This course is designed to assist occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in evaluating, planning, and preparing their older adult clients to age in place. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has identified aging in place and home modifications as an emerging niche in occupational therapy. This toolkit will highlight the role occupational therapy plays in aging in place. Also, each participant will gain the understanding and application of home modification concepts as...

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) identifies health and wellness as a key practice area in the 21st century for improving health outcomes and quality of life (AOTA, 2020). CHAIH falls within this area to support occupations and to promote health, wellness, and disease prevention across all areas of OT and the life span. The United States health care system has primarily addressed the “disease and illness” or biomedical model, rather than promoting...

Course Description:

This basic-level course addresses this knowledge gap by providing rehabilitation professionals with an overview of the co-occurrence of depression and chronic conditions and identifying challenges in screening and referring adults with chronic conditions and depression. It provides explanations for potential causes of and contributing factors to depression unique to individuals with chronic medical conditions. Although individuals with chronic conditions are at an increased risk for depression, this course also...

Course Description:

Addiction affects people of all ages, sexual orientation, races, ethnicity, social classes, religions, educational status, and family structure. The increasing rates of drug overdose and death from substance misuse and addiction is a serious public health issue that requires addressing. Substance use and addiction often results in hospital admissions and readmissions, and incarceration in jails or prisons. The economic toll of lost wages, and rising healthcare costs result in...

Course Description:

Adults age 65 and older represent the fastest growing population both in the United States and in the world (Administration on Aging [AoA], 2020). Technological advances allow people to live longer but have yet to solve many of the challenges to health and independence brought on by age-related changes and chronic conditions. Older adults represent a challenging and unique population due to the broad variability and range in age...

Course Description:

Heart failure is an expensive health condition both internationally and within the United States (US). According to the most recent data from 2016,  6.9 million Americans have heart failure, with hospitalizations for this condition having tripled between 1979 and 2004 (Urbich et al., 2020; Ziaeian & Fonarow, 2016). Comorbidities such as iron deficiency, anemia, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, respiratory illness, and depression accompany chronic heart failure contributing to a...