Welcome to the COVID-19 forum

Claudia

Welcome to this online forum related to COVID-19. I am Claudia von Zweck, an occupational therapist practising in Canada. At WFOT, we recognise the COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound impact on the daily lives of many people around the world. This forum is intended to provide an exchange for the global occupational therapy community to network and share resources regarding challenges faced related to the COVID-19 pandemic. I welcome you to contribute your ideas, comments and resources for the benefit occupational therapists and the people we support in our practice.

Claudia

For a limited time, all WFOT Individual Members have free access to the Disaster Management for Occupational Therapists online learning module. For more information about the course and how individual members can enrol visit https://www.wfot.org/resources/disaster-management-for-occupational-therapists

WFOT has additional resources to assist occupational therapists and others providing services during this pandemic. The following are available from https://wfot.org/resources:
Position Statement:Occupational Therapy in Disaster Risk Reduction
Position Statement: Occupational Therapy in Disaster Preparedness and Response
Publication: WFOT Guide for Occupational Therapy First Responders to Disasters and Trauma
Endorsed Publication: Early Rehabilitation in Conflicts and Disasters
Endorsed Publication: Responding internationally to disasters
Endorsed Publication: Disaster and Development: an Occupational Therapy Perspective

A full list of WFOT Position Statements is available at https://www.wfot.org/resources/list-of-position-statements

Anna Braunizer

Hello everyone!

My name is Anna and I am an occupational therapist in Victoria, BC, Canada. In response to the COVID Pandemic, I created beyondcovid-19.com, a website with resources to support people in doing what they love while physically distancing or isolating, as well as get curious about how strategies that we're applying now to support people working from home and other strategies that we're using now can be applied towards advocating for occupational justice to empower more disabled to participate in the workforce equitably or be empowered more in society so that they can afford assistive tech and supports they need to do and live their lives and participate in their communities. Currently there is a library for living, daily doing missions, and soon there will be a blog. Since it's launch yesterday, a couple team members have joined me from UK and Canada, others have reached out to express interest and I am still looking to grow the team. I'm hoping to making it interdisciplinary as well, and there are members of the public on the team too working on communications/graphics. If you or any of your colleagues are interested in contributing, please let me know by emailing beyondcovid@gmail.com or replying to this post.

rpmc

Hello Everyone,
My best wishes to all through these stressful and challenging times. We will come through this and be all the more insightful into our professional purpose.
Claudia, thank you for posting this timely topic.
I am seeking collaboration on research specific to response to this virus tragedy. My thoughts are that through collaborative cross-national research we will achieve greater insight into understanding problematic issues stemming from and/or related to this recent crisis - issues related to the profession itself, issues related to OT professionals (and students), or issues related to our clients/patients.
For example, one topic might be - given the stress/anxiety/concerns experienced by all, a cross-national examination of emotional responses and coping strategies of OTs (and OT Assistants) and OT students during this COVID-19 outbreak; another might be an examination of the impact of COVID-19 on OT educational programs and their students, and creative responses to problematic issues that have risen from this (e.g., programs shutting down their physical facilities, and relying on the internet to present course lectures); and, a third possibility might be an examination of the impact on COVID-19 on the profession of OT itself - Professional reassessment and re-design.
These are examples of potential collaborative studies. I look forward to response, suggestions, input.

Craig

Hi all just found this forum. Great to see sharing of good practice and ideas especially during such a challenging time. I work in forensic mental health and have established a new OT forum with a focus on meeting the needs of our patients with such clear restrictions. Will share soon

Thanks Craig

Claudia

WFOT has developed a public statement regarding Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation of People Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The statement highlights research demonstrating the value and importance of rehabilitation for people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A link to this resource is available https://wfot.link/covidrehab

WFOT also submitted a statement to the World Health Organization regarding occupational therapy and COVID-19 rehabilitation that was published as part of the World Health Assembly proceedings available at https://extranet.who.int/nonstateactorsstatements/meetingoutline/6

sherrynk

Greetings,
I am practicing in Huntsville Alabama on COVID units as well as running an Incident Command for ALS Clinics. Looking forward to sharing ideas as we navigate.