Bridging the Gap with Eliza duPont, OTD

The healthcare services we receive after having a life-changing experience such as a stroke can deeply impact our long-term recovery. However, across the U.S. research shows that in the acute-care setting there is often a lack of incentivization to improve functional outcomes and a lack of formal guidance for the appropriate dosage of rehabilitation therapies such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology. What do we know about how to best treat patients in this early stage after experiencing a stroke? And further, how can we optimize a healthcare service delivery system to better serve people after stroke? Listen to this deeply informative and eye-opening conversation with researchers and professors Drs. Amit Kumar and Pamela Bosch of Northern Arizona University.

The field of occupational therapy addresses a variety of important human factors that ultimately influence our ability to participate in meaningful life activities. Occupational therapists can be educators, researchers, clinicians, consultants, or innovative podcast creators! In this episode we will dive into how participation is defined in the field occupational therapy, how participation relates to social life and community integration, and how  the intersection of the two impact one's ability to live a meaningful and fulfilling life. 

Tune in for more!

What can we learn from first-hand experiences and personal insight? Hannah, a business owner in Burlington, VT, shares her journey through acquiring a traumatic brain injury (TBI), acknowledging the darkness and difficulties, and finding joy and purpose along the way.  

What differences in social participation are we seeing for people who have experienced a stroke compared to the general population? What are the primary barriers to engaging with one's community after stroke? And, how is COVID-19 impacting this important occupation? Eliza talks with occupational therapy doctorate student, Nicole Lam, about her experience conducting research on social participation outcomes for people post-stroke in the era of a global pandemic.