American Occupational Therapy Conference: April 22-26, 2009
The Occupational Therapy Department was well represented at the Annual Occupational Therapy Conference and Expo in Houston, Texas. Five faculty members had presentations and posters, several with student representation.

Dr. Carol Lust presented a poster Improved handwriting readiness in Head Start children using the pre-K Handwriting Without Tears program. Contributing authors were graduates Kim Brown, Brian Hummel, and Megan Terrio.

In addition to receiving two honors, Dr. Jane Painter, Cherie Newton, and Joni Long exhibited the poster Effectiveness of Tai Chi Exercise and Fall Prevention Education among Seniors in Reducing Fall Risk Factors: Linking Research to Practice and Education.

Dr. Tim Reistetter had three poster presentations! Motion Analysis of Upper Extremity Movement Smoothness was exhibited with graduates Julie Burke, Corinne Burns, and Kelly Grayburn. He also was lead author on poster Unilateral and Bilateral Upper Extremity Weight Bearing Effect on Hand Function and Functional Performance after Brain Injury with colleagues Beatriz Abreu, Jane Bearlehman, and Kenneth Ottenbacher. Dr. Reistetter also had a poster with Dr. Dickerson.


Dr. Anne Dickerson had two posters presented, both involving student driven projects. The first was with Dr. Reistetter and Daryl Bourgeois titled Comparing Two Simple Brake Reaction Timers: Results of a Study. The other poster was also with students Courtney Cosentino, Kimberly Hocking, and Iesha Hernandez as well as Dr. Jane Painter. That study was on the Older Adult Participants' Perceptions of the Usefulness of CarFit.
A new edition to the conference was the Technology Day. Dr. Leonard Trujillo was able to demonstrate his contribution long distance. He presented on Developing Educational Kiosks to Support the Installation and Use of AT Devices.

Elin Schold Davis and Anne Dickerson
Dr. Anne Dickerson arrived early to the conference and assisted with full day Pre-Conference Institute for the CarFit Technician Training on Wednesday and the CarFitEvent Coordinator Training three hour workshop on Thursday. As one of the few Carfit Instructors, she worked with Elin Schold Davis, Coordinator of the AOTA Older Driver Initiative, to train seven new CarFit instructors for around the country.