Stroke survivors', caregivers', and health care professionals' perspectives on the weekend pass to facilitate transition home.

Objective: To explore stroke survivors', caregivers', and health care professionals' perceptions of weekend passes offered during inpatient rehabilitation and its role in facilitating the transition home.

Design: Qualitative descriptive.

Subjects: Sixteen stroke survivors, 15 caregivers, and 20 health care professionals' from a rehabilitation hospital.

Dysphagia and associated risk factors following extubation in cardiovascular surgical patients.

Following cardiovascular (CV) surgery, prolonged mechanical ventilation of >48 h increases dysphagia frequency over tenfold: 51 % compared to 3-4 % across all durations. Our primary objective was to identify dysphagia frequency following CV surgery with respect to intubation duration. Our secondary objective was to explore characteristics associated with dysphagia across the entire sample.

Fracture risk assessment after BMD examination: whose job is it, anyway?

Unlabelled: Fracture risk assessments on bone mineral density reports guide family physicians' treatment decisions but are subject to inaccuracy. Qualitative analysis of interviews with 22 family physicians illustrates their pervasive questioning of reported assessment accuracy and independent assumption of responsibility for assessment. Assumption of responsibility is common despite duplicating specialists' work.

Power mobility with collision avoidance for older adults: user, caregiver, and prescriber perspectives.

Collision avoidance technology has the capacity to facilitate safer mobility among older power mobility users with physical, sensory, and cognitive impairments, thus enabling independence for more users. Little is known about consumers' perceptions of collision avoidance. This article draws on interviews (29 users, 5 caregivers, and 10 prescribers) to examine views on design and utilization of this technology.

Randomized clinical trial of the Timing it Right Stroke Family Support Program: research protocol.

Background: Family caregivers provide invaluable support to stroke survivors during their recovery, rehabilitation, and community re-integration. Unfortunately, it is not standard clinical practice to prepare and support caregivers in this role and, as a result, many experience stress and poor health that can compromise stroke survivor recovery and threaten the sustainability of keeping the stroke survivor at home. We developed the Timing it Right Stroke Family Support Program (TIRSFSP) to guide the timing of delivering specific types of education and support to meet caregivers' evolving needs.

Examining the impact of familiarity on faucet usability for older adults with dementia.

Background: Changes in cognition caused by dementia can significantly alter how a person perceives familiarity, impacting the recognition and usability of everyday products. A person who is unable to use products cannot autonomously complete associated activities, resulting in increased dependence on a caregiver and potential move to assisted living facilities. The research presented in this paper hypothesised that products that are more familiar will result in better usability for older adults with dementia.

Impact of quality improvement strategies on the quality of life and well-being of individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review protocol.

Background: After a spinal cord injury, quality of life, as well as the determinants of quality of life, has been widely assessed. However, to date, there have been no systematic reviews on the impact of quality improvement strategies, including self-management strategies, on the quality of life and well-being of individuals with a spinal cord injury. The current protocol outlines a strategy for a systematic review that aims to identify, assess, and synthesize evidence on the impact of quality improvement strategies on the quality of life and physical and psychological well-being of individuals with spinal cord injury.

Children and youth with disabilities: innovative methods for single qualitative interviews.

There is a paucity of explicit literature outlining methods for single-interview studies with children, and almost none have focused on engaging children with disabilities. Drawing from a pilot study, we address these gaps by describing innovative techniques, strategies, and methods for engaging children and youth with disabilities in a single qualitative interview. In the study, we explored the beliefs, assumptions, and experiences of children and youth with cerebral palsy and their parents regarding the importance of walking.

Quality of fracture risk assessment in post-fracture care in Ontario, Canada.

Unlabelled: As fracture risk assessment is a basis for treatment decisions, accurate risk assessments on bone mineral density (BMD) reports are important. Over 50 % of sampled BMD reports for Ontarians with fracture histories underestimated fracture risk by a single category. Risk assessments in Ontario may not accurately inform treatment recommendations.

Assessment of the postural control strategies used to play two Wii Fit™ videogames.

The Nintendo Wii Fit™ may provide an affordable alternative to traditional biofeedback or virtual reality systems for retraining or improving motor function in populations with impaired balance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate postural control strategies healthy individuals use to play Wii Fit™ videogames. Sixteen young adults played 10 trials of Ski Slalom and Soccer Heading respectively.

Feasibility of improving the motor development of toddlers with congenital heart defects using a home-based intervention.

This study investigated the feasibility of administering motor assessments, delivering rehabilitation via parent-led activities, and enhancing motor function in children with complex congenital heart defects. Gross and fine motor development were evaluated in 20 toddlers ages 12 to 26 months after either a superior cavopulmonary connection (SCPC) procedure or an arterial switch operation (ASO) using the Peabody developmental scale, version 2 (PDMS-2). Feasibility of assessment and program delivery were examined using open-ended interviews with parents.

Brain injury from a first nations' perspective: teachings from elders and traditional healers.

Background: There is a lack of knowledge about how cultural ideas affect First Nations peoples' perception of rehabilitation needs and the ability to access services.

Purpose: The study explored the perceptions of treating and healing brain injury from First Nations elders and traditional healers in the communities served by Wassay-Gezhig-Na-Nahn-Dah-We-lgamig (Kenora Area Health Access Centre).

Methods: A participatory action approach was used, leading to a focus group with elders and traditional healers.

Inter-professional clinical practice guideline for vocational evaluation following traumatic brain injury: a systematic and evidence-based approach.

Introduction: This paper introduces an inter-professional clinical practice guideline for vocational evaluation following traumatic brain injury. This guideline aims to explicate the processes and factors relevant to vocational evaluation to assist evaluators (i.e.

Research lessons learned: occupational therapy with culturally diverse mothers of premature infants.

Background: Evaluation studies of the effectiveness of home-based occupational therapy are scarce but are needed to justify the impact of occupational therapy intervention. When the intervention is for persons from diverse cultural backgrounds, additional research challenges arise.

Purpose: To share lessons learned in conducting home-based occupational therapy research with Canadian, and immigrant South Asian and Chinese mothers of premature infants in a large Canadian city.

Mindfulness and flow in occupational engagement: presence in doing.

Background: Flow is a psychological state that might be viewed as desirable, and it occurs when a person is aware of his or her actions but is not being aware of his or her awareness. Mindfulness is viewed not as the achievement of any particular state, but as intentional awareness of what is, being aware of awareness.

Purpose: To examine theoretical perspectives and empirical research on flow and mindfulness, and offer suggestions about the relevance of these concepts to occupational engagement.

Differential profiles for patients with traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To profile the demographic, clinical and environmental characteristics of persons with acquired brain injury receiving inpatient rehabilitation services in Canada.

Design: This study utilizes data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information's National Rehabilitation Reporting System, between April 2001 and March 2006. The data were collected from publicly insured institutions providing inpatient rehabilitation across Canada.

Examining occupational traumatic brain injury in Ontario.

Objective: Occupational traumatic brain injuries disrupt the lives of workers and carry major economic repercussions. To date, there has been limited information on brain injuries that occur at work across injury severity levels in Canada. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of occupational traumatic brain injuries in Ontario, with a focus on the sex of the workers.

The personal and workplace factors relevant to work readiness evaluation following acquired brain injury: occupational therapists' perceptions.

Objective: This study examined the personal and workplace/environmental factors perceived most relevant to work readiness evaluations following acquired brain injury.

Research Design: Using a qualitative secondary analysis design 'indicators of success' and 'risks of failure', identified as relevant in a primary study of occupational therapists' evaluation practices, were explored further.

Method: Data collected in the primary study, e.

The Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy: implementation of a population-based osteoporosis action plan in Canada.

In the last decade, there have been a number of action plans published to highlight the importance of preventing osteoporosis and related fractures. In the province of Ontario Canada, the Ministry of Health provided funding for the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy. The goal is to reduce morbidity, mortality, and costs from osteoporosis and related fractures through an integrated and comprehensive approach aimed at health promotion and disease management.

Exercise training before and after lung transplantation.

The benefits of exercise training in individuals with chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, and interstitial lung disease have been well documented. Although there is limited research available, it appears that exercise is safe and beneficial for people with severe end-stage chronic lung disease who are awaiting lung transplantation in addition to recipients of lung transplants. Evidence-based guidelines for exercise training in the pre- and post-lung transplantation phases have not yet been developed.

Disability in low-income countries: issues and implications.

This article reports on a study conducted for the Canadian International Development Agency by The International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation at the University of Toronto. We critically examined the broad literature in the area of disability and development and in this article we identify the key issues which emerged. Most of the data were collected from existing literature in the academic and practice settings and from the publications of key NGOs and governments.

Dysphagia following cardiovascular surgery: a clinical overview.

The objective of this clinical paper is to enhance nurses' understanding of normal swallowing physiology and post-operative swallowing impairments (dysphagia) in patients following cardiovascular surgery. Ultimately, the goals of dysphagia assessment and management are to prevent pulmonary complications secondary to aspiration and to ensure safe and adequate nutritional intake and hydration. Risk factors for dysphagia include stroke, compromised respiratory status, endotracheal intubation and/or tracheostomy tubes, and a dependency for feeding and oral care.

Physical therapists' experiences updating the clinical management of walking rehabilitation after stroke: a qualitative study.

Background: Little is known about physical therapists' experiences using research evidence to improve the delivery of stroke rehabilitation.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore how physical therapists use research evidence to update the clinical management of walking rehabilitation after stroke. Specific objectives were to identify physical therapists' clinical questions related to walking rehabilitation, sources of information sought to address these questions, and factors influencing the incorporation of research evidence into practice.

The COACH prompting system to assist older adults with dementia through handwashing: an efficacy study.

Background: Many older adults with dementia require constant assistance from a caregiver when completing activities of daily living (ADL). This study examines the efficacy of a computerized device intended to assist people with dementia through ADL, while reducing caregiver burden. The device, called COACH, uses artificial intelligence to autonomously guide an older adult with dementia through the ADL using audio and/or audio-video prompts.