email attachment to ceus@aacinstitute.org. If any difficulty is encountered in using this form, write to ceus@aacinstitute.org to request an alternative file format. In the body of the email, include:

Name
Assistive Technology Role (SLP, OT, family, etc.)
State (if USA), Province (if Canada), or other country

Download Evaluation and Learning Assessment Form now.

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Certificates are sent as .pdf email attachments.